An anti-mass condenser field converts the Dark Energy into particles of exotic matter, which are emitted from the poles of the sphere as beams of plasma. A Citadel’s reactor locally increases the intensity of space-time fluctuations, creating a sphere of volatile space-time in the reactor core that has a high concentration of Dark Energy. The Dark Energy supply as well as electricity for the Combine infrastructure is generated by a linked network of Citadel reactors. The core of a Citadel's Dark Energy reactor. Judith Mossman explains that the Combine have difficulty with their current model of local teleporters because "they fail to factor in the Dark Energy equations". However, despite this highly-advanced understanding of Dark Energy, it is hinted that the Combine do not have a complete mastery of the Science, as Dr. The exotic high-energy plasma is also sometimes referred to as Dark Energy for the sake of convenience. Dark Energy's negative pressure means that the plasma that results from the conversion is a form of exotic matter. Dark Energy reactors actually convert the energy into matter. As well as becoming more powerful, the field of the Gravity Gun also acquired some of the harmful effects associated with Dark Energy plasma.Ĭombine technology is powered by Dark Energy. It is now clear that there is a relationship between Dark Energy and zero point energy, and this explains why Gordon Freeman’s ' Gravity Gun' (Zero-Point Energy Field Manipulator) was not dissolved by Combine weapon confiscation field and was instead infused with Dark Energy. The nature of Dark Energy remained theoretical until the Combine occupation, as not even the scientists at the Black Mesa Research Facility had the technology to test the various hypotheses.
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One theory was that this invisible energy could be related to the zero point energy field, also known as vacuum energy, the underlying background energy that exists in space even when devoid of matter, caused by quantum fluctuations in the fabric of space-time. The nature of this energy was unknown and it could not be directly detected - hence the label 'Dark Energy'. Human cosmologists hypothesized the existence of Dark Energy to explain the accelerating expansion of the universe, and it was calculated that 70% or more of the universe consisted of Dark Energy.