Ultrawave

Ultrawaves are a concept used in science fiction to represent transmissions or signals that may propagate faster than light through either normal space, or alternate space, such as hyperspace or subspace. Those that exist in hyperspace, may also be referred to as hyperwaves, or subwaves.

Though some pieces of sci-fi will use ultrawaves as a form of energy transmission or weapon, (beam weapon or death-ray).

• In E. E. Smith's Lensman series, ultrawaves propagate through the sub-ether superluminally, and were used for weapons, communications, and other applications, and had various frequencies.

• In Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, ultrawave and hyperwave are used interchangeably to represent a superluminal communications medium.

• In the Star Trek universe, the first example of an ultrawave is developed as an alternative means of faster than light travel, ostensibly to replace warp drive.

• In the XCOM universe, the hyperwave decoder allows the player to know what race, size and mission a targeted UFO is on which suggest that the alien forces use hyperwaves to communicate.

• In the book A Fire upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge, ultrawave is used as a method of faster than light travel in the Beyond, as well as a means of communication.