Antimass

All craft of the type labelled Airship utilise some amount of what is known as Antimass. This is an array of one or more containers with reservoirs of an ionised superfluid[1] that is subjected to a set of powerful, rotating electromagnetic fields. The effect this has on the fluid's gravitons[2] leads to a negative weight proportional to the mass of the volume times the rate of rotation. This results in an upward lift far in excess of gasses lighter than air.

The altitude of an airship is regulated by the speed of the motors rotating the electromagnetic Charge Rods, which act upon the superfluid. Antimass requires a fairly large amount of energy to be supplied in order to drive the charge rods and the field, which is typically supplied by the airship's Vapour Drive. However, even without power the effect lingers long enough for an airship to stay afloat for some time as the rods decelerate and the field dissipates. Antimass is much more powerful than the Repulsor, but slower to respond and less precise. Cities use a different method of lift that is both unpowered and stable but cannot be varied, known as Floatrock.

The technology of antimass was such a cornerstone of Gold Age lifestyle that is was one of the few wonders from that time to survive and even remain somewhat ubiquitous.