The Giga Meter is another device created to detect ethereal energies. Specifically, it measures psychomagnotheric energy in Giga Electron Volts, which are the standard unit of measurement for high-energy physics.
Description
It appears as a hand-held black unit, with a large sensor 'dome' mounted to the front underside at a slight angle. Above this, two electronic probes sway back and forth, presumably to pick up or filter out energy.
History
Primary Canon
Around the time the Ghostbusters' dissolution after the Gozer incident, Egon Spengler and Ray Stantz, were working on a theory that the human emotional state has a measurable effect on the psychomagnotheric energy field. [1] Egon continued to gather data on this theory while he was employed at the Institute for Advanced Theoretical Research. The theory and research culminated in the invention of the Giga Meter.
The Giga Meter was only used briefly, in response to the Psychomagnotheric Slime discovered below the streets of New York. While investigating Dana Barrett's apartment and First Avenue, Doctors Spengler and Stantz used the Giga Meter in conjunction with the original P.K.E. Meter. While the P.K.E. Meter can act as a psychokinetic dowsing rod, the Giga Meter more likely serves as a measuring instrument, for recording the exact levels of psychomagnotheric energy generated by an entity in a measurable unit. For instance, when used to gauge the Psychomagnotheric Slime, the Giga Meter had a reading of 2.5 Giga Electron Volts whereas the P.K.E. Meter measured 1118.
The Giga Meter does not appear in Ghostbusters: The Video Game; because the primary slime that is utilized, Black Slime, is supersaturated with negative energy and not psychomagnotheric energy. It was not similar enough to warrant the Giga Meter's use.
Secondary Canon
Egon used a Giga Meter to take an initial scan of Fantastic Land once the Ghostbusters entered the grounds. Months later, in November, Egon ran a sweep of Herald Square with the Giga Meter after Death, Eugene Visitor, and the Megaspook vanished.
Contradictions in Appearance
It is unknown why but in some promotional materials, such as the Puzzle Book and Coloring Book, the Giga Meter instead is portrayed as a box like device.
Trivia
- On page 23 of the February 27, 1989 draft of the Ghostbusters II script [2], Ray Stantz reveals he and Egon Spengler "have been working on a gauge to measure psychomagnotheric energy in GEVs - giga electron volts."
- In Ghostbusters Issue #2 page 19, baby Egon's toy is a Giga meter.
Appearances
Primary Canon
Secondary Canon
References
Gallery
Overall
Primary Canon
Secondary Canon
