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Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A Gabriel Effect was an astronomical phenomena that was characterized by laser-pink lighting and a murky cloud of gas. They had disruptive influences on eletronic systems, causing sensors to show incorrect measurements and malfunction, and warp drives to fail to stabilize warp fields.

In the late 23rd and early 24th centuries, at least seven ships were lost to encounters with this phenomenon, so named for the captain of the first starship to encounter one and survive, Gabriels.

One of the lost ships, USS Francis Drake lost seventy-five crewmembers before they realized what was happening as the hull and interior was transformed at the atomic level into pure silica.

While on the USS Stargazer, Jean-Luc Picard encountered one of these, hoping to never run into another.

In 2367 as captain of the USS Enterprise-D, he encountered another on the way to Starbase 112. Picard called for a full stop and for the crew to turn off any non-essential electronic systems incuding shutting down Ten Forward, the holodecks, computer libraries, and replicators. (TNG novel: Spartacus)