Existing at the edge of the Schatten Star System, approximately 57421 AU's from Schatten, it varies by about +/- 63 AU depending on the exact location. The barrier itself is only about 15,000 km thick, making it a very thin shell of intense spacial distortion in a spheroid shape around the entire system. The Concord has placed satellites on either side of the barrier at regular intervals, these act as communication relays and help to map the slow changes in shape and thickness of the barrier. Using this data ships can map the best locations to cross the barrier with minimal risk.
Appearance
The Barrier itself is a softly luminescent region of swirling energies that completely surrounds the star system on all sides. This glow is only visible when very close to (a 100-200 kilometers) distant from the barrier itself, otherwise those inside the system are able to see outside the barrier without problem, though sensors have trouble penetrating to the outside world. From the outside, the barrier is nearly invisible and causes the interior to be nearly impossible to detect with sensors except through distortions in visible light spectrums.
Though communication through the barrier is possible but requires a very focused signal to beam through the barrier. The Serenity Concord has a network of communications relays at equal distances on either side of the barrier which enable communication through the barrier. Each satellite communicates with its twin satellite on the opposite side of the barrier. Without the satellites communication through the barrier would be spotty at best. The communication satellites also measure the thickness and shape of the barrier at any given time, allowing ships to plot courses through the thinnest parts of the barrier where it is easiest to cross.
Properties
Energy from the barrier is roughly harmless to life, though prolonged exposure within the barrier can cause nausea, aphasia, loss of balance, and minor perceptual problems they are short lived once the life form has left the region. Space vessels have a much harder time, the barrier is disruptive to and and almost all artificial power generation systems, though it does not appear to inhibit power storage systems (batteries for instance) or extremely simple power generation - steam power turbines for instance. Matter/Anti-matter, fusion, fission, Zero-Point Energy, and similar advanced power generation techniques begin to fail once they enter the barrier. Power systems are not the only thing impacted, communications, sensors, shields / navigational deflectors, ODN (optical data network), replicators, holographic projection, and most other modern systems are also disrupted. Sensors become useless, shields inoperative, and communications become difficult if not impossible once a vessel enters the barrier. Life support is seldom effected unless by the lack of power.
Recovery
Upon exiting the barrier systems come back online with only minor damage (realignments, small circuit burnouts, and the like). However, about 1 out of every 4 times (25%) a major system does not come back online and requires repairs from extensive component burnouts. So far, no vessel have been lost due to travel through the barrier though several have required extensive repairs.