"Titanians" as in, creatures from the moon of Saturn.
Titan is one of several places in the solar system where life seems most likely to be possible. A couple of forms are though of as possibilities: some life in an ocean layer inside the moon, and some exotic type that lives in methane lakes on the surface, uses methane and ethane instead of water as its main components, and reacting hydrogen in the atmosphere with hydrocarbons.
This section of blog posts is me imaging intelligent versions of the second type of life exploring the solar system. The different conditions on Titan compared to earth mean that such creatures would have a very different view of the planets than we humans have.
Showing posts with label planets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planets. Show all posts
Friday, March 1, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Kiln
(This planet is in the same universe as Cauldron, Cryolith, Phobis Terra,
and Behemoth, but is not something I'd plan to make a main part of the
actual mod, if it ever gets made. This description is more for my own
enjoyment, and hopefully yours.)
Basic Description
This is the second planet out from the main star in this system, orbiting between Griddle and Cauldron. It is about a third the mass of Earth, but with a much greater proportion of radioactive materials. The planet's atmosphere is much like that of Venus, a hot, thick, carbon dioxide dominated atmosphere, although not as dense, with a covering of sulfuric acid aerosol clouds.
The surface is mostly Volcanic, with some erosion, with large sections covered by a series of lava channels and pools.
Interior
The inside of this planet, like most Rocky planets, has a metal core in the center and a rocky mantle surrounding it. The interior contains far more radioactive material than found in equivalent rocks on Earth, and as a result the interior is hotter and more active. Most activity is in the form of plumes, both upwelling and downwelling.
Surface
The atmospheric greenhouse and closer distance to the star keep the surface extremely hot throughout the planet. Some volcanoes on this planet release magma that stays liquid at these temperatures, resulting in large river systems and some floodplains and lakes of lava. Other magma releases form tunnels, which form fields of hump like formations. Most of the lava in these formations forms from highland areas, flowing from the volcanoes that form over the interior plumes, resulting in systems that look similar to Earth river systems, flowing into something similar to salt lakes.\
Most of the planet is relatively flat, with highlands and mountain ranges covering areas over plumes. These mountains are jagged, clifflike structures, with numerous volcanic features and lava flows. Within mountain ranges, lava is more likely to pool and form lakes, while in plains areas, lava flows go for far longer, forming longer river like features until the lava decomposes or reacts with the surrounding air and ground.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Kiln is much like Venus, mostly high pressure carbon dioxide, with sulfur compounds formed in the atmosphere. However, water escapes more easily from the atmosphere than on Venus, and as a result the clouds are filled less with Sulfuric acid and more with other sulfur materials. Pure sulfur forms a large fraction of the clouds, and in some high altitude areas, reaches the surface and coats it occasionally. Carbon dioxide is released in greater amounts by volcanoes, and by the decomposition of low temperature lavas, but also escapes more easily due to lower gravity.
The planet does not have a strong magnetic field, and the atmosphere is constantly escaping into space. The large amount of volcanic activity has maintained the atmosphere over time.
Explanation
This planet is effectively a smaller, more volcanic Venus. This planet is me imagining another planet to follow the pattern of Cauldron, with greater amounts of radioactive materials towards the center of this solar system. The lava lakes are an attempt to make the planet somewhat more interesting, although I've still largely written a copy of Venus.
The lava flows are based on two theories of formation of lava Channels on Venus. Since the "standard" types of lava would freeze too quickly to form the long channels seem (The freezing point is still above Venus's temperature, and the high density of the atmosphere carries heat away very quickly, more than compensating for the increased temperature), some people think the Venusian channels were formed by something called Carbonatites, which freeze at relatively low temperatures for lava, and has the right physical properties, others think that the lava is a more "standard" type, that formed an insulating covering that kept the lava liquid for long distances. Here are some links describing the theories involved:
http://www.sfu.ca/~glynwj/pdfs/JGR%2798-Venus.pdf
http://books.google.com/books?id=b93lEgkPquoC&pg=PA1213&lpg=PA1213&dq=komatiites+venus&source=bl&ots=QROD1nYNA2&sig=awB1TTGnFUC4so1YBvnM81Otmk0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=lSkPUYb6DuzAyQH704CQDg&ved=0CGcQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=komatiites%20venus&f=false
Basic Description
This is the second planet out from the main star in this system, orbiting between Griddle and Cauldron. It is about a third the mass of Earth, but with a much greater proportion of radioactive materials. The planet's atmosphere is much like that of Venus, a hot, thick, carbon dioxide dominated atmosphere, although not as dense, with a covering of sulfuric acid aerosol clouds.
The surface is mostly Volcanic, with some erosion, with large sections covered by a series of lava channels and pools.
Interior
The inside of this planet, like most Rocky planets, has a metal core in the center and a rocky mantle surrounding it. The interior contains far more radioactive material than found in equivalent rocks on Earth, and as a result the interior is hotter and more active. Most activity is in the form of plumes, both upwelling and downwelling.
Surface
The atmospheric greenhouse and closer distance to the star keep the surface extremely hot throughout the planet. Some volcanoes on this planet release magma that stays liquid at these temperatures, resulting in large river systems and some floodplains and lakes of lava. Other magma releases form tunnels, which form fields of hump like formations. Most of the lava in these formations forms from highland areas, flowing from the volcanoes that form over the interior plumes, resulting in systems that look similar to Earth river systems, flowing into something similar to salt lakes.\
Most of the planet is relatively flat, with highlands and mountain ranges covering areas over plumes. These mountains are jagged, clifflike structures, with numerous volcanic features and lava flows. Within mountain ranges, lava is more likely to pool and form lakes, while in plains areas, lava flows go for far longer, forming longer river like features until the lava decomposes or reacts with the surrounding air and ground.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Kiln is much like Venus, mostly high pressure carbon dioxide, with sulfur compounds formed in the atmosphere. However, water escapes more easily from the atmosphere than on Venus, and as a result the clouds are filled less with Sulfuric acid and more with other sulfur materials. Pure sulfur forms a large fraction of the clouds, and in some high altitude areas, reaches the surface and coats it occasionally. Carbon dioxide is released in greater amounts by volcanoes, and by the decomposition of low temperature lavas, but also escapes more easily due to lower gravity.
The planet does not have a strong magnetic field, and the atmosphere is constantly escaping into space. The large amount of volcanic activity has maintained the atmosphere over time.
Explanation
This planet is effectively a smaller, more volcanic Venus. This planet is me imagining another planet to follow the pattern of Cauldron, with greater amounts of radioactive materials towards the center of this solar system. The lava lakes are an attempt to make the planet somewhat more interesting, although I've still largely written a copy of Venus.
The lava flows are based on two theories of formation of lava Channels on Venus. Since the "standard" types of lava would freeze too quickly to form the long channels seem (The freezing point is still above Venus's temperature, and the high density of the atmosphere carries heat away very quickly, more than compensating for the increased temperature), some people think the Venusian channels were formed by something called Carbonatites, which freeze at relatively low temperatures for lava, and has the right physical properties, others think that the lava is a more "standard" type, that formed an insulating covering that kept the lava liquid for long distances. Here are some links describing the theories involved:
http://www.sfu.ca/~glynwj/pdfs/JGR%2798-Venus.pdf
http://books.google.com/books?id=b93lEgkPquoC&pg=PA1213&lpg=PA1213&dq=komatiites+venus&source=bl&ots=QROD1nYNA2&sig=awB1TTGnFUC4so1YBvnM81Otmk0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=lSkPUYb6DuzAyQH704CQDg&ved=0CGcQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=komatiites%20venus&f=false
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Griddle
(This planet is in the same universe as Cauldron, Cryolith, Phobis Terra,
and Behemoth, but is not something I'd plan to make a main part of the
actual mod, if it ever gets made. This description is more for my own
enjoyment, and hopefully yours.)
Basic Description
This is the innermost planet in the system. It is about the size of Mercury, and mostly rock and metal, but has a much larger fraction of radioactive material, that powers internal activity on the planet. This activity reshapes the surface, and supplies the planet with a thin atmosphere. The planet is tidally locked, with no moons.
Interior
The planet has a structure resembling most rocky planets, with a metallic core in the center, and a rock mantle and crust as the outer layers. The mantle towards the surface is partly melted, due to the large amounts of radioactive materials near the surface. Most activity in the mantle comes from plumes of ascending and descending material.
The Core of griddle generates a weak magnetic field, though much less strong than Earth's.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of griddle mainly contains carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen, and it is about 1/20 the density of Earth's. The atmosphere is replenished by volcanic gases, and lost to heating by auroras and solar wind action, and large amounts of material freeze on the cold side of the planet. Atmospheric winds largely circulate between the warm to cold sides of the planet, with air near the surface on the hot side rising and flowing towards the cold side, where it sinks to the surface and travels back. These winds do not reach all the way around the planet, leaving a dead zone facing away from the star.
On the section of the planet directly facing the star, temperatures reach around 600 Celsius, due both to the constant sunlight from the star, and greenhouse warming from the atmospheric gases, but heat is quickly transferred by winds towards the night side of the planet. Traveling around the planet, the temperature drops towards the day/night boundary, and continues dropping towards the night side dead zone , where temperatures drop to about -150 C, as heat transported from the day side radiates away. On the night side, the air gets cool enough for carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide to freeze and form clouds, changing the composition greatly. Atmospheric dust is also common, mostly released from volcanoes.
The atmosphere is constantly being worn away, both by auroras and stellar winds, and by the high temperatures on the warm side of the planet. As a result, most original gases, including water, and been blown away, and the current atmospheric gases are mostly those released more recently by volcanoes.
Surface
Due to the tidal locking, the surface of griddle of quite different on the day and night hemispheres. On the day side, the surface is mostly hot, volcanic rock, with a few dusty areas formed from volcanic dust and eroded rock. The plumes of griddle's mantle form large volcanic mountains on the surface, although most of it is plains, with a few ridges and folded areas, and craters. Due to the high temperatures on much of the day side, and the difficulty the atmosphere has in transferring heat, lava lakes can be maintained for a long time, and rivers and lakes of lava are common sights near dayside volcanoes, with more concentrated near the point closest to the star.
The fart colder night side is largely covered in frost, both carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The frost starts as thin, patchy sections near the day night boundary, and gets thicker and covers a larger section of the surface as the distance from the day/night boundary increases. Near the dead zone, the frost layer gets about a mile thick. Even on this side, the planet is highly active volcanically, and the same pattern of tall mountains, plains, and ridge zones occur, but covered in frost.
Magnetosphere
The magnetic field of griddle is powerful enough and large enough to cover the planet, producing about an Earth sized magnetosphere. Though the field blocks most stellar wind, some does make it through, and powerful stellar wind events push large amounts of material into the magnetosphere, stripping the atmosphere and leading to more widespread auroras.
Explanation
This planet is mostly me imagining a more volcanic Mercury. It isn't based strongly on any other planets or moons, and is mostly me imagining out a world.
Basic Description
This is the innermost planet in the system. It is about the size of Mercury, and mostly rock and metal, but has a much larger fraction of radioactive material, that powers internal activity on the planet. This activity reshapes the surface, and supplies the planet with a thin atmosphere. The planet is tidally locked, with no moons.
Interior
The planet has a structure resembling most rocky planets, with a metallic core in the center, and a rock mantle and crust as the outer layers. The mantle towards the surface is partly melted, due to the large amounts of radioactive materials near the surface. Most activity in the mantle comes from plumes of ascending and descending material.
The Core of griddle generates a weak magnetic field, though much less strong than Earth's.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of griddle mainly contains carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen, and it is about 1/20 the density of Earth's. The atmosphere is replenished by volcanic gases, and lost to heating by auroras and solar wind action, and large amounts of material freeze on the cold side of the planet. Atmospheric winds largely circulate between the warm to cold sides of the planet, with air near the surface on the hot side rising and flowing towards the cold side, where it sinks to the surface and travels back. These winds do not reach all the way around the planet, leaving a dead zone facing away from the star.
On the section of the planet directly facing the star, temperatures reach around 600 Celsius, due both to the constant sunlight from the star, and greenhouse warming from the atmospheric gases, but heat is quickly transferred by winds towards the night side of the planet. Traveling around the planet, the temperature drops towards the day/night boundary, and continues dropping towards the night side dead zone , where temperatures drop to about -150 C, as heat transported from the day side radiates away. On the night side, the air gets cool enough for carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide to freeze and form clouds, changing the composition greatly. Atmospheric dust is also common, mostly released from volcanoes.
The atmosphere is constantly being worn away, both by auroras and stellar winds, and by the high temperatures on the warm side of the planet. As a result, most original gases, including water, and been blown away, and the current atmospheric gases are mostly those released more recently by volcanoes.
Surface
Due to the tidal locking, the surface of griddle of quite different on the day and night hemispheres. On the day side, the surface is mostly hot, volcanic rock, with a few dusty areas formed from volcanic dust and eroded rock. The plumes of griddle's mantle form large volcanic mountains on the surface, although most of it is plains, with a few ridges and folded areas, and craters. Due to the high temperatures on much of the day side, and the difficulty the atmosphere has in transferring heat, lava lakes can be maintained for a long time, and rivers and lakes of lava are common sights near dayside volcanoes, with more concentrated near the point closest to the star.
The fart colder night side is largely covered in frost, both carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The frost starts as thin, patchy sections near the day night boundary, and gets thicker and covers a larger section of the surface as the distance from the day/night boundary increases. Near the dead zone, the frost layer gets about a mile thick. Even on this side, the planet is highly active volcanically, and the same pattern of tall mountains, plains, and ridge zones occur, but covered in frost.
Magnetosphere
The magnetic field of griddle is powerful enough and large enough to cover the planet, producing about an Earth sized magnetosphere. Though the field blocks most stellar wind, some does make it through, and powerful stellar wind events push large amounts of material into the magnetosphere, stripping the atmosphere and leading to more widespread auroras.
Explanation
This planet is mostly me imagining a more volcanic Mercury. It isn't based strongly on any other planets or moons, and is mostly me imagining out a world.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Frigis
(This moon is in the same universe as Cauldron, Cryolith, Phobis Terra,
and Behemoth, but is not something I'd plan to make a main part of the
actual mod, if it ever gets made. This description is more for my own
enjoyment, and hopefully yours.)
General Description
Frigis is the largest moon of Behemoth, made of about half ice, half rock, and is the farthest out of its three large moons. It is inactive, although in the past had more activity. The remnants of this activity includes a weak atmosphere, that is gradually getting worn away by Behemoth's magnetic field plasma.
Surface
The surface of Frigis is covered by a mixture of terrain types, mostly craters, ridges, plains, and small hill regions. The craters form by impacts, while other other types are eroded remains of past internal activity. The moon also has great color variation on different regions, going from icy white, to various reddish browns in parts, to large dark areas, formed by different surface ices and organics.
Crater plains, a mixture of flat terrain and large craters, are the most common type of terrain on the moon. Most areas are partly enclosed by boundary regions of hill and ridge terrain, suggesting interior areas of an old tectonic system. The craters themselves are in various states of erosion due to the thin atmosphere, and evaporation of ice deposits, with these processes supplying dust to be blown around by the atmosphere. Smaller craters have either been eroded completely, or filled in by dust.
Ridge regions were previously either contracting or expanding areas in the ancient tectonic system. Most surviving ridges are highly eroded, with some transitioning into hill belts. The ridges themselves often appear striped from above, with alternating white and dark areas depending on slope. Rock slides occur occasionally as well, due to various types of erosion.
Hills come in two general formations, some in belts that often blend into ridge belts, others in clumps within plains. Both types of hills come from eroded remains of previous formations, the clumps from craters, and the belts from ridges or other tectonic features. Hills may be colored a number of different ways, but darker areas iun general are more eroded than lighter areas.
Erosion on Frigis takes place largely in two ways: wind, and ice evaporation. Though the atmosphere is thin, it generates strong winds the move dust, and sometimes etches the surface. Ice evaporation occurs due to light absorption. When exposed to light, water and carbon dioxide ice at the surface evaporates, leaving behind organic and dust deposits.
A combination of these two processes often leaves stripe like features on hills and ridges. Where wind deposits dust, more light is absorbed, evaporating ice. This evaporation leaves the surface darker, causing more evaporation. Areas with less wind stay lighter and cooler, and more ice deposits, further lightening the area continuing the cycle. This process results in light and dark zebra stripes on ridges, and hill clusters that are all white facing one direction, and dark facing another. On plains, similar processes may occur, but the difference is much less pronounced, due to a much smaller difference in dust erosion and deposition, and to the ease that wind can move ice or dust from one region to another, canceling out the color differences.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Frigis is extremely thin, about 1,000 times less dense than Earth's, on average. It is mostly made of nitrogen and carbon compounds, and is a remnant of gases released during a more active period.
Though thin, the atmosphere transports dust around the surface of Frigis, smoothing plains regions and contributing to color differences between light and dark areas. Winds also assist in evaporating ice and erosion, but blown dust and evaporated material away.
Clouds, though rare, do occur occasionally on this moon. When they do firm, clouds resemble a thin ice fog near the surface, composed of water ice or carbon dioxide ice particles. Dust clouds also occasionally appear, usually when unusually strong winds or vortexes form that can concentrate the dust.
The outer atmosphere is being swept away by Behemoth's magnetospheric plasma. contributing a small amount of material to Behemoth's magnetic field. This process will eventually remove all of Frigis's atmosphere.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not a geologist, planetary scientist, or any other similar sort of scientist, just someone who finds planetary science interesting. As a result, a lot of these ideas may be impossible, or at least unrealistic. This probably applies more to these moons than it does to the previous four planets I've written about. Any mental anguish, property damage, or other negative consequences from reading this blog post are the responsibility of the reader.)
This moon is meant to combine features of Ganymede, Callisto, some other inactive icy moons, and features of Mars's atmosphere. The old tectonics are based off of ganymede, while the ice evaporation process is largely based off Callisto. The Atmosphere is mostly Mars based, and added again to make the moon more interesting.
General Description
Frigis is the largest moon of Behemoth, made of about half ice, half rock, and is the farthest out of its three large moons. It is inactive, although in the past had more activity. The remnants of this activity includes a weak atmosphere, that is gradually getting worn away by Behemoth's magnetic field plasma.
Surface
The surface of Frigis is covered by a mixture of terrain types, mostly craters, ridges, plains, and small hill regions. The craters form by impacts, while other other types are eroded remains of past internal activity. The moon also has great color variation on different regions, going from icy white, to various reddish browns in parts, to large dark areas, formed by different surface ices and organics.
Crater plains, a mixture of flat terrain and large craters, are the most common type of terrain on the moon. Most areas are partly enclosed by boundary regions of hill and ridge terrain, suggesting interior areas of an old tectonic system. The craters themselves are in various states of erosion due to the thin atmosphere, and evaporation of ice deposits, with these processes supplying dust to be blown around by the atmosphere. Smaller craters have either been eroded completely, or filled in by dust.
Ridge regions were previously either contracting or expanding areas in the ancient tectonic system. Most surviving ridges are highly eroded, with some transitioning into hill belts. The ridges themselves often appear striped from above, with alternating white and dark areas depending on slope. Rock slides occur occasionally as well, due to various types of erosion.
Hills come in two general formations, some in belts that often blend into ridge belts, others in clumps within plains. Both types of hills come from eroded remains of previous formations, the clumps from craters, and the belts from ridges or other tectonic features. Hills may be colored a number of different ways, but darker areas iun general are more eroded than lighter areas.
Erosion on Frigis takes place largely in two ways: wind, and ice evaporation. Though the atmosphere is thin, it generates strong winds the move dust, and sometimes etches the surface. Ice evaporation occurs due to light absorption. When exposed to light, water and carbon dioxide ice at the surface evaporates, leaving behind organic and dust deposits.
A combination of these two processes often leaves stripe like features on hills and ridges. Where wind deposits dust, more light is absorbed, evaporating ice. This evaporation leaves the surface darker, causing more evaporation. Areas with less wind stay lighter and cooler, and more ice deposits, further lightening the area continuing the cycle. This process results in light and dark zebra stripes on ridges, and hill clusters that are all white facing one direction, and dark facing another. On plains, similar processes may occur, but the difference is much less pronounced, due to a much smaller difference in dust erosion and deposition, and to the ease that wind can move ice or dust from one region to another, canceling out the color differences.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Frigis is extremely thin, about 1,000 times less dense than Earth's, on average. It is mostly made of nitrogen and carbon compounds, and is a remnant of gases released during a more active period.
Though thin, the atmosphere transports dust around the surface of Frigis, smoothing plains regions and contributing to color differences between light and dark areas. Winds also assist in evaporating ice and erosion, but blown dust and evaporated material away.
Clouds, though rare, do occur occasionally on this moon. When they do firm, clouds resemble a thin ice fog near the surface, composed of water ice or carbon dioxide ice particles. Dust clouds also occasionally appear, usually when unusually strong winds or vortexes form that can concentrate the dust.
The outer atmosphere is being swept away by Behemoth's magnetospheric plasma. contributing a small amount of material to Behemoth's magnetic field. This process will eventually remove all of Frigis's atmosphere.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not a geologist, planetary scientist, or any other similar sort of scientist, just someone who finds planetary science interesting. As a result, a lot of these ideas may be impossible, or at least unrealistic. This probably applies more to these moons than it does to the previous four planets I've written about. Any mental anguish, property damage, or other negative consequences from reading this blog post are the responsibility of the reader.)
This moon is meant to combine features of Ganymede, Callisto, some other inactive icy moons, and features of Mars's atmosphere. The old tectonics are based off of ganymede, while the ice evaporation process is largely based off Callisto. The Atmosphere is mostly Mars based, and added again to make the moon more interesting.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Doppel
(This moon is in the same universe as Cauldron, Cryolith, Phobis Terra,
and Behemoth, but is not something I'd plan to make a main part of the
actual mod, if it ever gets made. This description is more for my own
enjoyment, and hopefully yours.)
General Description
The second large moon from Behemoth, Doppel is a roughly Ganymede sized moon, made of about 2/5 ice, the rest rock, with rock, water, and metal separated into different layers. The moon is named for its surprising similarity to Earth like planets, but with different materials. Energy from tidal heating powers tectonics and volcanoes, a thick atmosphere generates similar types of weather, and surface rivers and lakes forms a similar surface.
Interior
Tidal heating, and radioactive heating, within Doppel create a water layer within the upper ice layer of the moon. Movement and heating within this water layer drives tectonics at the surface, and occasionally independent water volcanoes. The surface ice itself varies in thickness, but all crust is roughly tens of miles thick. At the surface, tectonic motions are visible in large valleys and rift areas, usually filled by organic oceans, as well as mountain belts. Rifting areas allow water to reach the surface, where lower pressures release gas, driving the water outward. Isolated volcanoes form in a similar way, as water seeps through weaknesses in ice, and as the lower pressures release gas, the water is further carried upward to the surface.
Surface
Erosion by wind and organics, as well as organic rain, turns much of the surface of Doppel into a paste of mixed organics and ice particles. A few drier areas contain looser particles, and dunes or desert like features can form in these regions. This paste becomes harder in colder areas, much like a permafrost, allowing similar features. The organic material within the paste never form a fixed composition, and temperature changes or leeching can sometimes change the properties of the paste by removing or adding components, sometimes causing mudslides.
Most low altitude areas of the moon are filled with organic liquids, either in small lakes, or in long "oceans", formed over rifts. The floors of these oceans usually contain "cliffs", dropping from the level of dry terrain to a much lower level on the ocean floor, but slumping ice, and deposits of eroded ice from land usually smooth out these features somewhat.
Mountains, although not nearly as tall as on Earth, are still rugged and difficult to traverse. They interact with the atmosphere in a similar way, creating organic rains, and deflecting winds somewhat. Fewer rivers have their origin in mountains than on Earth like planets, but enough do to give a similar appearance, and erode the mountains.
Isolated volcanoes are usually visible as small hills or mountains surrounded by a flat landscape. These structures are usually inactive, only releasing small amounts of gas over time, but occasionally release large amounts of gaseous water.
Rivers, Seas, lakes, and Rain
Possibly the most unusual feature of Doppel are the large organic lakes, oceans, and rivers found throughout the moon. The liquid in these features is a mixture of materials, mostly methane and formaldehyde, but with other simple organics such as methanol, ethane, methylamine, carbon dioxide, and such in small amounts as well. Methane, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide largely come from ice volcanoes or rifts, while other organic materials are largely formed in the atmosphere from photochemical reactions.
Depending on temperature, liquid areas may have different compositions, and slightly different erosion and flow properties as a result. Rivers, in particular, may leech material from surrounding paste as their temperature changes, sometimes leading to mudslides, and eroding shores faster than would otherwise occur. The composition of rain may also change from regions to region, effecting the physical properties of the resulting paste.
Where rivers meet lakes or seas, large deltas form. Mostly, these are formed of ice particles, but may also contain solid organics or paste if conditions are right. This material will eventually fill lakes, and in rifts, the structure will often stretch close to the central volcanic zone. Currents carry this material throughout the sea, coating the floor with a padding of loose particles/
Within lakes and seas, sluggish currents form, supported by winds and, in oceans, by heat from below. Ocean currents largely flow linearly, along the rifts, as the small width of these features allows less side to side movement. Deltas also obstruct movement, and the constricted currents often shave off the tip of the delta somewhat.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere or Doppel is formed by gases released from volcanoes, and from reactions of those gases. It is mostly made of nitrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide, with small amounts of formaldehyde, ammonia, and other trace gases. It has a density about the same as Earth's atmosphere.
Ice Volcanoes and Rifts on Doppel largely release carbon dioxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, and methane, though other material emerge as well. Released ammonia either freezes to ice, or escapes to the atmosphere, where it is largely broken down to nitrogen. Formaldehyde, methane, and carbon dioxide released in seas or lakes usually liquify and join the lake or sea. When released onto a land surface, they either join the atmosphere or contribute to organic paste on the surface. in the atmosphere, gas may either condense into clouds, or react photochemically, producing further organics.
Winds in the atmosphere follow a simple pattern, surface winds largely flow to the a warmer pole, upper level winds to a colder pole. These winds are disrupted by mountains, or by unusually cold or warm areas.
Clouds and Rain on Doppel are largely formed by organic material, whether formed high in the atmosphere, or from evaporated surface material. Clouds, and the rain formed from them, have different compositions depending on temperature and the source of the air feeding them, resulting sometimes in unusual colors. Rain as well may change composition as it falls through the air, also sometimes changing color as it falls if the right materials are mixed. Even without large clouds, organic haze is common in the upper atmosphere, and material slowly falling from this haze feeds some lower level clouds, or creates dust that eventually joins the paste at the surface.
In the upper atmosphere, material is swept into the larger magnetic field of Behemoth, and auroras occur, though these are hard to spot.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not a geologist, planetary scientist, or any other similar sort of scientist, just someone who finds planetary science interesting. As a result, a lot of these ideas may be impossible, or at least unrealistic. This probably applies more to these moons than it does to the previous four planets I've written about. Any mental anguish, property damage, or other negative consequences from reading this blog post are the responsibility of the reader.)
This moon is mostly based on Titan, although a titan with much more volcanic activity than it currently has. The composition of materials is also different, to stay consistent with Fumarole loosing carbon dioxide, Doppel should likely also release oxygen contain materials in addition to methane. Otherwise, tectonic features were based somewhat on Europa.
In the atmosphere, I assume that the extra gas release from volcanoes compensates for gas lost to the magnetosphere, although (like most ideas I have for these moons) I'm not sure if the numbers would actually work out.
General Description
The second large moon from Behemoth, Doppel is a roughly Ganymede sized moon, made of about 2/5 ice, the rest rock, with rock, water, and metal separated into different layers. The moon is named for its surprising similarity to Earth like planets, but with different materials. Energy from tidal heating powers tectonics and volcanoes, a thick atmosphere generates similar types of weather, and surface rivers and lakes forms a similar surface.
Interior
Tidal heating, and radioactive heating, within Doppel create a water layer within the upper ice layer of the moon. Movement and heating within this water layer drives tectonics at the surface, and occasionally independent water volcanoes. The surface ice itself varies in thickness, but all crust is roughly tens of miles thick. At the surface, tectonic motions are visible in large valleys and rift areas, usually filled by organic oceans, as well as mountain belts. Rifting areas allow water to reach the surface, where lower pressures release gas, driving the water outward. Isolated volcanoes form in a similar way, as water seeps through weaknesses in ice, and as the lower pressures release gas, the water is further carried upward to the surface.
Surface
Erosion by wind and organics, as well as organic rain, turns much of the surface of Doppel into a paste of mixed organics and ice particles. A few drier areas contain looser particles, and dunes or desert like features can form in these regions. This paste becomes harder in colder areas, much like a permafrost, allowing similar features. The organic material within the paste never form a fixed composition, and temperature changes or leeching can sometimes change the properties of the paste by removing or adding components, sometimes causing mudslides.
Most low altitude areas of the moon are filled with organic liquids, either in small lakes, or in long "oceans", formed over rifts. The floors of these oceans usually contain "cliffs", dropping from the level of dry terrain to a much lower level on the ocean floor, but slumping ice, and deposits of eroded ice from land usually smooth out these features somewhat.
Mountains, although not nearly as tall as on Earth, are still rugged and difficult to traverse. They interact with the atmosphere in a similar way, creating organic rains, and deflecting winds somewhat. Fewer rivers have their origin in mountains than on Earth like planets, but enough do to give a similar appearance, and erode the mountains.
Isolated volcanoes are usually visible as small hills or mountains surrounded by a flat landscape. These structures are usually inactive, only releasing small amounts of gas over time, but occasionally release large amounts of gaseous water.
Rivers, Seas, lakes, and Rain
Possibly the most unusual feature of Doppel are the large organic lakes, oceans, and rivers found throughout the moon. The liquid in these features is a mixture of materials, mostly methane and formaldehyde, but with other simple organics such as methanol, ethane, methylamine, carbon dioxide, and such in small amounts as well. Methane, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide largely come from ice volcanoes or rifts, while other organic materials are largely formed in the atmosphere from photochemical reactions.
Depending on temperature, liquid areas may have different compositions, and slightly different erosion and flow properties as a result. Rivers, in particular, may leech material from surrounding paste as their temperature changes, sometimes leading to mudslides, and eroding shores faster than would otherwise occur. The composition of rain may also change from regions to region, effecting the physical properties of the resulting paste.
Where rivers meet lakes or seas, large deltas form. Mostly, these are formed of ice particles, but may also contain solid organics or paste if conditions are right. This material will eventually fill lakes, and in rifts, the structure will often stretch close to the central volcanic zone. Currents carry this material throughout the sea, coating the floor with a padding of loose particles/
Within lakes and seas, sluggish currents form, supported by winds and, in oceans, by heat from below. Ocean currents largely flow linearly, along the rifts, as the small width of these features allows less side to side movement. Deltas also obstruct movement, and the constricted currents often shave off the tip of the delta somewhat.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere or Doppel is formed by gases released from volcanoes, and from reactions of those gases. It is mostly made of nitrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide, with small amounts of formaldehyde, ammonia, and other trace gases. It has a density about the same as Earth's atmosphere.
Ice Volcanoes and Rifts on Doppel largely release carbon dioxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, and methane, though other material emerge as well. Released ammonia either freezes to ice, or escapes to the atmosphere, where it is largely broken down to nitrogen. Formaldehyde, methane, and carbon dioxide released in seas or lakes usually liquify and join the lake or sea. When released onto a land surface, they either join the atmosphere or contribute to organic paste on the surface. in the atmosphere, gas may either condense into clouds, or react photochemically, producing further organics.
Winds in the atmosphere follow a simple pattern, surface winds largely flow to the a warmer pole, upper level winds to a colder pole. These winds are disrupted by mountains, or by unusually cold or warm areas.
Clouds and Rain on Doppel are largely formed by organic material, whether formed high in the atmosphere, or from evaporated surface material. Clouds, and the rain formed from them, have different compositions depending on temperature and the source of the air feeding them, resulting sometimes in unusual colors. Rain as well may change composition as it falls through the air, also sometimes changing color as it falls if the right materials are mixed. Even without large clouds, organic haze is common in the upper atmosphere, and material slowly falling from this haze feeds some lower level clouds, or creates dust that eventually joins the paste at the surface.
In the upper atmosphere, material is swept into the larger magnetic field of Behemoth, and auroras occur, though these are hard to spot.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not a geologist, planetary scientist, or any other similar sort of scientist, just someone who finds planetary science interesting. As a result, a lot of these ideas may be impossible, or at least unrealistic. This probably applies more to these moons than it does to the previous four planets I've written about. Any mental anguish, property damage, or other negative consequences from reading this blog post are the responsibility of the reader.)
This moon is mostly based on Titan, although a titan with much more volcanic activity than it currently has. The composition of materials is also different, to stay consistent with Fumarole loosing carbon dioxide, Doppel should likely also release oxygen contain materials in addition to methane. Otherwise, tectonic features were based somewhat on Europa.
In the atmosphere, I assume that the extra gas release from volcanoes compensates for gas lost to the magnetosphere, although (like most ideas I have for these moons) I'm not sure if the numbers would actually work out.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Fumarole
(This moon is in the same universe as Cauldron, Cryolith, Phobis Terra, and Behemoth, but is not something I'd plan to make a main part of the actual mod, if it ever gets made. This description is more for my own enjoyment, and hopefully yours.)
General Description
Fumarole is the innermost large moon of Behemoth. It is about the size of ganymede, and made of about 1/6 water, 3/4 rock, and the rest metal, with these materials separated into layers. The moon is heavily tidally heated, and highly active. Gases escaping from the moon create a surprisingly thick atmosphere, creating some unusual weather patterns, and the atmosphere feeds most of the material found in the magnetic field of Behemoth.
Geology
The tidal heating from behemoth effects both the water layer, and magma chambers within the rock layer. Activity within the rock layer creates hydrothermal vents and underwater volcanoes, as well as releasing gases and rock dust into the water layer.
Within the water layer, only the top few miles of material is solid, with the rest being a fast convecting liquid ocean. This ocean also flattens the moon's surface significantly; any bulges from the upper ice layer are quickly eroded by the currents, and mountains cannot support themselves for long.
At the surface, the most obvious features are numerous geysers, throwing out large amounts of water and gases, often miles above the surface. These geysers appear to be generated by plumes of hot water from hydrothermal vents at the rock layer. As these heated plumes reach the upper ice layer, they melt the ice, allowing passage to the surface. These plumes also carry gas released by the vents below, and lower pressures near the surface release this gas, powering the geyser's eruption. Depending o the conditions of the geyser, the water may remain liquid for some distance after the eruption.
The immediate area surrounding the geyser is usually darker than normal, due to rock dust, while farther out, terrain is slightly lighter from falling and frosting ice. Geysers build hills around themselves as well, with slopes getting shallower farther away from the main hole. Eruptions of geysers create clouds in the atmosphere for several days, and light snowfall is common, lighetning areas downwind from the geyser.
Water volcanoes are also common on the surface of this moon. These are usually formed where some weakness in the ice allows watery material to push through closer to the surface. As the pressure decreases, gases within the water escape, and create further cracks in the ice while pulling the water upward, where it eventually breaks through the the surface. Though the formation process is broadly similar to geysers, these volcanoes lack the energy and extra gas from a hydrothermal plume, and as a result are much less violent.
Most water volcanoes have a number of different outlets, resulting in a large, flat hill, formation, usually with some ridges or bumps where the water escapes. Some of the larger formations maintain water lakes in the middle, while others only release water occasionally. All formation release gas, with water lakes usually bubbling, and other water volcanoes releasing vapor streams.
Convection currents also create a plate tectonic system on the surface ice. This system moves much faster than Earth's system, with speed of several feet a year seem in some places. Splitting occurs at "ice faults", forming large crack and valley systems within the ice. Some of these cracks, as with ice volcanoes, fill with liquid water.
At collisions between ice plates, so called "rough terrain" forms. Large forces within the ice cause it to bulge and buckle, sometimes with one section oversliding another. Ice that juts down into the water below is quickly eroded, and the resulting terrain forms a jumbled collection of peaks, landslides, and cracks. Water, and gases absorbed into the ice, are recycled into the ocean layer at these areas.
Despite the activity of this moon, quakes are are rare, and not particularly powerful. The ice of tis moon is soft compared to rock, and breaks and smooths easily, and water lubricates a lot of the motion of ice plates as well. Smaller events and landslides do occur, however, and can be dangerous.
Atmosphere
Most of the atmosphere of this moon is nitrogen and carbon dioxide, with small amounts of sulfur gases, water vapor, organic compounds, oxygen, and other such gases. Most gases are released directly from ice volcanoes, while nitrogen forms from ammonia. Gases are lost by being absorbed by ice or frozen at the poles and transported into the water layer, and by being stripped by material in Behemoth's magnetic field. The atmosphere overall has a density at the surface of about 1/15 Earth's.
Winds in the atmosphere mainly travel towards the poles, where carbon dioxide snows and freezes out. These winds create streaks on the plains, transport ice particles, and erode the surface.
Ice clouds can form throughout the atmosphere, though are more common near ice volcanoes and geysers. These clouds get much more common after geyser eruptions feed water into the atmosphere. Ice particles and snow fall from these clouds, and create snow streaks towards the poles from volcanoes and geysers.
Towards the poles, carbon dioxide ice clouds form as the air gets cool enough. These clouds also create snow, and this material helps recycle carbon dioxide into the liguid water layer of the moon.
The upper atmosphere is the main source of material for Behemoth's magnetic field. This field also creates auroras near the poles of the moon, which can be seem during unusually dark periods.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not a geologist, planetary scientist, or any other similar sort of scientist, just someone who finds planetary science interesting. As a result, a lot of these ideas may be impossible, or at least unrealistic. This probably applies more to these moons than it does to the previous four planets I've written about. Any mental anguish, property damage, or other negative consequences from reading this blog post are the responsibility of the reader.)
This moon is meant to combine interesting features of a number of outer planet moons (Europa, Io, Enceladus, and Triton mainly.) I don't know if any other the numbers I've written actually make sense (Since i don't have access to, or knowledge of, ways to make geological models), so am even less sure of this world than of the planets I've created in previous posts. Most of these ideas, though, are based on actual models or things that have been seen.
The geysers are meant to resemble a combination of Io and Enceladus's plumes. Their power source (hydrothermal vents creating water plumes) comes from a section of a paper i read about for a model of Europa, suggesting an explanation for water pockets within the ice shell of that moon. Ice faults and collision areas are based off a combination of Europa terrain, and Earth plate tectonics. Ice volcanoes aren't based off anything in particular, apart from the general idea of what a "cryovolcano" might be like.
The atmosphere is mostly added to make the moon cooler, although without any weather models, or good estimation methods, it's the part of the moon I'm least sure of. (I know very little about how quickly certain reactions might occur, how much and what material would actually be released by volcanoes, how much material would get stripped, and what temperature the atmosphere would be, determining which parts might freeze out. All of this would significantly effect what this moon might have if it somehow existed.) The atmosphere would, however, create enough pressure to allow liquid in the surface. (Assuming a gravity about the same as Io or Ganymede, and assuming I looked up and calculated everything right.)
The Europa paper I mentioned earlier suggested that most of its ocean would be at about freezing, although I'm not sure of large amounts of extra heat might change this. As a result, I'm not sure whether liquid water could be kept warm on a moon like this, though for coolness purposes I have it written in.
General Description
Fumarole is the innermost large moon of Behemoth. It is about the size of ganymede, and made of about 1/6 water, 3/4 rock, and the rest metal, with these materials separated into layers. The moon is heavily tidally heated, and highly active. Gases escaping from the moon create a surprisingly thick atmosphere, creating some unusual weather patterns, and the atmosphere feeds most of the material found in the magnetic field of Behemoth.
Geology
The tidal heating from behemoth effects both the water layer, and magma chambers within the rock layer. Activity within the rock layer creates hydrothermal vents and underwater volcanoes, as well as releasing gases and rock dust into the water layer.
Within the water layer, only the top few miles of material is solid, with the rest being a fast convecting liquid ocean. This ocean also flattens the moon's surface significantly; any bulges from the upper ice layer are quickly eroded by the currents, and mountains cannot support themselves for long.
At the surface, the most obvious features are numerous geysers, throwing out large amounts of water and gases, often miles above the surface. These geysers appear to be generated by plumes of hot water from hydrothermal vents at the rock layer. As these heated plumes reach the upper ice layer, they melt the ice, allowing passage to the surface. These plumes also carry gas released by the vents below, and lower pressures near the surface release this gas, powering the geyser's eruption. Depending o the conditions of the geyser, the water may remain liquid for some distance after the eruption.
The immediate area surrounding the geyser is usually darker than normal, due to rock dust, while farther out, terrain is slightly lighter from falling and frosting ice. Geysers build hills around themselves as well, with slopes getting shallower farther away from the main hole. Eruptions of geysers create clouds in the atmosphere for several days, and light snowfall is common, lighetning areas downwind from the geyser.
Water volcanoes are also common on the surface of this moon. These are usually formed where some weakness in the ice allows watery material to push through closer to the surface. As the pressure decreases, gases within the water escape, and create further cracks in the ice while pulling the water upward, where it eventually breaks through the the surface. Though the formation process is broadly similar to geysers, these volcanoes lack the energy and extra gas from a hydrothermal plume, and as a result are much less violent.
Most water volcanoes have a number of different outlets, resulting in a large, flat hill, formation, usually with some ridges or bumps where the water escapes. Some of the larger formations maintain water lakes in the middle, while others only release water occasionally. All formation release gas, with water lakes usually bubbling, and other water volcanoes releasing vapor streams.
Convection currents also create a plate tectonic system on the surface ice. This system moves much faster than Earth's system, with speed of several feet a year seem in some places. Splitting occurs at "ice faults", forming large crack and valley systems within the ice. Some of these cracks, as with ice volcanoes, fill with liquid water.
At collisions between ice plates, so called "rough terrain" forms. Large forces within the ice cause it to bulge and buckle, sometimes with one section oversliding another. Ice that juts down into the water below is quickly eroded, and the resulting terrain forms a jumbled collection of peaks, landslides, and cracks. Water, and gases absorbed into the ice, are recycled into the ocean layer at these areas.
Despite the activity of this moon, quakes are are rare, and not particularly powerful. The ice of tis moon is soft compared to rock, and breaks and smooths easily, and water lubricates a lot of the motion of ice plates as well. Smaller events and landslides do occur, however, and can be dangerous.
Atmosphere
Most of the atmosphere of this moon is nitrogen and carbon dioxide, with small amounts of sulfur gases, water vapor, organic compounds, oxygen, and other such gases. Most gases are released directly from ice volcanoes, while nitrogen forms from ammonia. Gases are lost by being absorbed by ice or frozen at the poles and transported into the water layer, and by being stripped by material in Behemoth's magnetic field. The atmosphere overall has a density at the surface of about 1/15 Earth's.
Winds in the atmosphere mainly travel towards the poles, where carbon dioxide snows and freezes out. These winds create streaks on the plains, transport ice particles, and erode the surface.
Ice clouds can form throughout the atmosphere, though are more common near ice volcanoes and geysers. These clouds get much more common after geyser eruptions feed water into the atmosphere. Ice particles and snow fall from these clouds, and create snow streaks towards the poles from volcanoes and geysers.
Towards the poles, carbon dioxide ice clouds form as the air gets cool enough. These clouds also create snow, and this material helps recycle carbon dioxide into the liguid water layer of the moon.
The upper atmosphere is the main source of material for Behemoth's magnetic field. This field also creates auroras near the poles of the moon, which can be seem during unusually dark periods.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not a geologist, planetary scientist, or any other similar sort of scientist, just someone who finds planetary science interesting. As a result, a lot of these ideas may be impossible, or at least unrealistic. This probably applies more to these moons than it does to the previous four planets I've written about. Any mental anguish, property damage, or other negative consequences from reading this blog post are the responsibility of the reader.)
This moon is meant to combine interesting features of a number of outer planet moons (Europa, Io, Enceladus, and Triton mainly.) I don't know if any other the numbers I've written actually make sense (Since i don't have access to, or knowledge of, ways to make geological models), so am even less sure of this world than of the planets I've created in previous posts. Most of these ideas, though, are based on actual models or things that have been seen.
The geysers are meant to resemble a combination of Io and Enceladus's plumes. Their power source (hydrothermal vents creating water plumes) comes from a section of a paper i read about for a model of Europa, suggesting an explanation for water pockets within the ice shell of that moon. Ice faults and collision areas are based off a combination of Europa terrain, and Earth plate tectonics. Ice volcanoes aren't based off anything in particular, apart from the general idea of what a "cryovolcano" might be like.
The atmosphere is mostly added to make the moon cooler, although without any weather models, or good estimation methods, it's the part of the moon I'm least sure of. (I know very little about how quickly certain reactions might occur, how much and what material would actually be released by volcanoes, how much material would get stripped, and what temperature the atmosphere would be, determining which parts might freeze out. All of this would significantly effect what this moon might have if it somehow existed.) The atmosphere would, however, create enough pressure to allow liquid in the surface. (Assuming a gravity about the same as Io or Ganymede, and assuming I looked up and calculated everything right.)
The Europa paper I mentioned earlier suggested that most of its ocean would be at about freezing, although I'm not sure of large amounts of extra heat might change this. As a result, I'm not sure whether liquid water could be kept warm on a moon like this, though for coolness purposes I have it written in.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Behemoth
(This world idea is for a sci-fi mod for some sort of civilization type
game, hopefully one with multiple map abilities. I'm not sure if this
will happen, but have come up with some general ideas for the mechanics
and worlds for it.)
General Description
This roughly Jupiter sized planet is the next planet out after Cryolith. Like Jupiter, it consists largely of Hydrogen and Helium, with trace other compounds, and is covered in jets, eddies, and storms. Also like Jupiter, a large collection of moons surrounds the planet, including three large ones considered at one point for colonization. However, the strangest feature of the planet is a collection of large, high tech platforms floating in the atmosphere.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Behemoth resembles Jupiter in the large details, with strong bands of winds at different latitudes, and different cyclones forming within the bands, moving around the planet, and either dissipating or merging. The atmosphere even has several large cyclones approaching the size of Jupiter's red spots and large white ovals.
Moons and Magnetic Field
Like the Sun's outer planets, Behemoth has a large number of orbiting moons, with small inner moons interacting with rings, irregular outer moons, and large middle moons. The three middle moons, Fumarole, Doppel, and Frigis, were all considered as possible colonization sites, and have their own unique features.
Like Jupiter, Behemoth has a strong and large magnetic field. Fumarole, and Doppel to a lesser extent, produce gases that fill a similar role to emissions from Io, generating plasma that interacts with the magnetic field and contributes to materials within it.
Platforms
The strangest features of Behemoth are a series of platforms floating within the planet's atmosphere. From the surface, most platforms are buried, but a few can be spotted by radar, or occasionally when cloud features change. They remained a mystery for a long time after initial settlement, but over time, scientists managed to determine a number of properties.
The platform appear to be made of mainly solidified hydrogen and helium, with a thin layer of organic material covering the top, either a form of life or some sort of building material. Examination has uncovered apparent caverns, spires, conduits, and other formations that suggest the platforms were once energized, and possibly lived in. The exact details of how the platforms were made, or how they stayed stable, as are whether the platforms were built by one of the civilizations that colonized Phobis Terra.
The platforms appear to have little effect on the large scale weather of Behemoth, partly due to their small size, and possibly due to networks that allow gases to flow freely. There have been some slight temperature changes over the platforms, more obvious in rising areas, and lightning storms are much more common near the edges, while being less common over the interiors. Vortexes also seem less common.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not in fact any sort of geologist, atmospheric scientist, planetary scientist, or anything related. While I do occasionally attempt to read some papers, and more complex books, about planets for fun, I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this, and am making up these planets to have interesting characteristics, whether or not they would be be possible, and the resulting attempts at planets will read appropriately. If any one of the above types of scientists is reading this and pulling their hair out, I understand completely. :) )
This world is meant to be like Nona from the Civilization 2: Test of time Sci-fi game. Like that game, this planet is meant to be an end game area, and will reveal things within the mod's story that I don't want written out on a post like this (And, actually, haven't made up when the post was written. :) ), so there isn't much I can describe about the platforms. Otherwise, I don't imagine the planet being unusual enough compared to Jupiter to have much description in this post. However, the moons will get their own descriptions in future posts.
General Description
This roughly Jupiter sized planet is the next planet out after Cryolith. Like Jupiter, it consists largely of Hydrogen and Helium, with trace other compounds, and is covered in jets, eddies, and storms. Also like Jupiter, a large collection of moons surrounds the planet, including three large ones considered at one point for colonization. However, the strangest feature of the planet is a collection of large, high tech platforms floating in the atmosphere.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Behemoth resembles Jupiter in the large details, with strong bands of winds at different latitudes, and different cyclones forming within the bands, moving around the planet, and either dissipating or merging. The atmosphere even has several large cyclones approaching the size of Jupiter's red spots and large white ovals.
Moons and Magnetic Field
Like the Sun's outer planets, Behemoth has a large number of orbiting moons, with small inner moons interacting with rings, irregular outer moons, and large middle moons. The three middle moons, Fumarole, Doppel, and Frigis, were all considered as possible colonization sites, and have their own unique features.
Like Jupiter, Behemoth has a strong and large magnetic field. Fumarole, and Doppel to a lesser extent, produce gases that fill a similar role to emissions from Io, generating plasma that interacts with the magnetic field and contributes to materials within it.
Platforms
The strangest features of Behemoth are a series of platforms floating within the planet's atmosphere. From the surface, most platforms are buried, but a few can be spotted by radar, or occasionally when cloud features change. They remained a mystery for a long time after initial settlement, but over time, scientists managed to determine a number of properties.
The platform appear to be made of mainly solidified hydrogen and helium, with a thin layer of organic material covering the top, either a form of life or some sort of building material. Examination has uncovered apparent caverns, spires, conduits, and other formations that suggest the platforms were once energized, and possibly lived in. The exact details of how the platforms were made, or how they stayed stable, as are whether the platforms were built by one of the civilizations that colonized Phobis Terra.
The platforms appear to have little effect on the large scale weather of Behemoth, partly due to their small size, and possibly due to networks that allow gases to flow freely. There have been some slight temperature changes over the platforms, more obvious in rising areas, and lightning storms are much more common near the edges, while being less common over the interiors. Vortexes also seem less common.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not in fact any sort of geologist, atmospheric scientist, planetary scientist, or anything related. While I do occasionally attempt to read some papers, and more complex books, about planets for fun, I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this, and am making up these planets to have interesting characteristics, whether or not they would be be possible, and the resulting attempts at planets will read appropriately. If any one of the above types of scientists is reading this and pulling their hair out, I understand completely. :) )
This world is meant to be like Nona from the Civilization 2: Test of time Sci-fi game. Like that game, this planet is meant to be an end game area, and will reveal things within the mod's story that I don't want written out on a post like this (And, actually, haven't made up when the post was written. :) ), so there isn't much I can describe about the platforms. Otherwise, I don't imagine the planet being unusual enough compared to Jupiter to have much description in this post. However, the moons will get their own descriptions in future posts.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Phobis Terra
(This world idea is for a sci-fi mod for some sort of civilization type
game, hopefully one with multiple map abilities. I'm not sure if this
will happen, but have come up with some general ideas for the mechanics
and worlds for it.)
General Description
Phobis Terra is an Earth-like planet, with a broadly similar size, surface, orbit, and other such characteristics. On smaller scales, though, the planet has a number of unexpected features, some of which may come from previous settlements.
The name of the planet was originally a joke amongst human colonists. Humans had expanded to other places within the solar system by this point. Compared to solar system colony worlds, Cryolith and Cauldron would be relatively simple to build colonies on, and some colonists thought that the risk of running into a civilization, infections, poisons, or other dangerous life was not worth the benefit of a more earth like planet. Others made fun of this idea, joking about the "terraphobes", scared of "phobes terra". When these colonists landed, the fears of others turned out to not be far off the mark, with very aggressive predators and strong diseases greeting the first colonists, and crime and piracy being harder to control as well as the colonies developed. Phobis Terra still proved a good place to settle, but the name proved appropriate, and has continued to this day.
Large Scale Geology
Phobis Terra has a mix of water oceans and continents, formed by plate tectonic features, similar to Earth. Other surfaces processes (glaciers, soil formation, rivers) are also immediately recognizable as well. Soil and rock chemistry is slightly different, due to the different direction of life forms.
Atmosphere
The weather and atmospheric composition of Phobis Terra are largely similar to Earth. The atmosphere is slightly more dense than Earth's, with a slightly higher oxygen concentration, allowing for more aggressive creatures, and also helps with human colonization. Trace gases are also found in different concentrations than Earth, due to different life forms, but carbon dioxide and water vapor fractions are both similar enough toallow for the weather and safe colonization.
Oceans, Rivers, and Lakes
While bodies of water on Phobis Terra largely act similarly to those on earth, bodies of water from a distance often have a slightly darker and redder color, due to different photosynthetic chemicals being common on the planet.
Many rivers and lakes are also slightly more acidic, with higher metal concentrations, due to old mines and buildings leaching into the water. Due to either the amount of time passed since the ruins have developed, and possible pollution control measures, this effect is only detectable by instruments, but does not appear to interfere with life or colonization on the planet.
Life
Phobis Terra's life comes in a surprising variety, with an much larger array of general body types than expected from Earth. More surprisingly for scientists, while most life shares a similar type of genetic/information storage method, large subgroups of apparently native life use different systems. Microbes in particular seem to be quite diverse, with the largest cluster of similar forms of life only making up about 1/3 of the total amount of microbes found on the planet. While larger life is more consistent, large fractions of some types of organisms are still structured differently than the most common life form on Phobis Terra.
Even within the largest bloc of life found on the planet, many organisms are more dangerous and aggressive than found on other planets. Predatory organisms give hunters, and even small organized military and hunting groups, great difficulty, prey organisms are themselves dangerous combatants, and even most stationary organisms have developed some sort of poison or spikes to protect themselves. Diseases and microbes, however, have proven the most dangerous, due to the wide variety that exist on the planet. Gangrene like sickness is a great concern, unlucky or lax colonists can attract microbes that eat into almost any material, and a few more standard infectious diseases and fast adapters exist that little immunity exists for.
Despite these differences, life on Phobis Terra has largely similar effects as life on Earth does. It creates a similar atmospheric composition, influences erosion, and moves materials in a largely similar way to Earth's life.
Ruins and Previous Settlement
While no large civilizations were found on Phobis Terra, strange formations were seem throughout the surface of the planet that appeared to be artificially created. Stubs, tall columns, geometric shapes, made of materials such as plastic, unusual rocks (similar to concrete), brick-like shapes, and corroded metal are found all throughout the planet. In addition, unusual chemicals, such as mine drainages, and leaks of organic halides are found in other locations, which point more towards settlement than toward natrual causes.
After examining the different types of ruins, occasional symbols on ruins, and examining the different varieties of genetic bloc of life on Phobis Terra, scientists and archeologists proposed that this world had been settled at least 11 times, by beings from outside the planet, who either left or died off. These beings would have brought different types of microbes, and other creatures, accidentally, and likely would have brought domesticated organisms as well. These organisms would have gone feral as the settlers died or left, eventually integrating completely into the ecosystem of Phobis Terra. Some scientists theorize that genetic engineering may have taken place as well, to explain the aggressiveness and danger of the organisms on the planet.
While the origin of these possible previous settlers is unknown, they did not attempt to settle Cryolith or Cauldron to the same degree, or were not as successful. Those two planets have almost no ruins, and life on both Cryolith and Cauldron has the same genetic structure and organization all across the planet.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not in fact any sort of geologist, atmospheric scientist, planetary scientist, or anything related. While I do occasionally attempt to read some papers, and more complex books, about planets for fun, I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this, and am making up these planets to have interesting characteristics, whether or not they would be be possible, and the resulting attempts at planets will read appropriately. If any one of the above types of scientists is reading this and pulling their hair out, I understand completely. :) )
This world is meant to be the "Earth-like" starting world, as in a lot of space colonization based computer games. In the game, I plan to have Cryolith be the most straightforward to settle, but also the most resource poor, Phobis Terra be resource rich bit requiring more defenses against wild animals, diseases, and various pirate, rebel, criminal, etc. groups. Cauldron would also be risky, but in a way based more on the terrain itself, and with some sort of different gameplay response required. In addition, I also have some backstory in mind that this system is being used as a "testing ground" in some way, attracting different groups of aliens to it over some time, although the exact details are not something I've fully worked out.
General Description
Phobis Terra is an Earth-like planet, with a broadly similar size, surface, orbit, and other such characteristics. On smaller scales, though, the planet has a number of unexpected features, some of which may come from previous settlements.
The name of the planet was originally a joke amongst human colonists. Humans had expanded to other places within the solar system by this point. Compared to solar system colony worlds, Cryolith and Cauldron would be relatively simple to build colonies on, and some colonists thought that the risk of running into a civilization, infections, poisons, or other dangerous life was not worth the benefit of a more earth like planet. Others made fun of this idea, joking about the "terraphobes", scared of "phobes terra". When these colonists landed, the fears of others turned out to not be far off the mark, with very aggressive predators and strong diseases greeting the first colonists, and crime and piracy being harder to control as well as the colonies developed. Phobis Terra still proved a good place to settle, but the name proved appropriate, and has continued to this day.
Large Scale Geology
Phobis Terra has a mix of water oceans and continents, formed by plate tectonic features, similar to Earth. Other surfaces processes (glaciers, soil formation, rivers) are also immediately recognizable as well. Soil and rock chemistry is slightly different, due to the different direction of life forms.
Atmosphere
The weather and atmospheric composition of Phobis Terra are largely similar to Earth. The atmosphere is slightly more dense than Earth's, with a slightly higher oxygen concentration, allowing for more aggressive creatures, and also helps with human colonization. Trace gases are also found in different concentrations than Earth, due to different life forms, but carbon dioxide and water vapor fractions are both similar enough toallow for the weather and safe colonization.
Oceans, Rivers, and Lakes
While bodies of water on Phobis Terra largely act similarly to those on earth, bodies of water from a distance often have a slightly darker and redder color, due to different photosynthetic chemicals being common on the planet.
Many rivers and lakes are also slightly more acidic, with higher metal concentrations, due to old mines and buildings leaching into the water. Due to either the amount of time passed since the ruins have developed, and possible pollution control measures, this effect is only detectable by instruments, but does not appear to interfere with life or colonization on the planet.
Life
Phobis Terra's life comes in a surprising variety, with an much larger array of general body types than expected from Earth. More surprisingly for scientists, while most life shares a similar type of genetic/information storage method, large subgroups of apparently native life use different systems. Microbes in particular seem to be quite diverse, with the largest cluster of similar forms of life only making up about 1/3 of the total amount of microbes found on the planet. While larger life is more consistent, large fractions of some types of organisms are still structured differently than the most common life form on Phobis Terra.
Even within the largest bloc of life found on the planet, many organisms are more dangerous and aggressive than found on other planets. Predatory organisms give hunters, and even small organized military and hunting groups, great difficulty, prey organisms are themselves dangerous combatants, and even most stationary organisms have developed some sort of poison or spikes to protect themselves. Diseases and microbes, however, have proven the most dangerous, due to the wide variety that exist on the planet. Gangrene like sickness is a great concern, unlucky or lax colonists can attract microbes that eat into almost any material, and a few more standard infectious diseases and fast adapters exist that little immunity exists for.
Despite these differences, life on Phobis Terra has largely similar effects as life on Earth does. It creates a similar atmospheric composition, influences erosion, and moves materials in a largely similar way to Earth's life.
Ruins and Previous Settlement
While no large civilizations were found on Phobis Terra, strange formations were seem throughout the surface of the planet that appeared to be artificially created. Stubs, tall columns, geometric shapes, made of materials such as plastic, unusual rocks (similar to concrete), brick-like shapes, and corroded metal are found all throughout the planet. In addition, unusual chemicals, such as mine drainages, and leaks of organic halides are found in other locations, which point more towards settlement than toward natrual causes.
After examining the different types of ruins, occasional symbols on ruins, and examining the different varieties of genetic bloc of life on Phobis Terra, scientists and archeologists proposed that this world had been settled at least 11 times, by beings from outside the planet, who either left or died off. These beings would have brought different types of microbes, and other creatures, accidentally, and likely would have brought domesticated organisms as well. These organisms would have gone feral as the settlers died or left, eventually integrating completely into the ecosystem of Phobis Terra. Some scientists theorize that genetic engineering may have taken place as well, to explain the aggressiveness and danger of the organisms on the planet.
While the origin of these possible previous settlers is unknown, they did not attempt to settle Cryolith or Cauldron to the same degree, or were not as successful. Those two planets have almost no ruins, and life on both Cryolith and Cauldron has the same genetic structure and organization all across the planet.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not in fact any sort of geologist, atmospheric scientist, planetary scientist, or anything related. While I do occasionally attempt to read some papers, and more complex books, about planets for fun, I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this, and am making up these planets to have interesting characteristics, whether or not they would be be possible, and the resulting attempts at planets will read appropriately. If any one of the above types of scientists is reading this and pulling their hair out, I understand completely. :) )
This world is meant to be the "Earth-like" starting world, as in a lot of space colonization based computer games. In the game, I plan to have Cryolith be the most straightforward to settle, but also the most resource poor, Phobis Terra be resource rich bit requiring more defenses against wild animals, diseases, and various pirate, rebel, criminal, etc. groups. Cauldron would also be risky, but in a way based more on the terrain itself, and with some sort of different gameplay response required. In addition, I also have some backstory in mind that this system is being used as a "testing ground" in some way, attracting different groups of aliens to it over some time, although the exact details are not something I've fully worked out.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Cryolith
(This world idea is for a sci-fi mod for some sort of civilization type
game, hopefully one with multiple map abilities. I'm not sure if this
will happen, but have come up with some general ideas for the mechanics
and worlds for it.)
General Description
Cryolith is a roughly earth sized planet, but orbiting farther out from its star than earth does. It has a moon about the size of Europa, and itself is largely similar in composition to Earth, though with a larger fraction of water, ammonia, and other such materials. The planet rotates about once every 30 hours.
As the name suggests, Cryolith is split between ice and rock as the main terrain. The planet is split between rocky areas (resembling continents on Earth, but covering a relatively smaller area), and areas of solid ice, which have their own mountains, plains, valleys, and other such terrain. Though the planet is colder than needed to freeze pure water, odd chemical processes produce large amounts of ammonia, that mixes with water to form large oceans (Though not as large as Earth's oceans).
Large Scale Geology
Cryolith's rocky areas form a plate tectonic system very much like Earth. Ocean ridge equivalents exist underneath icy areas, forming large basins where ices and liquids accumulate. Volcano arcs and mountain ranges are visible, either within larger rocky areas, or rising from beneath ice. Sliding boundaries are visible at points on the rocky continents, but are harder to see underneath icy areas.
The Icy parts of cryolith have their own tectonic systems, formed from a combination of surface processes and heat from volcanic activity in the rocks below. Above mid ocean ridges, depressions often occur in the ice, created as volcanic heat melts the bottom ice, which than flows downwards, away from the ridge. These depressions, if warm enough, fill with ammonia-water oceans, which further erode and dissolve the ice, increasing the size of the depression. This water eventually cools and freezes some distance away from the ridge, accumulating ice that slowly makes its way to the surface, to be eroded again.
Ice also builds up at the edges of rocky continents, forming a similar structure as a continental shelf on earth. This ice flows from its weight downwards through the depression. Unlike on Earth, where the ice flows until it eventually melts, ice on Cryolith flows until it is stopped by more ice. These "colission areas" between different ice flows can sometimes produce tall mountains.
Soil and Smaller Scales
In addition to the large ice basins, smaller areas of ice fill lake basins, and form glaciers on high mountains of cryolith. These ice areas act more like traditional earth glaciers, digging valleys and acting as a source for rivers, although they can flow for much longer before being eroded or melted. This ice has greatly eroded the rocky part of the surface of cryolith, and much of the rocky planet is covered in a deep permafrost, though with less organic material than is found on Earth permafrosts. the soil is easily carried by winds, and surface ice in some areas is colored grayish or brownish due to deposits of this soil.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Cryolith mostly contains Nitrogen, with about 10% oxygen, and about 2% carbon dioxide, with traces of various other gases, and a pressure about the same as Earth's pressure. Temperatures on the equator are around -40 Celsius, temperatures at the poles get to about -80.
Clouds on Cryolith air made of either water ice, or ammonia and water mixtures in a small number of areas. Snow from these clouds feeds glaciers, rivers, and ice flows throughout the surface. Ice particles are also directly eroded from some regions and transported through the atmosphere, acting as an additional source of water vapor, and are also transported in a similar way to soil, to different locations on the planet.
Winds on Cryolith are an average faster than those on Earth, but storms are not nearly as common, due to the lack of vapor to form clouds. The most common types of severe weather on the planets are blinding snow or dust storms, where fast winds pick up ice or rock particules and blow them around. Some of these resemble dust devils, but most resemble the clouds of material familiar from Earth.
Oceans, Rivers, and Lakes
Cryolith's oceans, lakes, and rivers are formed from a water/ammonia mixture. These rivers start in glaciers or permafrost patches, where ammonia generated by bacteria concentrates enough to liquify ice. The rivers of cryolith can change significantly as they flow, depending on temperature, flow rate, and the amount of bacteria in surrounding regions. Rivers flowing to colder areas, or through areas with little life, will loose ammonia to evaporation, and will freeze out water. Larger rivers will freeze water in their surfaces or on the body of the river, sometimes forming pack ice, or clouds of ice dust within the river. Rivers slowing through warmer areas, or areas with a lot of nearby life, will accumulate ammonia, and dissolve ice from surrounding terrain if it is available. these types of rivers often carry soil released from ice, and have a dirty appearance, and expand greatly during their travels.
Cryolith lakes and rivers are more stable the rivers, as they contain colonies of bacteria that generate ammonia. The production and evaporation of ammonia can influence convection within the oceans, in addition to wind generated and temperature generated currents. Differences in ammonia concentration can also cause Oceans and Lakes to freeze out, or erode, the surrounding terrain, though these processes take place more slowly than those in rivers.
Life
Only bacteria life exists on cryolith, but these bacteria have an enormous effect on the terrain of the planet. Bacterial colonies can be found in most places, but are most common in oceans, permafrost, or border areas between rock and ice.
Most bacteria are photosynthetic, using carbon dioxide and water in a similar manner as earth life. their most important reactions for Cryolith's surface, though, is one that converts nitrogen and water to ammonia and oxygen. The ammonia produced by this reaction seems to mainly be used as antifreeze, with bacteria in colder regions usually producing more ammonia, though some bacteria can use it as a fuel if energy is short. The ammonia generated by this process either diffuses from bacteria, or is released when the bacteria die, and feeds the rivers and oceans on the planet. While some ammonia is consumed by other types of bacteria, most evaporates, and is broken down within a few days in the atmosphere.
Most photosynthetic ammonia forming bacteria create a number of different pigments, which powers the two main photosynthetic reactions, and makes use of the limited sunlight, making most bacteria colonies appear a black or brown color. However, a few bacteria in warmer areas use fewer numbers of pigments, resulting in more colorful colonies in some ocean areas near the equator.
Hydrothermal bacteria also exist, mostly isolated from those on the surface, due to ice layers existing over most under ice volcanic areas. Non-photosynthetic predatory bacteria are rare, though some photosynthetic bacteria will eat when nutrients are scarce or sunlight is weak for long periods of time. Bacteria that can internally generate nitrogen very quickly adapt to photosynthesize organic materials as well, while pure non-photosynthetic bacteria can absorb too much environmental ammonia, and freeze themselves if no outside sources exist nearby. Well mixed oceans or lakes are better able to support predatory bacteria, though even here, the colder conditions limit the amount of material available to support predatory bacteria.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not in fact any sort of geologist, atmospheric scientist, planetary scientist, or anything related. While I do occasionally attempt to read some papers, and more complex books, about planets for fun, I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this, and am making up these planets to have interesting characteristics, whether or not they would be be possible, and the resulting attempts at planets will read appropriately. If any one of the above types of scientists is reading this and pulling their hair out, I understand completely. :) )
This world is being created to combine features of Mars and some icy moons with some (hopefully cool) ideas of my own, and is also based somewhat off Naumachia from the Test of Time Sci-fi game. The plan for the mod also leads to me wanting some sort of water like oceans on the planet. This planet , along with Cauldron and Phobis Terra (will link to future posts), will be starting planets. I'm planning on having sea technology, but in order to be useful on other planets, and still make sense, a water like ocean terrain will be needed. I do know that ammonia/water mixtures can freeze at a lower temperature, and is something that is theorizerd to exist on some outer planet moons, but have also read that ammonia breaks down very quickly in an atmosphere. The Life is added partly to make the planet more interesting, but also to explain what might be generating the ammonia for the oceans.
Apart from the cold, unusual life, and extra ice, the description assumes the planet is mostly earthlike, simply to keep the description simpler (and easier to work out.) Weather, or upper atmospheric chemistry, is left out and left vague, as I'm not as sure of how these things might work as i am of the changes here.
General Description
Cryolith is a roughly earth sized planet, but orbiting farther out from its star than earth does. It has a moon about the size of Europa, and itself is largely similar in composition to Earth, though with a larger fraction of water, ammonia, and other such materials. The planet rotates about once every 30 hours.
As the name suggests, Cryolith is split between ice and rock as the main terrain. The planet is split between rocky areas (resembling continents on Earth, but covering a relatively smaller area), and areas of solid ice, which have their own mountains, plains, valleys, and other such terrain. Though the planet is colder than needed to freeze pure water, odd chemical processes produce large amounts of ammonia, that mixes with water to form large oceans (Though not as large as Earth's oceans).
Large Scale Geology
Cryolith's rocky areas form a plate tectonic system very much like Earth. Ocean ridge equivalents exist underneath icy areas, forming large basins where ices and liquids accumulate. Volcano arcs and mountain ranges are visible, either within larger rocky areas, or rising from beneath ice. Sliding boundaries are visible at points on the rocky continents, but are harder to see underneath icy areas.
The Icy parts of cryolith have their own tectonic systems, formed from a combination of surface processes and heat from volcanic activity in the rocks below. Above mid ocean ridges, depressions often occur in the ice, created as volcanic heat melts the bottom ice, which than flows downwards, away from the ridge. These depressions, if warm enough, fill with ammonia-water oceans, which further erode and dissolve the ice, increasing the size of the depression. This water eventually cools and freezes some distance away from the ridge, accumulating ice that slowly makes its way to the surface, to be eroded again.
Ice also builds up at the edges of rocky continents, forming a similar structure as a continental shelf on earth. This ice flows from its weight downwards through the depression. Unlike on Earth, where the ice flows until it eventually melts, ice on Cryolith flows until it is stopped by more ice. These "colission areas" between different ice flows can sometimes produce tall mountains.
Soil and Smaller Scales
In addition to the large ice basins, smaller areas of ice fill lake basins, and form glaciers on high mountains of cryolith. These ice areas act more like traditional earth glaciers, digging valleys and acting as a source for rivers, although they can flow for much longer before being eroded or melted. This ice has greatly eroded the rocky part of the surface of cryolith, and much of the rocky planet is covered in a deep permafrost, though with less organic material than is found on Earth permafrosts. the soil is easily carried by winds, and surface ice in some areas is colored grayish or brownish due to deposits of this soil.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Cryolith mostly contains Nitrogen, with about 10% oxygen, and about 2% carbon dioxide, with traces of various other gases, and a pressure about the same as Earth's pressure. Temperatures on the equator are around -40 Celsius, temperatures at the poles get to about -80.
Clouds on Cryolith air made of either water ice, or ammonia and water mixtures in a small number of areas. Snow from these clouds feeds glaciers, rivers, and ice flows throughout the surface. Ice particles are also directly eroded from some regions and transported through the atmosphere, acting as an additional source of water vapor, and are also transported in a similar way to soil, to different locations on the planet.
Winds on Cryolith are an average faster than those on Earth, but storms are not nearly as common, due to the lack of vapor to form clouds. The most common types of severe weather on the planets are blinding snow or dust storms, where fast winds pick up ice or rock particules and blow them around. Some of these resemble dust devils, but most resemble the clouds of material familiar from Earth.
Oceans, Rivers, and Lakes
Cryolith's oceans, lakes, and rivers are formed from a water/ammonia mixture. These rivers start in glaciers or permafrost patches, where ammonia generated by bacteria concentrates enough to liquify ice. The rivers of cryolith can change significantly as they flow, depending on temperature, flow rate, and the amount of bacteria in surrounding regions. Rivers flowing to colder areas, or through areas with little life, will loose ammonia to evaporation, and will freeze out water. Larger rivers will freeze water in their surfaces or on the body of the river, sometimes forming pack ice, or clouds of ice dust within the river. Rivers slowing through warmer areas, or areas with a lot of nearby life, will accumulate ammonia, and dissolve ice from surrounding terrain if it is available. these types of rivers often carry soil released from ice, and have a dirty appearance, and expand greatly during their travels.
Cryolith lakes and rivers are more stable the rivers, as they contain colonies of bacteria that generate ammonia. The production and evaporation of ammonia can influence convection within the oceans, in addition to wind generated and temperature generated currents. Differences in ammonia concentration can also cause Oceans and Lakes to freeze out, or erode, the surrounding terrain, though these processes take place more slowly than those in rivers.
Life
Only bacteria life exists on cryolith, but these bacteria have an enormous effect on the terrain of the planet. Bacterial colonies can be found in most places, but are most common in oceans, permafrost, or border areas between rock and ice.
Most bacteria are photosynthetic, using carbon dioxide and water in a similar manner as earth life. their most important reactions for Cryolith's surface, though, is one that converts nitrogen and water to ammonia and oxygen. The ammonia produced by this reaction seems to mainly be used as antifreeze, with bacteria in colder regions usually producing more ammonia, though some bacteria can use it as a fuel if energy is short. The ammonia generated by this process either diffuses from bacteria, or is released when the bacteria die, and feeds the rivers and oceans on the planet. While some ammonia is consumed by other types of bacteria, most evaporates, and is broken down within a few days in the atmosphere.
Most photosynthetic ammonia forming bacteria create a number of different pigments, which powers the two main photosynthetic reactions, and makes use of the limited sunlight, making most bacteria colonies appear a black or brown color. However, a few bacteria in warmer areas use fewer numbers of pigments, resulting in more colorful colonies in some ocean areas near the equator.
Hydrothermal bacteria also exist, mostly isolated from those on the surface, due to ice layers existing over most under ice volcanic areas. Non-photosynthetic predatory bacteria are rare, though some photosynthetic bacteria will eat when nutrients are scarce or sunlight is weak for long periods of time. Bacteria that can internally generate nitrogen very quickly adapt to photosynthesize organic materials as well, while pure non-photosynthetic bacteria can absorb too much environmental ammonia, and freeze themselves if no outside sources exist nearby. Well mixed oceans or lakes are better able to support predatory bacteria, though even here, the colder conditions limit the amount of material available to support predatory bacteria.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not in fact any sort of geologist, atmospheric scientist, planetary scientist, or anything related. While I do occasionally attempt to read some papers, and more complex books, about planets for fun, I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this, and am making up these planets to have interesting characteristics, whether or not they would be be possible, and the resulting attempts at planets will read appropriately. If any one of the above types of scientists is reading this and pulling their hair out, I understand completely. :) )
This world is being created to combine features of Mars and some icy moons with some (hopefully cool) ideas of my own, and is also based somewhat off Naumachia from the Test of Time Sci-fi game. The plan for the mod also leads to me wanting some sort of water like oceans on the planet. This planet , along with Cauldron and Phobis Terra (will link to future posts), will be starting planets. I'm planning on having sea technology, but in order to be useful on other planets, and still make sense, a water like ocean terrain will be needed. I do know that ammonia/water mixtures can freeze at a lower temperature, and is something that is theorizerd to exist on some outer planet moons, but have also read that ammonia breaks down very quickly in an atmosphere. The Life is added partly to make the planet more interesting, but also to explain what might be generating the ammonia for the oceans.
Apart from the cold, unusual life, and extra ice, the description assumes the planet is mostly earthlike, simply to keep the description simpler (and easier to work out.) Weather, or upper atmospheric chemistry, is left out and left vague, as I'm not as sure of how these things might work as i am of the changes here.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Cauldron
(This world idea is for a sci-fi mod for some sort of civilization type game, hopefully one with multiple map abilities. I'm not sure if this will happen, but have come up with some general ideas for the mechanics and worlds for it.)
General Description
Cauldron is about the size of earth, though is in orbit closer to its star. It is similar in composition and mass, with some smallish moons nearby. (One about pluto size, one about charon size.) The tilt is about 10 degrees, with a day of about 17 hours.
The planet itself is named for its high temperatures, ranging from hot earth desert temperatures at the poles to higher than the boiling point of water near the equator. Though not as hot as planets like Venus, the planet has its own dangers from radiation, a corrosive atmosphere and lakes, and large areas of active volcanoes.
Surface Features
From far away, Caldron has appears to have a system of continents and oceans, much like earth, although the oceans are somewhat smaller than those on earth. The oceans are a mixture of Sulfuric acid and water, with small amounts of other dissolved materials, allowing the oceans to remain liquid under conditions that evaporate pure water. The oceans themselves have large numbers of island arcs, some in long lines, some independent, though with larger islands on average than equivalents on earth. Occasional spots of green and orange can be seem in the oceans, which appear to be clusters of acid dwelling bacteria that cluster in nutrient rich areas.
The continents, like earth's, have large regions of mountains and plains, although the mountains are mostly steeper and more jagged than comparable ones on earth. These mountains have considerably more volcanoes than those seem on earth. The terrain in these areas changes rapidly from year to year, as lava tunnels and channels continually form and collapse, explosive eruptions regularly coat and erode large areas, and the shifts in the ground can change the terrain on their own and trigger landslides.
On less mountainous areas, lava flows are still common, with volcanic "bulge provinces" often hosting lava fields and their own ragged terrain. Outside the volcanic areas, the terrain is filled with highly pulverized material, much like soil or sand. In wetter areas, bacterial patches can be found, coloring the ground different shades of red, orange, and green.
The most unusual features on the continental plains are irridiated areas. These area seem to be found on older, less eroded volcanic sites. The radiation in these sites can get highly concentrated, enough in some areas to cause sicknesses in unshielded people, but is mostly more diffused, and more dangerous over time. Travel in these areas can be dangerous both due to radiation damgage, and to the ruggedness of the terrain, plus corrosion and electrical problems increased by radiation.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Cauldron is composed of Mostly nitrogen, with about 15% Carbon Dioxide, 10% oxygen, and small amounts of trace gases. It has a pressure of about 1.5x that of earth's atmosphere.
Throughout the lower atmoshere, large patches of Sulfuric acid clouds block views of the surface, covering about 2/3 of the surface at a time. Depending on weather patterns, the clouds may be composed of anything from pure acid to slightly acidic water. In a few areas (With mediumly strong updrafts and large amounts of water), pure water or ice clouds appear high in the atmosphere. Rain and Virga fall from these clouds, with virga more common underneath diluted clouds, high temperature areas, and low altitudes.
The winds on Caldron are slower, on average, than winds on earth, although the large scale patterns are similar. On smaller scales, higher level acid clouds cool the surface significantly, resulting in constantly changing surface wind patterns. The oceans and lakes themselves create winds as well, in a similar manner as earth.
Oceans/Rivers/Lakes
Similar to Earth's water system, the oceans on Cauldron are fed by a series of rivers and lakes, many starting in mountainous areas of the planet, ultimately fed by mainly by rain. Depending on the weather, the fraction of sulfuric acid within small rivers can change significantly from day to day, with some drying up when too little sulfuric acid flows through them. In general, higher altitude rivers are less acidic, both due to water evaporation at higher temperatures, and by being fed by rain with a higher percentage of water on average.
The water cycle of Cauldron works similarly to that of earth, with water evaporting mainly from oceans and lakes, feeding clouds, than raining out, and flowing back into surface water again. However, far less life exists that can influence the cycle, and no water ice exists on Cauldron apart from a few very high clouds.
Sulfur operates on a much longer cycle on the planet. Sulfur in the atmosphere mostly comes from Volcanoes, with a small amount coming from bacteria. Once rained out, the sulfur is absorbed into rocks, and into the oceans, and subducted back to the interior to be erupted again.
Ocean currents operate on a similar system as on earth, with both a wind driven and temperature system in action.
Life
Some life does exist on cauldron, throughout most of the planet are high temperature, acid loving bacteria. Clusters of such bacteria form on wetter areas of land, and in areas of the ocean with more concentrated nutrients. Most of these bacteria are identified by color, with green, orange, and red the most common.
Photosynthetic bacteria, and eaters of photosynthetic bacteria, are the most common. Most of these bacteria can photosynthesize carbon dioxide and water to oxygen and other material, as earth bacteria do, but use different chemical pathway so do so. Volcanic energy is the next most common source of energy, with bacterial colonies commonly found near hydrothermal areas, and land based volcanoes. Radiation serves as a source of energy for underground bacteria, and bacteria near irradiated areas, but these areas are often dryer than other areas, usually limiting their growth.
Most oxygen in the atmiosphere is generated and used by bacteria. Sulfur is also moved from one area to another by bacteria, with bacteria in dry areas generating acid to help conserve water, while bacteria in wet areas often use the acid as an oxidant, releasing sulfur dioxide to the air.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not in fact any sort of geologist, atmospheric scientist, planetary scientist, or anything related. While I do occasionally attempt to read some papers, and more complex books, about planets for fun, I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this, and am making up these planets to have interesting characteristics, whether or not they would be be possible, and the resulting attempts at planets will read appropriately. If any one of the above types of scientists is reading this and pulling their hair out, I understand completely. :) )
This world is being created to combine features of Venus and Io, as well as more generic "hot and dangerous" worlds (radioactive, barren deserts, volcanic, etc.) The plan for the mod also leads to me wanting some sort of water like oceans on the planet. This planet , along with Cryolith and Phobis Terra (will link to future posts), will be starting planets. I'm planning on having sea technology, but in order to be useful on other planets, and still make sense, a water like ocean terrain will be needed (I figure a sulfuric acid/water mixture would need different materials, but would otherwise be similar enough to a water ocean so that the same technology and types of boats would make sense for both.)
The starting explanation for this planet's geology would be the planet having a much larger amount of radioactive elements than earth does. This would lead to greater volcanic activity in general, and some of this activity I imagine as concentrating radioactive elements in particular areas. (This is how I think pitchblende is formed, and a lot of ores seems to be formed this way, but is not something I know about in detail.) The increased activity would also speed up tectonics, which I think would create less smooth terran. The oceans would, though, give tectonics similar to earth.
The orbit I imagine would be farther out than venus's (I imagine these planets orbiting a sun like star), but still closer than earth, allowing the temperature to get higher while still sloowing the water/sulfuric acid mixture. The increased volcanoes would put out more sulfur to form the clouds (based off of Venus mainly), and these clouds would help keep the planet cooler. The sulfuric acid is also a way to allow water based oceans to exist on a hotter planet than otherwise would be the case. Weather is something that feels harder to simulate or guess at in detail, so I've left the details vague.
The life is added mainly to make the planet more interesting. Other characteristics, like the moons, magnetic field, or upper atmosphere, are things I'm not as sure of what might happen, so these I'm either making similar to earth, or just ignoring.
General Description
Cauldron is about the size of earth, though is in orbit closer to its star. It is similar in composition and mass, with some smallish moons nearby. (One about pluto size, one about charon size.) The tilt is about 10 degrees, with a day of about 17 hours.
The planet itself is named for its high temperatures, ranging from hot earth desert temperatures at the poles to higher than the boiling point of water near the equator. Though not as hot as planets like Venus, the planet has its own dangers from radiation, a corrosive atmosphere and lakes, and large areas of active volcanoes.
Surface Features
From far away, Caldron has appears to have a system of continents and oceans, much like earth, although the oceans are somewhat smaller than those on earth. The oceans are a mixture of Sulfuric acid and water, with small amounts of other dissolved materials, allowing the oceans to remain liquid under conditions that evaporate pure water. The oceans themselves have large numbers of island arcs, some in long lines, some independent, though with larger islands on average than equivalents on earth. Occasional spots of green and orange can be seem in the oceans, which appear to be clusters of acid dwelling bacteria that cluster in nutrient rich areas.
The continents, like earth's, have large regions of mountains and plains, although the mountains are mostly steeper and more jagged than comparable ones on earth. These mountains have considerably more volcanoes than those seem on earth. The terrain in these areas changes rapidly from year to year, as lava tunnels and channels continually form and collapse, explosive eruptions regularly coat and erode large areas, and the shifts in the ground can change the terrain on their own and trigger landslides.
On less mountainous areas, lava flows are still common, with volcanic "bulge provinces" often hosting lava fields and their own ragged terrain. Outside the volcanic areas, the terrain is filled with highly pulverized material, much like soil or sand. In wetter areas, bacterial patches can be found, coloring the ground different shades of red, orange, and green.
The most unusual features on the continental plains are irridiated areas. These area seem to be found on older, less eroded volcanic sites. The radiation in these sites can get highly concentrated, enough in some areas to cause sicknesses in unshielded people, but is mostly more diffused, and more dangerous over time. Travel in these areas can be dangerous both due to radiation damgage, and to the ruggedness of the terrain, plus corrosion and electrical problems increased by radiation.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Cauldron is composed of Mostly nitrogen, with about 15% Carbon Dioxide, 10% oxygen, and small amounts of trace gases. It has a pressure of about 1.5x that of earth's atmosphere.
Throughout the lower atmoshere, large patches of Sulfuric acid clouds block views of the surface, covering about 2/3 of the surface at a time. Depending on weather patterns, the clouds may be composed of anything from pure acid to slightly acidic water. In a few areas (With mediumly strong updrafts and large amounts of water), pure water or ice clouds appear high in the atmosphere. Rain and Virga fall from these clouds, with virga more common underneath diluted clouds, high temperature areas, and low altitudes.
The winds on Caldron are slower, on average, than winds on earth, although the large scale patterns are similar. On smaller scales, higher level acid clouds cool the surface significantly, resulting in constantly changing surface wind patterns. The oceans and lakes themselves create winds as well, in a similar manner as earth.
Oceans/Rivers/Lakes
Similar to Earth's water system, the oceans on Cauldron are fed by a series of rivers and lakes, many starting in mountainous areas of the planet, ultimately fed by mainly by rain. Depending on the weather, the fraction of sulfuric acid within small rivers can change significantly from day to day, with some drying up when too little sulfuric acid flows through them. In general, higher altitude rivers are less acidic, both due to water evaporation at higher temperatures, and by being fed by rain with a higher percentage of water on average.
The water cycle of Cauldron works similarly to that of earth, with water evaporting mainly from oceans and lakes, feeding clouds, than raining out, and flowing back into surface water again. However, far less life exists that can influence the cycle, and no water ice exists on Cauldron apart from a few very high clouds.
Sulfur operates on a much longer cycle on the planet. Sulfur in the atmosphere mostly comes from Volcanoes, with a small amount coming from bacteria. Once rained out, the sulfur is absorbed into rocks, and into the oceans, and subducted back to the interior to be erupted again.
Ocean currents operate on a similar system as on earth, with both a wind driven and temperature system in action.
Life
Some life does exist on cauldron, throughout most of the planet are high temperature, acid loving bacteria. Clusters of such bacteria form on wetter areas of land, and in areas of the ocean with more concentrated nutrients. Most of these bacteria are identified by color, with green, orange, and red the most common.
Photosynthetic bacteria, and eaters of photosynthetic bacteria, are the most common. Most of these bacteria can photosynthesize carbon dioxide and water to oxygen and other material, as earth bacteria do, but use different chemical pathway so do so. Volcanic energy is the next most common source of energy, with bacterial colonies commonly found near hydrothermal areas, and land based volcanoes. Radiation serves as a source of energy for underground bacteria, and bacteria near irradiated areas, but these areas are often dryer than other areas, usually limiting their growth.
Most oxygen in the atmiosphere is generated and used by bacteria. Sulfur is also moved from one area to another by bacteria, with bacteria in dry areas generating acid to help conserve water, while bacteria in wet areas often use the acid as an oxidant, releasing sulfur dioxide to the air.
Explanation
(Disclaimer: I am not in fact any sort of geologist, atmospheric scientist, planetary scientist, or anything related. While I do occasionally attempt to read some papers, and more complex books, about planets for fun, I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this, and am making up these planets to have interesting characteristics, whether or not they would be be possible, and the resulting attempts at planets will read appropriately. If any one of the above types of scientists is reading this and pulling their hair out, I understand completely. :) )
This world is being created to combine features of Venus and Io, as well as more generic "hot and dangerous" worlds (radioactive, barren deserts, volcanic, etc.) The plan for the mod also leads to me wanting some sort of water like oceans on the planet. This planet , along with Cryolith and Phobis Terra (will link to future posts), will be starting planets. I'm planning on having sea technology, but in order to be useful on other planets, and still make sense, a water like ocean terrain will be needed (I figure a sulfuric acid/water mixture would need different materials, but would otherwise be similar enough to a water ocean so that the same technology and types of boats would make sense for both.)
The starting explanation for this planet's geology would be the planet having a much larger amount of radioactive elements than earth does. This would lead to greater volcanic activity in general, and some of this activity I imagine as concentrating radioactive elements in particular areas. (This is how I think pitchblende is formed, and a lot of ores seems to be formed this way, but is not something I know about in detail.) The increased activity would also speed up tectonics, which I think would create less smooth terran. The oceans would, though, give tectonics similar to earth.
The orbit I imagine would be farther out than venus's (I imagine these planets orbiting a sun like star), but still closer than earth, allowing the temperature to get higher while still sloowing the water/sulfuric acid mixture. The increased volcanoes would put out more sulfur to form the clouds (based off of Venus mainly), and these clouds would help keep the planet cooler. The sulfuric acid is also a way to allow water based oceans to exist on a hotter planet than otherwise would be the case. Weather is something that feels harder to simulate or guess at in detail, so I've left the details vague.
The life is added mainly to make the planet more interesting. Other characteristics, like the moons, magnetic field, or upper atmosphere, are things I'm not as sure of what might happen, so these I'm either making similar to earth, or just ignoring.
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