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Stardust: Reference; Reference for my Stardust Sequence
Topic Started: Mar 29 2010, 10:28 PM (449 Views)
The Kiat
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I'd like to introduce you to my planet classification scheme (as well as other things). As always, if you see something lacking, let me know.

World Classification

Class A (Gas Giants) over 50 Terran Units of mass

A1) These are the ‘super’ giants. That is gas giants that are between 3 and 13 times the mass of Jupiter. Anything over 13 Jovian Units will become a Brown Dwarf star.

A2) Giant (Hydrogen & Helium) These are the gas giants that consist of primarily hydrogen, with helium coming into second place. This would be Jupiter and Saturn.

A3) Giant (Hydrogen + heavier elements) This has no equivalent in the Sol System. They are gas giants but with plenty of elements heavier than helium. These would be the gas giants that are closer towards their star, where temperatures are high enough to vaporize many elements.

Class B (Sub-Giants, Icy Giants, or even Gas Dwarves) 10-50 Terran Units of mass

B1) Sub-giant (Hydrogen) These would best be described as Gas Dwarves. They consist of almost exclusively hydrogen.

B2) Sub-giant (Helium) They are made of hydrogen, but have more than 20% helium. Uranus and Neptune may be considered this; their classification is not clear, for they have cores with plenty of water, and they have concentrations of methane in their atmospheres.

B3) Sub-giant (Water) This is one of the types of icy giants. It has a core and mantle comprised mostly of water, with some mixed rocky material.

B4) Sub-giant (Ammonia) Same as a B3, but with Ammonia in the place of water.

B5) Sub-giant (Methane) Same as B3, but with Methane.

B6) Sub-giant (Nitrogen) Same as B3, but with Nitrogen.

Class C (Barren) planets without atmosphere.

C1) Barren (Metal) A planet with a crust comprised of metals, usually high density. Mercury could be classified as such.

C2) Barren (Silicate) A planet with a silicate crust. Luna is a C2.

C3) Barren (Carbon) A carbonous world, forms between 2.0 to 6.0 AU from a star with one solar mass and one solar unit of metallicity. The lesser the metal in a star, the closer C3 worlds will form.

C4) Barren (Water) These are worlds made of solid water and other ices. Moons of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are mostly C4.
Class D (Desert) planets without liquid water.

D1) Desert (Greenhouse) A desert world with a thick, dense atmosphere of greenhouse gases. Venus is a prime example.

D2) Desert (Hot) A desert world with a thin atmosphere, and no water in any form. It orbits close enough to the star for the average temperature to be above the melting point of water.

D3) Desert (Cold) A desert world with an average temperature below the melting point of water. It often has deposits of ices in its regolith. Think Mars.

Class E (Arid) has less than 50% of the surface under water.

E) Arid: A habitable planet with less than 50% of its surface covered by water. Often the water coverage drops to 10% or less. This is what I would classify Arrakis as.

Class F (Ocean) more than 50% of its surface covered by ocean.

F1) Ocean (Metal) The best way to describe an F1 is that it is a planet in the process of forming. During the formation of systems, continuous impacts from asteroids and even other planets leave forming worlds in a liquid state. There are no F1 planets older than a few million years; by then, the planet solidifies and turns into something else.

F2) Ocean (Silicate) It is a planet with an ocean of liquid glass. For the most part, it is in the same category as an F1, only existing during planetary formation. However, for reasons not fully understood, Dakar is an F2, perhaps due to a planetary collision.

F3) Ocean (Water) Does this really need explanation? It is the fabled earth-like planet.

F4) Ocean (Ammonia) A world with an ocean of liquid ammonia. Because ammonia has properties similar to water, F4 worlds are capable of developing life. Due to the cold temperatures ammonia exists at a liquid, F4 life will always be slower than F3 life.

F5) Ocean (Methane) A world where methane exists in a liquid form. Titan would be classified as F5, even if more than 50% of its surface is not under methane.

F6) Ocean (Nitrogen) A world so cold that its oceans are comprised of liquid nitrogen. Such worlds are rare.

Prefixes Added to other classifications to create sub-classes.

+U) Volcanic/Thermic; A world that is extremely geologically active, with a volcano always erupting somewhere on the surface. Io would be a UC2

+V) Snowball World; an ocean world that has its surface covered in ice. Only applies to F3, F4, F5 and F6. The global glaciation allows for airless worlds to be ocean worlds. Europa could be classified as a VF3.

+X) Terraformed; A world that was either a C type or D type world that has been rendered habitable by extensive planetary engineering. If Mars were terraformed, it would become a XE type world. E type worlds can also be terraformed. The Ancient Atlantians extended great resources trying to extend the hydrosphere of Apocalypse by shipping in water from space.

+Y) Heavy Element; A world enriched with elements heavier than iron, and in large concentrations.

+Z) Rouge Planet; Simple enough, a world that is not permanently bound to a star. They could be interstellar planets, or they could be worlds in binary systems that constantly switches orbits from one star to another.


The Web Log that connects all my works into one, easy to use, website: http://kiatspace.blogspot.com/
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Empyreon
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Are you plausible?

I always thought a rouge planet was one you rubbed on your cheeks to make them more attractive...
Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus!

COM Contributions


food for thought
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Pando
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Wow, you really though of a lot.

But why is this in the habitable zone if it isn't about an alien planet project???
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The Kiat
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And here is the planet creations sheet that I created. For gravity I use MPS squared, and diameter I use km, atmosphere in bars, temp is Kelvin, and so on.


Type:
Gravity: ( Earth)
Pressure:
Atmosphere:
Distance:
Temperature:
Diameter: ( Earth)
Mass: Terran Units
Volume: Terran Units
Density: Terran Units
Area: Terran Units
Composition:
Moons:
Axis Tilt:
Day:
Year:
Population:
Settled:
Tech Level:
Life Level:
The Web Log that connects all my works into one, easy to use, website: http://kiatspace.blogspot.com/
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The Kiat
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Pandorasaurus
Mar 29 2010, 10:30 PM
Wow, you really though of a lot.

But why is this in the habitable zone if it isn't about an alien planet project???
Oh, uh, oops? My mistake. But it is a template that can be used.
The Web Log that connects all my works into one, easy to use, website: http://kiatspace.blogspot.com/
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The Kiat
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This is kind of self-evident.


Planets that have life are catagorize by the dominate form of both animal and plant life. This does not mean life more advanced does not exist on the planet, it is only the largest portion of the biosphere.

Primordial:Bacteria, Archea and Algae; single-celled lifeforms; unsuitable for most Earth Life
Precambrian:Algae and simple animals such as sponges and jellyfish; unsuitable for complex Earth life
Arthropod:Bugs are the dominant form of animals; usually coincides with high O2
Moss: Non-vascular plants dominant form of plants
Mollusks: Snails, clams and cephalopods dominant animal life
Ferns: Fern-type are dominant plants; ferns, gingko, etc.
Fish: Fish are dominant animal
Amphib: Amphibians dominant animals
Conifer: Pines are dominant plants
Reptile: Reptiles are dominant animals
Mammal: Mammals are dominant animals
Dinosaurs:Dinosaurs and archosaurs (crocs) are dominant life
Flowers: Flowering plants are dominant life; deciduous trees and other flowering plants
Avian: Birds are dominant animals; expect penguins the size of whales
Grass: Various forms of grasses dominate the planet, evolving to fill the niches of shrubs and trees.
Transient:Transient plants are dominant plants; expect you shade tree to walk away from you
Neozoic: Future life is dominant; imagination is the boundary
Ultizoic: The last life of a dying planet is dominant; not a high prospect for Earth life
Urban: A planet given over unchecked urban sprawl
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The Kiat
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Last one. At least I think I got the colors right for this one....


Color of the Sun

The color of stars has two obvious impacts on a planetary environment; color of the sky and color of plants.

1) Color of the Sky: An oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere scatters blue light. As a literary rule, the bluer a star, the bluer the sky. For example:

A type star: purple
F type star: dark blue
G type star: sky blue
K type star: green-blue to green
M type star: white to red

2) Color of Plants: Plants depend on blue photons and red photons. The Bluer a star, the redder plants should be, since that star puts out more blue photons and plants adapt to concentrate on those, and reflect the less abundant red. If a star puts out both red and blue photons, plants will utilize those and reflect green. Redder stars will produce plants that are blue, purple and even black (ultraviolet).

A type star: Red to yellow
F type star: Light green
G type star: Green
K type star: Blue to blue-green
M type star: Violet to ultraviolet

There are exceptions to the plant color are plenty. Terraform plants can be red or even black. A major exception is the planet Towne, which orbits a red dwarf, yet has a majority of its plant-life orange. (This is because I got the colors backwards and built a whole world with orange plants, and do not want to go back and rebuild it.)
The Web Log that connects all my works into one, easy to use, website: http://kiatspace.blogspot.com/
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Ànraich
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L'évolution Spéculative est moi

Pandorasaurus
Mar 29 2010, 10:30 PM
But why is this in the habitable zone if it isn't about an alien planet project???
Because I really don't know where else it would go, and it's related to another project. Although why they're two separate topics, I'll never know. I considered merging the topics, but that has never worked out well for me.
We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar.

"The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming

Tree That Owns Itself
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XxVENATOURxX
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Why dient it work well
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Mae hen wlad fyn ghadau yn anwyl I mi
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion enwogion o fri
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr gwlad garwyr tra mad
Dros ryddid collasant ei gwaed

Gwlad,Gwlad
Pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad
Tra mor yn fyr i'r byr hoff bau
O byddedd i'r heniaeth barhau



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Ddraig Goch
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Ar hyd y nos

Quote:
 
1) Color of the Sky: An oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere scatters blue light. As a literary rule, the bluer a star, the bluer the sky. For example:

A type star: purple
F type star: dark blue
G type star: sky blue
K type star: green-blue to green
M type star: white to red


Could you please give us the "common" names of the stars as well? (eg, red dwarf, etc)
Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction!
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TheBioBassist
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The Kiat
Mar 29 2010, 10:33 PM
This is kind of self-evident.


Planets that have life are catagorize by the dominate form of both animal and plant life. This does not mean life more advanced does not exist on the planet, it is only the largest portion of the biosphere.

Primordial:Bacteria, Archea and Algae; single-celled lifeforms; unsuitable for most Earth Life
Precambrian:Algae and simple animals such as sponges and jellyfish; unsuitable for complex Earth life
Arthropod:Bugs are the dominant form of animals; usually coincides with high O2
Moss:Non-vascular plants dominant form of plants
Mollusks:Snails, clams and cephalopods dominant animal life
Ferns:Fern-type are dominant plants; ferns, gingko, etc.
Fish:Fish are dominant animal
Amphib:Amphibians dominant animals
Conifer:Pines are dominant plants
Reptile:Reptiles are dominant animals
Mammal:Mammals are dominant animals
Dinosaurs:Dinosaurs and archosaurs (crocs) are dominant life
Flowers:Flowering plants are dominant life; deciduous trees and other flowering plants
Avian:Birds are dominant animals; expect penguins the size of whales
Grass:Various forms of grasses dominate the planet, evolving to fill the niches of shrubs and trees.
Transient:Transient plants are dominant plants; expect you shade tree to walk away from you
Neozoic:Future life is dominant; imagination is the boundary
Ultizoic:The last life of a dying planet is dominant; not a high prospect for Earth life
Urban:A planet given over unchecked urban sprawl
I really like your planet classification system you obviously put a lot of work into it. My only problem is your life classification system as it seems to assume everything will evolve earth like. For example what if a planet evolves life that seems to mix characteristics of reptiles and mollusks (now im wondering what that would look like). Also if an ammonia world evolves life would you be able to classify it using this system. I am thinking up my own system for classifying life based on ecosystem complexity and level of biospheric control that i think could apply to all planets with life no matter how different their evolutionary paths or environments.
"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "eureka" ( I found it) but "that's funny......""
-Isaac Asimov
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Ddraig Goch
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Ar hyd y nos

If you use the life classification system for carbon-based lifeforms on F3 planets, then it works, although it may require the addition of further classes, such as "GM" (for X-Class worlds) or "Unclassified", in case a planet has really bizarre life.
Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction!
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The Kiat
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Ddraig Goch
Apr 7 2010, 11:24 AM
Quote:
 
1) Color of the Sky: An oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere scatters blue light. As a literary rule, the bluer a star, the bluer the sky. For example:

A type star: purple
F type star: dark blue
G type star: sky blue
K type star: green-blue to green
M type star: white to red


Could you please give us the "common" names of the stars as well? (eg, red dwarf, etc)
A and F will appear white, while G appear Yellow, K appears Orange and M is the Red Dwarf.
The Web Log that connects all my works into one, easy to use, website: http://kiatspace.blogspot.com/
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The Kiat
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TheBioBassist
Apr 9 2010, 10:29 AM
I really like your planet classification system you obviously put a lot of work into it. My only problem is your life classification system as it seems to assume everything will evolve earth like. For example what if a planet evolves life that seems to mix characteristics of reptiles and mollusks (now im wondering what that would look like). Also if an ammonia world evolves life would you be able to classify it using this system. I am thinking up my own system for classifying life based on ecosystem complexity and level of biospheric control that i think could apply to all planets with life no matter how different their evolutionary paths or environments.
The life level is more of an analog to Terraforms.
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The Kiat
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A little amending to the World Classification, most specifically the Sub-Giants

B1) Sub-giant (Hydrogen) These would best be described as Gas Dwarfs. They consist of almost exclusively hydrogen. These are some of the most ancient of planets and would have formed around population III stars.

B2) Sub-giant (Helium) They are made of hydrogen, but have higher proportions of helium. These are sub-giants that formed around population II and I stars.

B3) Sub-giant (Water) This is one of the types of icy giants. It has more than one percent of its atmosphere in the form of water.
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