Minka

(*Going forward, this will be one of the only worlds that I have created, that have a discovery method listed, do not get used to this.*)

## Discovery Information

### Discoverer

INFCALASE (2005)Named by Gerry Tarbov (2006)

### Discovery Method

It was recorded initially by transit and other such methods, than it was recorded by survey data that was "unrecorded".

## Additional Information

### Life

Organic multicellular (marine, terrestrial)

## Minka's information

### Technical information

The equatorial diameter of the planet is 12821.75 miles, with the mean diameter being 12765.18 miles, and the polar diameter is 12652.77 miles. The oblateness of the planet is 0.013179, with the mass of the planet being 5.8459 M⨁, and the density of the planet is 7.6909 grams per cubic centimeter. The insolation of the planet is 0.33535, with the effective temperature being 173.96 kelvin, and the Earth similarity index is 0.842. The rotational period of the planet is 10 hours, 16 minutes, and 34.16 seconds, with the solar day being 10 hours, 16 minutes, and 52.80 seconds, and the axial tilt is 53\*03’29.27”. The gravity in the equator of the planet is 21.612 meters per second, with the gravity on average being 22.055 meters per second, and the gravity on the poles is 22.448 meters per second. The circular and escape velocities of the planet is 33743.21 miles per hour and 47720.11 miles per hour, with the age of the planet is 4.287 billion years, and the tidal heating of the planet is 4.287\*10^9 watts. The height of the atmosphere is 19.66 miles, with the tropopause height being 38319.19 feet, and the height of the homogeneous atmosphere is 13004.57 feet. The atmospheric pressure is 41.6 atm, with the air density being 48.622 kilograms per cubic meter, and the air temperature is 296.31 kelvin, (73.668 \*F, 23.16 \*C).

The speed of sound on this world is 760.34 miles per hour, with the exosphere temperature being 1257.4 kelvin, and the greenhouse effect is 122.29 kelvin, in addition to that the relative mass is 6.6643\*10^-6, plus the real mass of the atmosphere is 2.3268\*10^20 kilograms, or 48.699 earth atmospheres. Nitrogen makes up 77.1%, with Oxygen making 21.2%, Water vapor makes up 0.988%, Carbon dioxide is at 0.516%, and Sulfur dioxide makes up the rest at 0.232%. The maximum depth of the oceans here is 21133.54 feet, and the average molar mass is 18.035, and the density of the oceans is 1.0002 grams per cubic centimeter. The temperatures of the oceans here is the same as the air temperature on land, with the atmospheric pressure being 41.6 atm, and the bottom pressure is 1.44\*10^3 atm, additionally, the bottom composition is rock. Water, saline and fresh makes up 100% of the natural liquids here. The parent of the planet is a singular star, with the orbital type of the planet being elliptical, and the orbital period is 2.329 years. The semimajor axis is 1.7592 AU, with the pericenter / apocenter being 1.7376 AU / 1.7808 AU, and the eccentricity is 0.012, additionally the inclination is 1\*05’07.58” . The ascending node is 47\*00’34.47”, with the argument of pericenter being 157\*06’19.60”, and the mean longitude is 361\*23’18.50”. The orbital velocity of this world is 50326.25 miles per hour, the orbital resonances are 10:3 (8), with the hill / influence sphere radii being 2907233 miles and 2045298 miles, and the roche limit for satellites is 10620 miles.

### Store

(*This is infolore, but more journalistic in nature)*

#### Internals

The planet’s core seems to be made up of a mix of silicon, iron, copper, and nickel, with trace amounts of other likewise minerals, the density of this planet does loosen up as the layers get closer to the surface, but generally is more than what is found in the Earth, and metallic elements play a critical role in the internals of the planet, as they supply the vast majority of the hot rock and magma down there. Temperatures in the internals get cooler from the core and this gradient does get many interruptions as there are magma plumes that fuel the many volcanoes here, and the planet’s crust is formed like normal, from geologic processes that shove magma up onto the surface which cools it into regular rock that will eventually go on to form continents, seabeds, basically the stuff that we find on Earth. The planet’s internal composition makes it so that its magnetic field is just a bit larger and more effective than the one that Earth has. Seismic waves have been used to see what the planet actually looks like, though this data is a bit fuzzy considering the distance of Earth to this world, we can grasp that the internal composition is generally more mantle focused, like normal, speaking of the mantle, the mantle is somewhat more “flexible” than that of the Earth, giving it the ability to be moved more easily (and vice versa) the tectonic plates above it, another thing to note is that the mantle here is split into three layers, going up in temperature the closer to the core, and they are split by the amount of nickel and iron in them.

The planet’s heat generation is not that influenced by radioactive elements as in some worlds, and the outer core is a bit faster, leading to the generation of said larger magnetic field. The composition of the planet’s internals has made it so that the mantle and thus the tectonic plates are more flexible and movable, this has made the volcanic activity here more present than what we would find on Earth, way more, and magma plumes come from the mantle sort of randomly, which also increases the activity. There is no evidence though that there is a “solid” inner core, we do know however that it is molten, and has some solid parts, but it itself is not solid, and we know all of this via observations of the planet’s outside, and sometimes via the use of reflected particles. This is true of all planets that we have any knowledge on their internals, and so is the seismic activity, which has been used to determine how active the tectonic plates are here. Metamorphic rocks have been found here in great abundance both on the surface and the inside, and to add to that, there are no regions where minerals are concentrated, as the more slush-like environment of the mantle makes it impossible for such regions to form in significant size or amounts. The inside of the planet has more than triple the amount of mass than the Earth, but the higher density makes the planet’s size smaller than if it was the same as Earth’s.  Even though the internals have made the planet more volcanic and tectonic, life has thrived in the warm, tropical conditions. Based on the internals, we can say that the history of this world is volcanic, and tectonically fast paced.

#### Geography

(*This section had to be summarized by Chatgpt as the original text was way too long to be readable.)*

This world is predominantly characterized by arid lands and deserts, with the most prominent being the expansive desertic regions that cover approximately 50% to 60% of the southern pan-continent. The planet lacks significant variations in its landforms, forming a roughly spherical shape dominated by vast flat deserts or dense, flat shrublands. Acting as an isolated island, the pan-continent is surrounded by a large, formidable ocean that has eroded and shaped its coastlines into rugged, sharp edges, featuring tall imposing boulders. The erosion is intensified by the arid climate, which weakens coastal soil and sediment by inhibiting plant growth and soil fortification. Although the planet is mostly flat, there are a few mountain ranges resulting from tectonic plates colliding in the southern pan-continent. Islands in the northern hemisphere are believed to stem from oceanic tectonic plates colliding. The tectonic activity has created a diverse array of rain shadow effects, contributing to an interesting collage of landscapes. Resources on this world include a mix of fossil fuels and natural ores, notably nickel, iron, lithium, gallium, gold, and copper in arid regions, as well as crude oils. Shrublands house precious minerals like silicon, cobalt, indium, magnesium, titanium, sulfur, and zinc. Plate tectonics have pushed up layers of past rock, revealing a mysterious history that current technology cannot uncover completely. Despite the arid climate, river systems are common, dividing flat plains and forming lakes and ponds in depressions.

The terrestrial ecosystems, confined to one continent, exhibit limited variation compared to the expansive oceanic ecosystems. The landmass, primarily situated at the south pole, results in generally calm weather on land. However, over the high seas, weather patterns favor overcast and drizzling conditions with occasional thunderstorms and cyclones. The arid climate and the need for water consumption by most wildlife and plants have confined terrestrial life to the more humid parts of the shrublands. Shrinking coastlines limit the habitats of large wildlife and plants, forcing them closer together. Deserts and aridlands dominate the western end of the pan-continent, covering about half of the landmass, and also extend to the coastal areas and pockets outside the main arid region. Earthquakes are common due to active plate tectonics, reshaping landscapes and redirecting rivers.Cyclones, though rare, can exacerbate local erosion and, on occasion, sweep large portions of landscapes into the sea if built on sediment. The geography influences the distribution of flora and fauna, compacting them onto one continent, often settling in large valleys or plateaus on the edge of habitability.

#### Climate

The planet’s climate does vary across regions, though it is generally arid, in the more dense shrublands in the eastern half of the pan-continent, it is pretty humid, reflecting something that would be found in southern Brazil or middle Bolivia, and the dominant factors that are influencing the planet’s overall climate patterns seem to be the geography and the the odd lack of sufficient rainwater that would make the world fully temperate, that plus the odd geographically situation which makes most of the land and some of the ocean arid. The atmosphere plays a role in the planet’s climate by providing the gasses that would induce a greenhouse effect, which makes the planet warmer and more dry, thus arid, and it provides the trade winds which push rainwater and whatnot in certain directions. Even though the planet’s climate today is arid, based off of climate and geographical prediction models, it seems like it was not always this way, a few million years ago, the planet could have been more temperate, and even further back, around 50 - 60 million years ago, the planet could have looked like what Earth does today, boasting multiple continents and a general temperate like climate. The reason for why the planet is arid currently might be due to natural climate change and changing winds that have induced an end to the temperate climate. There are 4 primary climate zones on the planet, the first is the primary terrestrial arid zone, it comprises around ½ of the planet’s available land area, and is also the most present one, influencing the second climate zone, the shrublands, which are a more humid version of the arid lands, and this area comprises most of the wild-life here which is not terrestrial, the third zone is the islands, these isolated and sometimes not patches of land are generally more tropical and this has not been mentioned yet, a past version of the planet, when it was more temperate and livable, these islands are surrounded by the 4th zone, the ocean, which is the least arid on average and is also home to most of the planet’s biodiversity.

The oceans seem to act as a counterweight, absorbing the heat of the heating atmosphere which is also starting to dry. Acting as a quick water supply to any terrestrial wildlife, cyclones which are more powerful flood vast areas of shrubland, and sometimes aridland, which gives these regions a temporary abundant water supply, this however is like a stale slice of bread, helpful, but not that impactful. Though it is the seventh away from its parent star, the planet’s climate does not seem to be that influenced by the star, most likely sustained by greenhouse gasses that keep any heat from the star in. The planet’s aridification process is most likely being slowed and in the future may be counteracted by the vast oceans here, which absorb most of the heat from the atmosphere, and are the reason why the vast majority of the water supply exists. Cold-snaps are a very rare thing here, though heatwaves are very much common, sometimes altering local climates for a short period of time, these heat waves also play a role in the aridification of the planet. As implied earlier, the planet seems to be trending to a more hot and arid climate, seemingly consistently warmer every million years past its most recent (hypothesized) ice age, which if this continues, will turn the planet into a hot, desert world who’s life remains only in the oceans. Nitrogen has been observed in abundant amounts here, which contribute to the greenhouse effect and thus the aridification. Because of the planet’s abundant mountain ranges, the rain shadow effect has taken root in most of the pan-continent, and thus extends the aridlands.  The main sources of renewable energy on the planet that are known are solar power, and wind power, and there seem to be no known climate cycles. The planet’s ecosystems are not all going to die on the land, overtime they have adapted to need less water, survive longer heatwaves and droughts, and they have become more amphibious to take advantage of the ocean which they are starting to get closer to.

#### Biosphere

(*I am surprised that I have almost nothing to say about the biosphere*)

The planet does not have any real “ecological” balance, and the biosphere here does not really contribute much, but there are some adaptations that the animals here have taken to thrive, for example they have come accustomed to being less water dependent, they are more efficient, and they have learned to live in the shade, some have gone in the opposite direction and have become more water dependent, becoming amphibious and hunting in the water has become an alternative to finding prey on land. There are a few species here that have become a keystone to the local ecosystems, there are certain types of fish that the terrestrial animals rely on for a stable supply of food, there are also mega-shrubs, that have rooted large sections of ground so that local ecosystems do not overtime fall into the ocean. Unfortunately, the biosphere on land and in the ocean is not a good regulator of the climate, and most likely never will be, there are two thriving ecosystems for now though,

the oceanic ecosystem, which will most likely thrive for 100s of millions of years and maybe even a few billion years, and then there is the shrublands ecosystem, which has taken a sort of reliance on the oceanic ecosystem for a backup reliable food supply in the form of fishes that swim in the various rivers. The terrestrial biosphere though might have contributed to its unfortunate future doom, as there are several plant species including shrub ones that evolved over time to use Nitrogen as a waste gas into the atmosphere, which has contributed to the greenhouse effect and the aridification, this also may be why the planet is not like Earth anymore, and the only reason why the terrestrial biosphere still exists is that they are both trying to embrace the aridlands by adapting to them, and there are some who have evolved to be amphibious  and in the future, possibly fully aquatic, all in an effort to escape the climate change that has been making the terrestrial biosphere smaller and more cramped, causing it to become less diverse and more homogeneous.

#### Atmosphere

The atmosphere differs from the Earth’s by the fact that it has way more Nitrogen, which is also the vastly primary gas in the atmosphere. Because Nitrogen is a greenhouse gas, and it makes up over 70% of the atmosphere, it has contributed significantly and made the environment for the rapid aridification of the planet’s terrestrial climate, there are however no special gasses here that would not be found on Earth at least in the atmosphere. The atmosphere has a unique visual effect, that being the atmosphere being a proper pink color, which is rare, as most of the time these exotic colors are either red, green, and purple, this atmospheric color also contributes to the other atmospheric effect, neon green sunsets, this seems to come from the atmospheric color interacting with the sunset conditions. A picture of a greensunset is featured in the gallery for some reference.

Though the atmosphere is actively aridifying the terrestrial landscape, it can support life as the terrestrial ecosystem has not entirely gone away because of said atmosphere, and there are a few layers in the atmosphere like that of the Earth, and they do a good job at protecting the planet from the UV rays of the parent star, and like most terrae, this terra’s atmosphere affects its climate globally, the poles might as well be as arid as on the equator. The atmosphere of the planet is also very dense, and this influences the wildlife by making it more short, plated, and more ‘forceful’. Whilst there are no real changes in the atmosphere when it comes to temperature, there are for pressure, which loosens up the higher you go, there is even a bird-analogue species that lives in the higher portions of the atmosphere during migrations from pole to pole to ease the travel. Lastly there is cloud cover, which is plenty, particularly on the seas where it takes up around 45 - 50% of the sky, so on average, the forecast would predict 4 - 5 days of cloud cover.

### Gallery

A green sunset, on a world with a pink sky.
### Moons

The moon system of this planet is split into two parts, a small section which orbits on the plane of the planet, which contains the three major moons and two small dwarf moons, and the other section is a medium-sized dwarf cloud, which is analogous to the clouds that surround Gas Giants, this time though it looks more proper, with most of these asteroids being either captured or remnants of formation, and this cloud is large enough that from a distance, it does look like a gas giant parents it, this cloud like those of gaseous planets, is never seen by the planet, though if it was, it would have been a very interesting night show, every night.

 Mass
 Diameter
 Orbital period

### Star System

The planet’s star system is a 9 planet system that has 2 binary planets, 4 gaseous worlds, and 3 terrestrial worlds. The system orbits a yellow dwarf that has a mass of 1.0036 M⨀, it has an asteroid belt that occupies the 3rd planet’s orbit, and the star system has an Oort cloud.