Questions tagged [geophysics]
For questions relating to geophysics: the study, behavior, consequences, and technologies involving the physical properties of the Earth.
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Can a planet have a warm, tropical climate both at the poles and at the equator?
I am trying to create the perfect planet for life. It will mainly consist of shallow seas/oceans with archipelagos spread throughout the globe. The islands are the same size as New Guinea on average. ...
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Estimating energy of tidal friction in alternative moon scenarios
The moon loses kinetic energy due to tidal friction. I would like to quantitatively explore the energies involved in alternative earths in which the moon is larger or has a different orbit.
I asked an ...
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What is the minimum level of technology needed to explore a large flood volcanism event?
The world in question has had this flood volcanism event going on for longer than humanity has been around. It is comparable in size to the one that created the Columbia River Basalt Group and is ...
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How do rivers work in a hyperbolic world?
So, I want to write a story set mostly in a world using hyperbolic geometry (except brief beginning and end bits with the main characters coming from/returning to our world), but I'm a little confused ...
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An atmosphere that gets denser with increasing altitude, to support these flying creatures
I'm thinking about implementing a race of flying creatures in my current setting: an earth-like planet with a breathable (enough) atmosphere. The easiest way to do this is just creating a race of bird-...
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What would happen to an Earth-like planet if it had a more magnetically permeable inner core?
I was contemplating the impact of doping an Earth-like planet's core with a substance that alters its magnetic permeability. Specifically, I considered a scenario where the planet has an improved ...
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Is there a material lightning does not strike?
I was imagining the possibilities of creating a ship mast which could not get struck by lightning. Is there a material it could be made of that would never get struck by lightning?
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Feasible? A natural geothermal water pump the scale of multiple Mississippi rivers
I want a continent of waterfalls: a place on the scale of South America where the land is broken terraces from mountain heights to sea level. And I want massive waterfalls to be ubiquitous, like ...
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Uses for a planet-wide computer system [closed]
In the near(ish) future, (two or three centuries away) it has become possible to create enormous planetary computing systems known as geocomputers.
These are made by injecting nanites 10km down in a ...
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Under what conditions could a gold planet form?
So, I am imagining a draconic alien species which, (don’t laugh) inhabit a planetary system that is particularly rich in heavy elements such as platinum, silver, and yes, gold. (I said don’t laugh!) ...
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How far would a shaft of light penetrate a hollow earth?
Imagine if all of earth's interior were suddenly replaced with a volume of atmosphere (78% N, 21%O, etc), and by some fantastic force the crust remained perfectly rigid and stable.
My question is: if ...
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Is colonization through underground tunnels possible? [duplicate]
I am thinking of a scenario in which a tunnel linking Hungary to Morocco is built around the 1500s by the King of Hungary in an attempt to colonize Morocco to get a border with the Atlantic ocean. ...
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Channels of fluid heat interchange in the endless underground dimension
Note: I'm asking a science-based question yet I'm doing a lot of handwaving for certain counter-scientific aspects of the world. Please don't be snappy and remark that I should just handwave this ...
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Scientifically plausible way to sink a landmass
I'm writing a novel with real-world-style settings and minimal magic.
Minimal magic... how can I explain this? The magic in the world is only as good as epoxy to a leaking pipe. The magic can't just ...
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Can Logoworld - the planet in the worldbuilding SE logo - exist as depicted?
I really like the logo at Worldbuilding SE; it features a polyhedral planet and a beautiful city with a flying whale ship. That planet is particularly neat. Light glances off its facets, resulting in ...
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