Scientific profile of the Klingon Homeworld

[Savros 0]

** Scientific profile of the Klingon Homeworld in 2294 **

 

Designation: Qo'noS (pronounced Kronos)

 

Class: (M)inshara (Nitrogen/Oxygen atmosphere)

 

General Description (prior to Praxis incident):

 

The Klingon Homeworld is green in color. It has a lone large land mass with a vast ocean. The planet has a severely tilted axis that causes wild seasonal changes including frequent extremes of both warm and cold weather.

 

Praxis incident

 

In 2293, the Klingon Moon Praxis exploded suddenly due to over mining with insufficient safety precautions. The explosion created a subspace shock wave that severely damaged the ozone (O₃) layer of Qo'noS leaving an estimated 50 Earth years of oxygen left.

 

The significance of Ozone (O₃)

 

Ozone in the atmosphere is the result of intense UV radiation interacts with oxygen (O₂) gas breaking the O=O double bond. The resulting oxygen ions react with additional molecules of oxygen to form ozone. The gas is highly reactive which, in the atmosphere serves to absorb UV radiation. Additional UV radiation breaks the extra oxygen bond allowing oxygen gas to reform.

 

In the absence of stratospheric Ozone, a class M planet would be subject to the damaging effects of intense UV rays. Plants and animals would experience cellular damage and overtime many species would die.

 

Physiology & Oxygen demand

 

Klingons are robust with redundant organs, but this redundancy has a cost. In spite of their physical conditioning, Klingon typically consume twice the amount of oxygen than an equally sized human. However, in areas of low oxygen such as underground mining, Klingon bodies are known to shut down redundant organs for short periods (~1-2 weeks) without damage to those organs.

 

On Qo'noS, Klingons are not the only species to have redundant organs. Many species of animals share this trait as well as the limitation of increased oxygen demand. The plant life supports the addition demand by being very efficient at processing carbon dioxide into oxygen. Although the plants can tolerate lower levels, it is clear that they flourish in this carbon dioxide rich planet.

 

The extent of the Praxis incident

 

The Klingon Empire has not been forthcoming about the extent of the damage to their homeworld. Presumably, the subspace shock wave hit the planet so hard that it tore off an estimated 20% of their stratospheric Ozone layer and some 6% of their total atmosphere. Their overall oxygen content is expected to have diminished 2% by total volume. One might think that this would not be a significant problem as plant and animal life can survive at this level of oxygen. However, the damage to the Ozone layer likely created Ozone holes throughout the planet. Additionally, the moon's destruction has affected both its orbit and mass. Instead of a planet with moons, the planet now contains several circular debris fields similar to Saturn. This has had a dramatic effect on the natural tides and weather conditions.

 

The 50-year estimate is based on the destruction of plant life on the planet. The green planet Qo'noS is teaming with vegetation. While the Ozone holes are expected to move to the poles over the next couple of years, the damage to the plant life is likely enormous. Experts believe that some 25% of the planet's forest died within 30 days of the Praxis explosion either as a result of UV radiation or from tidal waves and unusually strong weather conditions. This has already significantly reduced the habitat of animal life, and, less obvious, is expected to dramatically increase carbon dioxide over the next several years. When combined with the Klingon obsession for military (i.e. industry with few environmental controls) and carbon dioxide levels are expected to reach disastrous levels within the next 50-years.

Challenges

 

Klingons are a proud warrior race who do not appreciate help. If they are to avoid oxygen deprivation we need to convince them to move industrial production facilities off world and to install modern environmental controls to reduce the build up of carbon dioxide and harmful pollutants. They are expected to resist any help in this area and we may be forced to consider other strategies such as: the installation of planetary weather control stations to help equalize the ozone holes and reduce loss of plant life due to natural disasters, the introduction of terraforming technology to increase oxygen production, and an aggressive policy of plant life restoration including the addition of UV resistant species. Although the Klingons are capable of implementing these suggestions by themselves, it is clear that their focus on military applications for science puts them at a disadvantage.

[Saylek 0]

An excellent, succinct analysis. Why did Columbia let you transfer away?

[Abe Kas 0]

An excellent, succinct analysis. Why did Columbia let you transfer away?

 

Simple. The Challenger has the best Root Beer to be found anywhere!