Traveller-digest      Tuesday, August 10 1999      Volume 1999 : Number 933



(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: PRB 
[TML] A New Traveller.
Re: PRB 
Re: PRB 
Re: More Sword World history
Re: [TML] A New Traveller.
Any Newton users?
Re: More Sword World history
Re: PRB 
Re: [TML] A New Traveller.
Re: More Sword World history
Planetology 102 Part 10
Re: Planetology 102 Part 6
Re: New Art
Re: New Art 
PRB
Re: PRB
SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Stats & Skills; The Merry Dance
Re: PRB
Need Players in Dallas
Need Players in Dallas
Re: PRB 
Re : Atmospheres #1 : Introduction
Atmospheres : #2 Taints and Not-so-Inert Gases (long)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 21:30:25 -0400
From: "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com>
Subject: Re: PRB 

But do they *HAVE* to use my tax dollars to finance their hobby???  <grin,
duck, & run>

Keven

- --------


Hi Kevin, if you don't get a reply from me concerning the CAT2 list, let me
know.  My iname.com mail account is totally thrashed (again) so until they
delete the account and re-create it, I keep getting the same 65 messages.
SIGH.  I wish there was such a thing as a reliable email server.
___________________________________________________________
 J-Man
 ICQ# 2843475
 New Hampshire - U.S.A.
 Email : j-man@iname.com
 Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/
___________________________________________________________

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 20:29:10 -0500
From: Anthony Salter <badman@austin.rr.com>
Subject: [TML] A New Traveller.

Greetings all!  My name is Anthony Salter, and I just subscribed to the
TML.  I've been a Traveller fan for a long time...I have at least the
player's book for every edition of Traveller there is.  I've recently
gotten back into the game due to GURPS Traveller, and thought I'd join the
list.  Thank you for your patience :)

Badman (Anthony Salter)

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 18:27:13 -0700
From: "Kiri Aradia Morgan" <tiamat@tsoft.com>
Subject: Re: PRB 

>> > You guys don't get over to Berkeley that often, or you'd know there's
very little about Berkeley that's "Free".  I've yet to eat lunch there for
under eight dollars.
>> Gotta finance the Revolution somehow, Comrade! Might as well soak the
capitalists ;-)
>But do they *HAVE* to use my tax dollars to finance their hobby???  <grin,
duck, & run>
>
If they actually did, they might not have to charge me $4 for coffee!

Kiri

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 21:25:44 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: PRB 

> But do they *HAVE* to use my tax dollars to finance their hobby???  <grin,
> duck, & run>
> 
> Hi Kevin, if you don't get a reply from me concerning the CAT2 list, let me
> know.  My iname.com mail account is totally thrashed (again) so until they
> delete the account and re-create it, I keep getting the same 65 messages.
> SIGH.  I wish there was such a thing as a reliable email server.

Yahoo has decent email service, except it's strictly web-based.

Keven
- -- 
tc++ tm+ tn t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In Reavers' Deep

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 00:28:30 GMT
From: j_pete@bellsouth.net (Pete)
Subject: Re: More Sword World history

Just curious but are the Sword Worlds based on H. Beem Piper's
stories?

================================================================================
- - Pete                                                      j_pete@bellsouth.net

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."
                                               -Ecclesiastes 3:1

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 21:44:15 -0400
From: "Sword Worlder" <swordworlder@clinic.net>
Subject: Re: [TML] A New Traveller.

Always glad to welcome back a fellow Traveller... glad to know you :-)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The TRAVELLER Domain
http://www.downport.com
Colin Michael, Webslinger

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Anthony Salter <badman@austin.rr.com>
> Greetings all!  My name is Anthony Salter, and I just subscribed to the
> TML.  I've been a Traveller fan for a long time...I have at least the
> player's book for every edition of Traveller there is.  I've recently
> gotten back into the game due to GURPS Traveller, and thought I'd join the
> list.  Thank you for your patience :)

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 19:04:55 -0700
From: --M <mitch@sirius.com>
Subject: Any Newton users?

    I just recently converted Double adventure 02 into a newton book.  If anyone would be interested in checking it I could Email it to you.  I
compiled the book to fit the Newton 2000 screen.  Each adventure and world map is a seperate book and the ATV section is another.  I have no
idea what drives me to do these things, I think I need to get out of the hous more often.

- --M

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 21:58:37 -0400
From: "Sword Worlder" <swordworlder@clinic.net>
Subject: Re: More Sword World history

Only very loosely, unfortunately.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The TRAVELLER Domain
http://www.downport.com
Colin Michael, Webslinger

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: Pete <j_pete@bellsouth.net>

> Just curious but are the Sword Worlds based on H. Beem Piper's
> stories?





********************
II Tim 2:15

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 22:11:43 -0400
From: "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com>
Subject: Re: PRB 

Thanks for the reply Kevin, but I do not want IMAP (web based) service.  I
want my email to be donwloaded to my computer when I connect.
___________________________________________________________
 J-Man
 ICQ# 2843475
 New Hampshire - U.S.A.
 Email : j-man@iname.com
 Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/
___________________________________________________________

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 22:04:30 -0400
From: Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Re: [TML] A New Traveller.

Nice to see another one that the 12 step program DIDN'T work for!
Welcome to the madhouse.

Mike

Anthony Salter wrote:
> 
> Greetings all!  My name is Anthony Salter, and I just subscribed to the
> TML.  I've been a Traveller fan for a long time...I have at least the
> player's book for every edition of Traveller there is.  I've recently
> gotten back into the game due to GURPS Traveller, and thought I'd join the
> list.  Thank you for your patience :)
> 
> Badman (Anthony Salter)

- -- 
Mike Peters
travelleri@home.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 21:20:20 -0500
From: Anthony Salter <badman@austin.rr.com>
Subject: Re: More Sword World history

At 12:28 AM 8/10/99 GMT, you wrote:
>Just curious but are the Sword Worlds based on H. Beem Piper's
>stories?
>
>===========================================================================
=====
>- Pete
j_pete@bellsouth.net
>
>"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under
heaven."
>                                               -Ecclesiastes 3:1
>

(Feel free to smack me around if I'm reposting FAQ info.)
The names of the Sword Worlds come from famous real and fantasy swords, as
follows:

Dyrnwyn:    Prydain Cycle (Lloyd Alexander)
Excalibur:  Arthurian Legend
Tyrfing:    Arthurian Legend
Sting:      Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)
Biter:      Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)
Beater:     Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)
Orcrist:    Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)
Narsil:     Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)
Anduril:    Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)
Durendal:   Song of Roland (myth)
Sacnoth:    The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth, by Lord Dunsany
Hrunting:   Beowulf (myth)
Tizon:      Legend of El Cid (myth)
Colada:     Legend of El Cid (myth)
Joyeuse:    Belonged to Charlemagne
Gram:       Belonged to Siegfried, hero of part one of the Nibelungen-Lied
Mjolnir:    Thor's Hammer
Gungnir:    Odin's Spear

Iron, Bronze, Steel, and Mithril were the materials heroic swords were made
of, of course.

Couldn't find anything on Hofud or Enos, unfortunately.  Can anyone else
fill in the gaps?

Here's where I found most of this info...

http://www.bibliomania.com/Reference/PhraseAndFable/index.html

Badman

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 22:41:20 -0400
From: Thad Coons <Sapience@compuserve.com>
Subject: Planetology 102 Part 10

11. Calcium and sodium.
     Calcium belongs to the same chemical family as magnesium,
but is more reactive. Sodium is the most common of the very
reactive alkali metals. Both of these combine well with oxygen,
and even their oxides are chemically active. Their oxides,
hydroxides, and carbonates are generically known known as soda and
lime. Sodium compounds are more soluble in water, so sodium
concentrates in the oceans. Calcium carbonate is less soluble in
water, and forms the very common mineral calcite in the earth's crust.
Calcium, more than magnesium, is responsible for removing carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere. Most of the magnesium extracted by weathering
from the magnesium silicates is found in combination with calcium
as calcium-magnesium carbonate, dolomite. There is also plenty of
calcium sulfate (gypsum). These minerals in some combination make up 
the important sedimetary rock limestone.
     Silicon dioxide forms a glass, but pure silica glass is viscous, high
melting, and hard to work with. With the addition of sodium and
calcium compounds, (usually the carbonates) it becomes much easier 
to work, and ordinary glass is essentially sodium-calcium silicate. 
Another reason these two elements are considered together is that 
they are found together as the natural companions of aluminum in
aluminosilicate rocks, their primary source. These are slowly
weathered by water, more rapidly by acid water, to form the
calcium and sodium hydroxides, carbonates, and sulfates; clay 
minerals; and silica.
    These various silica-rich minerals are less dense than the
than the much more abundant ferromagnesian silicates discussed
earlier. Generally speaking, they have higher melting points as
well and are the first to solidify. The final major component of
rocky planets is a thin mostly aluminosilicate crust.
     About 60% of the earth's crust is composed of the feldspars
(chiefly calcium and sodium aluminosilicates) and 12% silica
minerals. The more complex aluminosilicates, ferromagnesian
silicates, and calcium-magnesium carbonates and sulfates account
for most of the rest. On earth, oceanic crust is thin and richer
in the ferrogmagnesian silicates. Continental crust is thicker
and richer in the silica minerals and aluminosilicates.
   The difference in these minerals affects volcanic activity
dramatically. Volcanoes in the thin oceanic crust have
comparatively frequent, gentle eruptions of flowing lava that
forms dark colored, dense, basalt rock, rich in olivine and 
related ferromagnesian silicates. The midoceanic ridges and Hawaiian
islands are typical of this type of volcanic activity. 
   In contrast, volcanoes in the thicker continental crust have
less frequent but more violent eruptions of viscous lava that
flows poorly and cools rapidly to form light colored rocks rich
in feldspar minerals and quartz, a form of silica. The eruption
of Mount St. Helens and more recently Pinatubo are typical of
this type of activity. This kind of magma is less likely to
surface and erupt at all; it may slowly cool and crystallize
beneath the surface to form granite and related rocks.
  

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 22:41:11 -0400
From: Thad Coons <Sapience@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Planetology 102 Part 6

David P. Summers wrote:

>>7. Iron

>>     Unlike the other elements so far considered, iron has two
>>stable ionic forms, Fe+2, and Fe+3.

>Fe+2 is a potential source of reduced species for the origin
>of life.  I can be a source of ammonia on the early Earth
>(I have actually published on this... :-) and exposure of
>hydrothermal fluids to rocks with Fe+2 in the (at high
>temperture and pressure) is also a possible source of reduced
>species...

I was going to mention something along the lines of reactions
involving FeS as a supply of ammonia, a concept that I
encountered in some of my recent browsing, but I decided I didn't
know what I was talking about. I'll have to take a look at your
publications. Even if photosynthesis is today the dominant method
of reducing CO2 to carbohydrates, it looks far too complex to be the
original method used by life. I'd as soon believe the Wright brothers
invented the Space shuttle.

 

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 19:48:00 -0700
From: "Kiri Aradia Morgan" <tiamat@tsoft.com>
Subject: Re: New Art

I like your art, but why does the script on the starliner look like
Klingonaase to me?

Kiri, confused
- -----Original Message-----
From: Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com>
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Date: Sunday, August 08, 1999 3:04 PM
Subject: Re: New Art


>Thanks Kiri, there was a broken link that my browser was ignoring since
>it had the originals. I've tried it from the other internet connection
>and it should be ok now though!
>
>again the address:
>
>http://members.home.net/travelleri/index.html
>
>and go to the artwork page (which SHOULD work now!)
>
>Mike
>
>Kiri Aradia Morgan wrote:
>>
>> I got an error message that the page wasn't up.
>>
>> Kiri
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com>
>> To: TML <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
>> Date: Sunday, August 08, 1999 1:55 PM
>> Subject: New Art
>>
>> >Please check out the type M subsidized liner art on my web page and let
>> >me know what you think. Thanks to Steve Hudson for several pictures. Any
>> >error are strictly of my own making from my interpretation.
>> >
>> >They can be found at
>> >
>> >http://members.home.net/travelleri/index.html
>> >
>> >follow the Artwork link
>> >--
>> >Mike Peters
>> >travelleri@home.com
>> >
>
>--
>Mike Peters
>travelleri@home.com
>

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 22:53:05 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: New Art 

> >> >
> >> >They can be found at
> >> >
> >> >http://members.home.net/travelleri/index.html
> >> >
> >> >follow the Artwork link
> 
> I like your art, but why does the script on the starliner look like
> Klingonaase to me?

*perk*  Obviously, you're a fan of 'The Final Reflection', eh?  Kahless 
kassaste!

Keven

- -- 
tc++ tm+ tn t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In Reavers' Deep

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 23:16:02 -0400
From: Mark Urbin <eclipse@ultranet.com>
Subject: PRB

Berzerley has three good things going for it:

Games of Berkely
Triple Rock Brewery
Chi Pants

Given that I haven't been there in quite some time.

My first trip to SF, my brother took to Haight Street for a beer.
I got out of the truck and there were hippies in dirty ponchos.  It was 
like I never left New Paltz. :-)

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
eclipse@ultranet.com -- These opinions are mine, no one else wants `em.
           You sound reasonable ... time to up my medication
                  http://www.ultranet.com/~eclipse/
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 23:26:16 EDT
From: R77S@aol.com
Subject: Re: PRB

Hey now I'm SUNY New Paltz '96, the best town to pretend you are in Woodstock 
:)

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 13:26:17 +1000
From: "Hughes, Michael" <Michael.Hughes@cbr.defence.gov.au>
Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Stats & Skills; The Merry Dance

		>What do people think? Too Hot? Too Cold or just right?

			I don't know how you use skill levels, but I
wouldn't want
			a player, even with Int = 15, to have a default
skill level
			of 5 in everything related to Int.  Being an old LBB
fart, I
			have a list of all skills, with required and
advantagous
			stats for each (along with the associated
bonuses/penalties).
			Just like the combat skills.  I also have a list of 
			"unskilled" penalties which depend on experience.
For 
			example, ex-army have small penalties for weapon use
while
			ex-navy have small penalties for most shipboard
skill use.

Peez


Actually that's a damn good point. A default of '5' is waaaaaaay too
excessive. However I took the edge off this by making it cost 2 stat points
for each point above 12 (which means I guess 15 is really 18 in total cost,
but still listed as 15 'cause it's just too close to TSR for my liking) and
given that almost every skill (again IMTU) has two applicable stats, in
order to get the +5 both stats would have to be 15 (or one at 15 and the
other at 14 or 15), as the DM is averaged. 

Also, this is substantially reduced if the character is unskilled in that
skill. I totally forget what DMs MT had applied to using a skill when
unskilled, so I applied a DM of -3 if it seemed feasible that a Traveller
might know something about it. For example most people in the US would be
aware of Miranda rights from a steady diet of 'cop' shows even though most
people would not have Legal-0+. However Grog the caveman would have no
knowledge about driving a car whereas a 12 year old from western modern
culture would probably get the DM as he/she would have a rough idea how it
all works (hell a 12 year old from an Aussie farm can probably A) drive one
and B) most heavy machinery short of tracked; Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi,
Oi, Oi!)

So in short, Johnny Genius with an Int of 15 does not get a DM of +5 unless
Int is the only applicable stat or if he happens to have the skill's other
applicable stat at around 14 or 15. And if JG happened to be applying his
mighty brain gift to a skill he didn't have a skill level in, then he'd
still only have the equivalent of level 2 once the DM of -3 is applied. 

However, be that as it may, Derrick & Charles C's versions seemed a lot more
feasible and less boat rocky, so I'll probably go with one of those.

Hey Peez, if you have a detailed electronic list of your task DMs based on a
Traveller's former career, I'd love to seem 'em.

Thanks for the input peoples.

- - Michael 


		

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 99 22:50:05 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: PRB

On 08/09/99 at 09:25 PM,  "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com> said:

>> But do they *HAVE* to use my tax dollars to finance their hobby???  <grin,
>> duck, & run>

Well, they can't finance with *their* tax dollars can they? <g>

>> Hi Kevin, if you don't get a reply from me concerning the CAT2 list, let me
>> know.  My iname.com mail account is totally thrashed (again) so until they
>> delete the account and re-create it, I keep getting the same 65 messages.
>> SIGH.  I wish there was such a thing as a reliable email server.

>Yahoo has decent email service, except it's strictly web-based.

Is it?  I thought you could use a pop3 client now..wasn't that part of the changes that came from the Geocities-Yahoo merger?

Eris

- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 23:54:53 -0500
From: Alex Ingram <ingram@airmail.net>
Subject: Need Players in Dallas

I'm looking for players here in Dallas! Part CT, MT and a bit of the new GT to boot.
Any Dallasites out there looking for a long term game? Come back

Alex

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 23:54:53 -0500
From: Alex Ingram <ingram@airmail.net>
Subject: Need Players in Dallas

I'm looking for players here in Dallas! Part CT, MT and a bit of the new GT to boot.
Any Dallasites out there looking for a long term game? Come back

Alex

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 00:55:34 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: PRB 

> >> Hi Kevin, if you don't get a reply from me concerning the CAT2 list, let me
> >> know.  My iname.com mail account is totally thrashed (again) so until they
> >> delete the account and re-create it, I keep getting the same 65 messages.
> >> SIGH.  I wish there was such a thing as a reliable email server.
> 
> >Yahoo has decent email service, except it's strictly web-based.
> 
> Is it?  I thought you could use a pop3 client now..wasn't that part of the changes that came from the Geocities-Yahoo merger?

Izzat right?  *COOL*!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gonna have to check that out...

Keven

- -- 
tc++ tm+ tn t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In Reavers' Deep

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 14:57:45 +1000
From: "Robert O'Connor" <robocon@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Re : Atmospheres #1 : Introduction

Leonard Erickson wrote :-
<regarding mountain sickness> :-
>If you can find some info on the population percentage breakdown for
>various periods before folks start having problems, it'd be *very*
>useful.

Unfortunately, a (time-limited) survey of the medical and physiological
literature reveals that no-one has done the research required to do such
a breakdown (predominantly small case studies). There is a huge amount
of inter-individual variation in the time course of illness, and
predictive variables are few (listed in the original post). Ginny
Heinlein represents an interesting 'outlier' on the far right hand side
of the population distribution. 

>Also, there are *limits* to how adapted you can get. Most "lowlanders"
>*cannot* adapt to 2000+ meter altitudes well enough to have children at
>those altitudes. That was a big problem for the Spanish in the Andes.
>They had to keep the women at lower altitudes.

>Expect worlds with thin atmospheres and that were settled by Solomani
>to have a disproportionate number of Tibetan/Andean Indian type people.
>This is because *they* can survive pregnancy at low pressures without
>massive medical intervention.

Pregnancy is a good example of a physiological stressor. Ventilatory
requirements and cardiac output are increased as pregnancy progresses.
One could generalise to any condition where cardiorespiratory function
may not be up to the task of maintaining tissue oxygenation at
altitude/hypobaric pressures.

> * Oxygen excess (hyperoxia)
>Looks like we *can* have those planets with atmospheres only
>breathable/usable at high altitudes merely by having high pressure and
>"normal" percentages of oxygen. Only problem will be explaining why
>everything doesn't burn at the lower altitudes.

Yep, this is a BIG problem. How can we produce free oxygen without
invoking massive atmospheric electrical activity or violent geology, in
the absence of life?

Maybe at the lower altitudes there is nothing to burn - it's desert. The
'aerial plankton' in the dense, super-humid lower altitude air produces
the oxygen, relying on a stream of detritus from the life at higher
elevations for nutrients(?).

On ozone :-
>Ozone is also *damned* reactive. It won't last long without *continual*
>replenishment. That pretty much means that any planet with more than
>"trace" an\mounts at ground level has other *real* problems. Like
>*nasty* levels of UV.

A very nasty double barreled taint - toxic amounts of ozone plus high UV
A/B flux.

"Trace" amounts may be all that's needed for a world to score a
'tainted' rating - low-grade lung toxicity is inconvenient.

Sources of replenishment :- electrical storms? biological activity?

>Atomic oxygen is highly reactive and one of its important reactions is
>that with O2 to form the rather more readily studied allotrope, ozone,
>O3. 
>As might be expected from its mode of formation,
>ozone is unstable with respect to oxygen
> 
>2O3(g) --> 3O2(g) DG (298 K) = -163.2 kJ mol-1,
> 
>and in solution it is a powerful oxidant
> 
>O3(aq) + 2H3O+ + 2e --> O2 + 3H2O E = +2.076 V
> 
>though, like oxygen, it is often slow to react (this being the reason that it
>is actually possible to prepare an aqueous solution).

Robert O'Connor
Medico, Gamer

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 14:58:33 +1000
From: "Robert O'Connor" <robocon@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Atmospheres : #2 Taints and Not-so-Inert Gases (long)

* Taints
Many worlds in Traveller have tainted atmospheres, which contain oxygen
and some other substances that may inconvenience residents and visitors.
The following points may be of interest to world builders.

The following broad categories of taints were included in "First In" and
the "World Builder's Handbook" :-

Halogens (chlorine/fluorine)
Sulphur and nitrogen compounds
Hyperoxic and hypoxic atmospheres
Carbon dioxide
Inert gases
Disease/allergens - biological pathogens
Pollutants

The limits to, and effects of, oxygen concentration were discussed in
the previous post.
	Carbon dioxide is an excellent greenhouse gas and more than 0.2 atm
would eventually lead to a Venus style runaway. I will discuss it with
other carbon compounds, halogens and sulphur compounds later. 

Particulate materials are of interest. The following generalisations can
be made :-

'Diameter'	Fate
5+ micrometres  95% trapped by nasopharynx
1-5 micrometres sediment in small airways (terminal and
		respiratory bronchioles)
< 0.1 microm    diffuse into alveoli

Only 30% of 0.5 micrometre particles remain in the lung during normal
resting breathing (the rest are exhaled).
	Clearance of retained particles is via two mechanisms : uptake
by tissue macrophages and the 'mucociliary elevator' - an adult human
produces about 40-50cc of mucus a day from the respiratory tree ;
usually this is swallowed.

Inhalation of particulates can have a range of effects, e.g. :-
- - cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, bronchospasm (asthma) ;
- - pneumonia, pneumonitis, fibrosis (scarring) of the lung from chronic
irritation and inflammation ; some rare cancers.

Particle concentration	Effect
75 microg/m3		Typical rural atmosphere
260			Typical urban atmosphere, TL 6-8
375			Mild hazard in susceptible individuals
625			Moderate hazard in susceptible individuals
875			Moderate hazard in otherwise healthy people
1000			Severe hazard, all persons
[mcg/m3 air at 1 atm and 25C]

* An alternate taint classification might look like this :-

1. Chemical
	Inert gases - simple asphyxiants (reduce oxygen levels ; recall
the effects of hypoxia!) e.g. 'noble gases', nitrogen
	Irritant gases - cause injury to respiratory tract e.g. ozone
	Chemical asphyxiants - inhibit cellular respiration e.g. carbon
monoxide
2. Particulates
	Non-biological :- volcanic, metal (and metal salt) dusts, asbestos and
other silicates
	Biological :- pollens, spores, virions, decomposing or 'waste' matter
e.g. bagasse from sugar cane processing, hay
3. Radiation
	high background count : cosmic/gamma/UV
	also falls into particulates category (e.g. post nuclear weapons
detonation)


* The 'Noble' Gases
So named because of their lack of reactivity, these elements may be
present in large amounts in planetary atmospheres.

Data
Element	mp	bp	MW	crit temp
Helium	-270	-269	4	-268 (helium 4)
Neon	-249	-246	20.2
Argon	-189	-186	40
Krypton	-157	-152	83.8
Xenon	-112	-108	131.3
Radon	-71	-62	222
[melting and boiling points at 1 atm, in degrees celsius]

- - Helium
The second most abundant element in the universe, helium is usually
found in significant amounts only in the atmospheres of subgiant
or gas giant worlds due to its low molecular weight (helium makes up
0.00052% of Earth's atmosphere).
	It may be found dissolved in hydrocarbons or similar non-polar
solvents on less massive worlds. The primary supply of helium on Earth
is that dissolved in the gas and oil fields of the American Mid-West.
	Helium's main uses are in cryogenics, as a lifting gas for
balloons and airships, and in medicine and diving as a poorly soluble
gas that has better flow characteristics than nitrogen or oxygen,
reducing airway resistance and hence the work of breathing. It is also
used in lung function testing and in circulatory assist devices (the
intra-aortic balloon pump).

- - Neon and Krypton
Neon is the fifth most abundant element in the universe.
Neon and krypton are used primarily to generate red and orange light
respectively in the presence of electrical current (signage and lasers).

- - Argon and Xenon
Argon is 15th in the 'top thirty'.
Argon is used in diving to prevent oxygen or other gas toxicity with
deep dives ; argon is a general anaesthetic in amounts in excess of 7
atmospheres pressure, and will cause intoxication above 5 atmospheres
pressure.
	Like some of the other elements in this group, argon is used in lamps
and lasers.

Xenon is out of the 'top thirty' but is included for completeness. Xenon
will cause general anaesthesia in amounts of 0.7 atm or greater (with
intoxication above 0.6 atm), and has been used clinically for the former
purpose.
	Xenon and krypton will form compounds with fluorine under certain
extreme conditions. Xenon hexafluoroplatinate (XePtF6) is an example of
one of the more stable compounds.

- - Radon
Is produced by the decay of radium 226, and contributes in a small way
to background radiation (the estimated average contribution by radon in
the continental US is 2-3 picocuries per litre of air - about one
one-millionth the amount produced by a smoke detector).
	Minerals on Earthlike worlds typically have heavy nuclide contents on
the order of one part in 1-10 million ; high metal content worlds could
have much more.
	So radon levels are determined by the radium content of soils, rocks,
building materials formed from these and ground water. There is
currently some controversy about radon levels and carcinogenesis in th
epidemiology literature.


* Nitrogen
Data : Formula N2, molecular weight 28, melts at -210C, boils at -196C,
critical temperature -147C, 'inert gas'.

Compounds of nitrogen are relatively difficult to form. Much of the
nitrogen found on Earthlike worlds is in the atmosphere or in the upper
layers of the crust.
	On iceball worlds, nitrogen may become an prominent element of the
local geology e.g. the geysers of Neptune's moon, Triton.

Nitrogen has some applications in cryogenics. Compounds of nitrogen are
important as they are incorporated into amino acids and nucleotides,
apart from their myriad industrial applications.

N2 will cause 'nitrogen narcosis' or 'rapture of the deep' with levels
in excess of 3-4 atm pressure. The initial symptoms are similar to low
level ethanol intoxication, with the eventual onset of general
anaesthesia with levels of 10 atm or more.

Some compounds that may be present as atmospheric taints include :-

i. Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Data : mp -91C, bp -88C, 'inert gas'
Produced industrially by heating ammonium nitrate under pressure,
nitrous is relatively reactive, forming higher oxides of nitrogen.
Therefore ongoing synthesis is required, be it by biological or
geological processes.
	Acutely, N2O has a calmative effect at levels of 0.25-0.5 atm, similar
to moderate ethanol intake. Above 0.6 atm, it has good pain relieving
properties. General anaesthesia occurs in 50% of subjects at levels of
1.12 atm.
	Chronic exposure leads to anaemia via inhibition of synthesis of the
amino acid methionine. Inhibition of the activity of vitamin B12 can
cause degeneration of the spinal cord, leading to spasticity and
paralysis which is irreversible without nerve regeneration technology.

ii. Nitric oxide (NO)
Data mp -164C, bp -152C.
Could be grouped in both 'irritant' and 'chemical asphyxiant' classes.

This compound is a very reactive species and mediates vasodilatation and
neurotransmission in most Earthly life. Like N2O, some process must
exist to maintain its ambient levels if it is to be a sustained taint.

Primary toxicity is via binding to sulphur and iron atoms, causing
derangements to protein function, especially in the cells of the lung
and heart.
	Oxygen transport is impaired via the oxidation of iron in haemoglobin
(needs to be Fe2+ -> changed to Fe3+, which can't bind oxygen).

It is used therapeutically in some refractory cases of pulmonary
hypertension and other lung disorders. The dosage ranges from 0.06 to 80
parts per million inhaled [1 atm pressure, 25C].

Reversible lung injury is likely with sustained exposure (>8 hours) in
excess of 25ppm.

iii. Other oxides of nitrogen
NO2, N2O3, N2O4
All of these compounds are gases or have significant vapour pressures
over -50C. They are all powerful lung irritants, causing inflammation,
and bronchospasm. Death is typically due to ventilatory failure.
	'Silo-filler's disease' was a syndrome of cough, bronchospasm and
eventual collapse noted in the early days of grain silo use. Stored
grains release some of their nitrogen content as nitrogen oxides.
	There were a number of anaesthetic related deaths and injuries
following the use of a nitrous oxide supply that had been contaminated
with these compounds in a British hospital in the 1960s.

Concentration	Effect
6-10		statutory limits for occupational exposure (8 hours/24)
50-150		airway inflammation - cough, shortness of breath in all
		persons exposed
350		50% of subjects exposed will die*
560-940		lethal dose to 100% of subjects exposed*	
[concentration measured in mg/m3 air at 1 atm and 25 C ; * - estimated!]

iv. Ammonia (NH3)
One of the most common compounds in the universe!
Data mp -78C, bp -33C, critical temperature 127C.
An irritant gas at the appropriate temperature ranges.
[Concentrations below are in parts per million at 1 atm and 25C]

ppm	Effect
25-50	Odor threshold. Occupational exposure limit 50 ppm
100	Eye irritation
500	immediate danger to life/health
1000	caustic effects on respiratory tract
2500	death within 30 mins possible
30000	death within 5 minutes possible 

v. Hydrazine (N2H4)
Data mp 1C, bp 114C.
Hydrazine is a rocket fuel, most commonly used in satellites' "station
keeping" propulsion systems. It is also used as a cleaning agent and in
the synthesis of rubber and some pharmaceuticals and agricultural
chemicals.
	Hydrazine's flash point (the minimum temperature of a liquid or solid
at which it gives off enough vapour to form an ignitable mixture with
air) is 38C (it burns with a violet flame - for the visually oriented
ref).
	It causes marked lung, skin bone marrow and liver toxicity with
exposure, and is also a potent carcinogen in animals and probably in
man.
	The occupational exposure limit to hydrazine is 0.03ppm in air over a 2
hour period, or 0.1ppm via skin contact over an 8 hour period.

Next post :- carbon compounds.

Robert O'Connor
Medico, Gamer

------------------------------

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #933
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