I drew this up to illustrate how Chthonian planets occur in my galaxy. Basically, a gas giant which form in the outer system migrates into the inner system, close enough to its host star to have its atmosphere stripped off through the process of accretion. Most of the time the story ends there, but sometimes, other migrating planets can cause these compressed cores to drift back outward and rarely end up in the habitable zone. Through normal processes of asteroid and comet bombardment, new material settles onto the otherwise dense and barren core, allowing it to have a rocky surface, possibly water, and a thin atmosphere. Build up of thicker atmospheres might be possible through residual heat billowing gasses trapped deep underground. What type of atmosphere can vary wildly, though in most cases can be toxic and radioactive.
Chthonian planets are significant in the starfish galaxy because gas giants are the only place where super dense chthonic crystals form and can only be accessed once the atmosphere has been stripped away. Chthonic crystals are used in the cores of most energy firearms and holo-blades.
Chthonian planets are significant in the starfish galaxy because gas giants are the only place where super dense chthonic crystals form and can only be accessed once the atmosphere has been stripped away. Chthonic crystals are used in the cores of most energy firearms and holo-blades.
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Been reading up on exoplanets like crazy,
this actually makes sense.
Of course, greed will lead to some hellish mining colonies to get crystals off of overheated, toxic, planets undergoing bombardment, and just barely cooled enough not to melt the machinery. b/c who wants to wait for a billion years for a newly formed planetary crust to bury them again???
this actually makes sense.
Of course, greed will lead to some hellish mining colonies to get crystals off of overheated, toxic, planets undergoing bombardment, and just barely cooled enough not to melt the machinery. b/c who wants to wait for a billion years for a newly formed planetary crust to bury them again???
Oh, definitely a mining company will want to "get it while it's hot!" meaning just after or before the atmosphere has completely been pulled off. The crystals have not yet been subject to extreme thermal conditions, meteor bombardment and burial. You'll get the purist ones if you don't mind the intense conditions.
Hm, this actually sounds like a realistic development. The planet would have to have a stable, long living sun, like ours or a red dwarf.
It is a real type of planet. I read somewhere that Mercury is believed to have been a mini Neptune at some point in the past, but its just a metal core now with a thin layer of dust and rock. The cool Chthonian exo planet is COROT-7 b, as I understand is quite hellish. Chthonic crystals all over their surface is just something I made up for the sci-fi.
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