/pkg/ Climate and Geology Overview.
Notice: I am not an expert and the climate model in this case is the current one. Another climate report would need to be done if the cooler world climate was applied.
Climate
QRD on the Letters present:
BS/Wh = Arid is defined by little precipitation that does not fit the polar (EF or ET) criteria of no month with an average temperature greater than 10 °C (50 °F). The threshold in millimeters is determined by multiplying the average annual temperature in Celsius by 20, then adding:
- (a) 280 if 70% or more of the total precipitation is in the spring and summer months (April–September in the Northern Hemisphere, or October–March in the Southern), or
- (b) 140 if 30%–70% of the total precipitation is received during the spring and summer, or
- (c) 0 if less than 30% of the total precipitation is received during the spring and summer.
If the annual precipitation is less than 50% of this threshold, the classification is BW (arid: desert climate); if it is in the range of 50%–100% of the threshold, the classification is BS (semi-arid: steppe climate)
The third letter, in this case "h" signified low-latitude climate (average annual temperature above 18 °C (64.4 °F)) while k signified middle-latitude climate
D = Temperate (coldest month averaging between 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C (27 °F)) and 18 °C (64.4 °F) and at least one month averaging above 10 °C (50 °F)
s = dry summer—the driest month in the high-sun half of the year (April to September in the Northern Hemisphere, October to March in the Southern Hemisphere) has less than 30 millimetres (1.18 in)/40 millimetres (1.57 in) of rainfall and has exactly or less than 1⁄3 the precipitation of the wettest month in the low-sun half of the year (October to March in the Northern Hemisphere, April to September in the Southern Hemisphere
a = Hot summer, warmest month averages at least 22 °C (71.6 °F)
b = Warm summer, warmest month averages below 22 °C (71.6 °F) but at least four months averages above 10 °C (50.0 °F).
BSh Hot Semi-Arid
Regions with semi-arid climates represent the second driest climates in the world after deserts, known for their dry, arid climates. Semi-arid climates typically receive up to twice the amount of rain than desert regions do -- up to 20 inches per year.
Semi-arid regions usually can't support forests or large vegetation because of limited precipitation. Small plants, usually grasses, shrubs and small trees dominate the landscape of semi-arid regions. Certain plants in semi-arid regions may have some of the same adaptations as desert plants, such as thorny branches or waxy cuticles to reduce evaporation and water loss through their leaves.
Think Israel or the Levant IRL.
BWh Hot Desert
Hot deserts have an extreme climate and challenging environment. There is very little biodiversity in hot deserts because of the harsh climate. Few species are specialised enough to survive there. Plants and animals which do survive there have adapted to difficult conditions.
Desert soils are thin, sandy, rocky and generally grey in colour. The surface of the soil may appear crusty. This is due to the lack of rainfall. As it is so hot water is drawn up to the surface of the soil by evaporation. As the water evaporates, salts are left behind on the surface of the soil. Hot deserts have distinct characteristics that allow certain species to thrive in such an extreme environment. Plants and animals have developed adaptations which allow them to survive in hot and dry conditions.
Think of the great deserts of the world as an example, but also remember that biome =/= climate. These are just guesses, and local biodiversity. For example, rivers change a lot and in real life, the birth of civilization came from the fertile river valleys surrounded by Hot Desert like in Iraq and Egypt.
Dfa/b
A hot summer version of a continental climate (Dsa) features an average temperature of at least 22 °C (71.6 °F) in its warmest month. Since these regimes are limited to the Northern Hemisphere, the warmest month is usually July or August. High temperatures in the warmest month tend to be in the high 20s or low 30s °C (80s or low 90s °F), while average January afternoon temperatures are near or well below freezing. Frost free periods normally last 4–7 months within this climate regime. Dsa climates are rare; they are generally restricted to elevated areas adjacent to Mediterranean climate regions with a Csa climate well inland to ensure hot summers and cold winters. They are generally found in the highly elevated areas of south-eastern Turkey (Hakkâri), north-western Iran and parts of Central Asia.
Dsb, is also known as Hemiboreal climate, areas featuring this subtype of the continental climate have an average temperature in the warmest month below 22 °C (72 °F). Summer high temperatures in this zone typically average between 21–28 °C (70–82 °F) during the daytime and the average temperatures in the coldest month are generally well or far below the −3 °C (27 °F) (or 0 °C (32.0 °F)) isotherm. Frost-free periods typically last 3–5 months. Heat spells lasting over a week are rare.
By definition, forests thrive within this climate. Biomes within this climate regime include temperate woodlands, temperate grasslands, temperate deciduous or evergreen forests, coniferous forests, and coniferous swamps. Within wetter areas, maple, spruce, pine, fir, and oak can be found. Fall foliage is noted during the autumn of deciduous forests.
Geology
Note: Many characterics from /jidf/ platform and extended crust are present in /pkg/ by default.
Platform
A platform are areas of relatively flat sedimentary (sand, silt, and the related rocks such as sandstone) strata (geologist's word for a layer of rock or sediment) laying over a basement of igneous or metamorphic rock.
It certainly is a Passive margin platform in my opinion so I would expect Phosphorites to be located there. To keep this simple, Phosphorites are excellent for agriculture, and you will get some great fertilizer from here. Other minerals and ores could include uranium, chromium, selenium, molybdenum and zinc. However, these in particular are likely deep underground. Limestone, sandstones, shales and dolomite will be the common rocks to be found, as well as probably some deposits of Bituminous coal.
Extended Crust
The Extended Crust are areas where the crust has been thinned by extensional strain (rift zones, the area around /polka/ and Sakuran) or passive margins (a transition zone between oceanic and continental lithospheres. Coastal areas, areas that have experienced a lot of erosion and /or sedimentation due to rivers). Passive margins can be either volcanic or non-volcanic in origin. In the case of /pkg/, the extended crust is certainly a passive margin here since the Northern indie plate is being subducted under the Southern Plate, which has resulted in the formation of the /voms/ mountains and is also certainly a non-volcanic passive margin, given the lack of volcanism in this region.
The expect minerals and ores to be found here are Banded Iron Formations (Which haven't been discovered yet but I am listing it anyways as we very well could have them discovered.), which will provide really high grade iron. Clastic-dominated Zinc-Lead formations, which will contain those two ores, but also so bismuth, gold, and arsenic. I would expect the common rocks here to be sedimentary naturally, limestone, sandstones, and Biological Sedimentary Rocks like dolomite. I also expect there to be crude oil there as well
Orogen and Basin
Orogenic formations are areas where an ongoing or past plate collision has caused the crust to fold, deform, crumble, and uplift to form mountains and island arcs. Basins are areas where previously flat-lying strata has experienced warping due to tectonic forces, forming a geologic depression. Basins exist in two primary types, as sedimentary basins (structural basins where the depression in the crust has been filled with sediments), and as foreland basins (structural basins that develop next to mountain belts due to the immense weight of the mountains warping the underlying tectonic plates. Foreland basins are often filled with eroded sediments from the mountains they are associated with.)
The cause of the Orogenic formation is the subduction of the North Indie plate under the South indie plate over time, which has caused the mountains in the north of PKG to form over time. Please note that when the geological map was made, it was admitted that there might be too many orogenic formations, and given that, I can come to several conclusions.
- The dynamics of the subduction on both sides, gives me the impression that the mountain range the runs from PKG down to formerly /indie/ are part of Fold and thrust belt
- This range is likely 'Thin Skinned' because of the sheer amount of earthquakes along this plate. This makes the range likely like the Appalachian Mountains or Anti-Atlas mountains.
- The basin is clearly a foreland basin.
The basin thus is likely the Appalachian Basin in my opinion.
These are educated guesses, but the Anti-Atlas Mountains is a good comparison for this Orogen, and with that in mind, I will take the mineral and ore deposits common in this range for my estimations: iron ore, lead ore, copper, silver, mercury, rock salt, phosphate, marble, anthracite coal and natural gas. The basin will mirror the Appalachia basin, with bituminous coal, lead, bauxite, zinc, and Fluorite (Fluorine). Expect similar sedimentary rocks to the Orogen like sandstone, limestone, and clastic seditmentary rocks.
(If you really want autism, check this out about the Appalachian Mountains. https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0580/report.pdf)
The Island
The island is unique because I am convinced there is a Caldera Lake on in 3.0, which makes me change it from a orogen to a Large Igneous Province, in particular a Large Volcano province. This is made on the basis of the Caldera lake and the fault line itself. While it is true that the plate is not prone to volcanos, this doesn't mean it lacks them and this is certainly a place where there is one and it is most certainly a Stratovolcano too that formed this island and was the cause of the lack at some point.
What this effectively means is the island is rich in many resources, like copper, iron, gold, cobalt, chromium, and uranium to name a few, but also is semesitically dangerous and volcanically dangerous too. Basalt will be a common rock.
Either that or this is the spot of a mass extinction event, where a giant asteroid hit the earth right where that caldera lake is. If that is the case, then this region is also unique and will just have a large crater lake.
There is even the potenital that this is the result of an asteroid that triggered what is known as a Mantle plume to cause a massive volcanic eruption somewhere in the past.
Or it could be just a lake, who knows? This is up to /pkg/ to decide and discuss.