Atmosphere Subsystem
Pressure, temperature, humidity, and the dynamics of planetary air systems.
The Atmosphere Subsystem models short-timescale planetary air behavior: pressure gradients, wind patterns, humidity, temperature, and the local interactions that shape weather and climate.
Atmosphere is the most rapidly evolving subsystem in the simulation and is a cornerstone for climate modeling and emergent world behavior.
Purpose
The purpose of the Atmosphere Subsystem is to simulate how air moves, distributes heat, transports moisture, and interacts with the planet’s surface.
It provides a realistic, intuitive model of weather and climate that influences — and is influenced by — other subsystems.
Core Principles
- Fast-Timescale Dynamics — updates occur frequently for smooth behavior.
- Field-Driven Physics — all atmospheric data mapped onto tile and directed-edge fields.
- Gradient-Based Movement — air flow responds to pressure and temperature differences.
- Moisture Integration — links to hydrology’s evaporation and condensation cycles.
- Emergent Behavior — no scripted weather events; systems emerge naturally.
System Model
Primary Fields
- Pressure Field (tile) — large-scale atmospheric distribution.
- Temperature Field (tile) — influenced by elevation, exposure, and simulation inputs.
- Humidity Field (tile) — moisture content and condensation potential.
- Wind Magnitude (directed-edge) — airflow strength between tiles.
- Wind Direction (directed-edge) — determined by pressure gradients.
Temporal Behavior
Atmospheric updates run on the fast clock, enabling smooth and responsive changes.
Influence Model
Atmosphere interacts with:
- terrain → pressure & temperature
- hydrology → evaporation & moisture transport
- ecosystems → biome distribution (future)
- civilization → habitability (future)
How It Interacts With Other Systems
- Hydrology — moisture cycles, rainfall, evaporation.
- Geology — elevation impacts pressure and temperature.
- Ecology (future) — climate zones shape biome viability.
- Overlay System — visualizes wind, pressure, and temperature patterns.
- Application Layer — provides tools for exploring atmospheric behavior.
What This Enables
- emergent weather
- temperature gradients
- storm-like formations
- climate bands
- moisture transport
- educational climate demonstrations
- visually compelling overlays
Visual Examples (Optional)
- wind vector overlays
- temperature heatmaps
- humidity/precipitation fields
Public Extensibility Notes
Future SDK features may allow:
- custom atmospheric models
- integration with external climate datasets
- advanced scenario modules (monsoons, jet streams, etc.)
The Atmosphere Subsystem is a key driver of emergent planetary behavior.