Desert planet with forests at the poles












3












$begingroup$


I'm thinking up a Mars or Venus type planet where the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it due to a device that is used to make the planet more habitable by creating a oxygen friendly atmosphere.



However the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole due to the device being there. Possibly a river could also be flowing out of the pole. The poles are full of icecaps containing water similar to Mars, and the melting of the ice caps has caused the river to flow out. Along the riverside is where the human colonies would be staying.



How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?






reality-check planets science-fiction space geology







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  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standards.
    $endgroup$
    – L.Dutch♦
    3 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Have you read Dune? What you're describing is very similar to the titular planet, mostly uninhabitable desert with less arid regions at the poles. In that series, there's a ring of mountains that helps control the climate at the northern region.
    $endgroup$
    – Christyn
    3 hours ago
















3












$begingroup$


I'm thinking up a Mars or Venus type planet where the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it due to a device that is used to make the planet more habitable by creating a oxygen friendly atmosphere.



However the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole due to the device being there. Possibly a river could also be flowing out of the pole. The poles are full of icecaps containing water similar to Mars, and the melting of the ice caps has caused the river to flow out. Along the riverside is where the human colonies would be staying.



How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?






reality-check planets science-fiction space geology







share|improve this question









New contributor




Brandon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standards.
    $endgroup$
    – L.Dutch♦
    3 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Have you read Dune? What you're describing is very similar to the titular planet, mostly uninhabitable desert with less arid regions at the poles. In that series, there's a ring of mountains that helps control the climate at the northern region.
    $endgroup$
    – Christyn
    3 hours ago














3












3








3





$begingroup$


I'm thinking up a Mars or Venus type planet where the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it due to a device that is used to make the planet more habitable by creating a oxygen friendly atmosphere.



However the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole due to the device being there. Possibly a river could also be flowing out of the pole. The poles are full of icecaps containing water similar to Mars, and the melting of the ice caps has caused the river to flow out. Along the riverside is where the human colonies would be staying.



How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?






reality-check planets science-fiction space geology







share|improve this question









New contributor




Brandon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$




I'm thinking up a Mars or Venus type planet where the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it due to a device that is used to make the planet more habitable by creating a oxygen friendly atmosphere.



However the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole due to the device being there. Possibly a river could also be flowing out of the pole. The poles are full of icecaps containing water similar to Mars, and the melting of the ice caps has caused the river to flow out. Along the riverside is where the human colonies would be staying.



How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?






reality-check planets science-fiction space geology




reality-check planets science-fiction space geology






share|improve this question









New contributor




Brandon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Brandon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 3 hours ago









L.Dutch♦

80.6k26193392




80.6k26193392






New contributor




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asked 4 hours ago









BrandonBrandon

161




161




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Brandon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor





Brandon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Brandon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standards.
    $endgroup$
    – L.Dutch♦
    3 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Have you read Dune? What you're describing is very similar to the titular planet, mostly uninhabitable desert with less arid regions at the poles. In that series, there's a ring of mountains that helps control the climate at the northern region.
    $endgroup$
    – Christyn
    3 hours ago


















  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standards.
    $endgroup$
    – L.Dutch♦
    3 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    Have you read Dune? What you're describing is very similar to the titular planet, mostly uninhabitable desert with less arid regions at the poles. In that series, there's a ring of mountains that helps control the climate at the northern region.
    $endgroup$
    – Christyn
    3 hours ago
















$begingroup$
Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standards.
$endgroup$
– L.Dutch♦
3 hours ago




$begingroup$
Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standards.
$endgroup$
– L.Dutch♦
3 hours ago












$begingroup$
Have you read Dune? What you're describing is very similar to the titular planet, mostly uninhabitable desert with less arid regions at the poles. In that series, there's a ring of mountains that helps control the climate at the northern region.
$endgroup$
– Christyn
3 hours ago




$begingroup$
Have you read Dune? What you're describing is very similar to the titular planet, mostly uninhabitable desert with less arid regions at the poles. In that series, there's a ring of mountains that helps control the climate at the northern region.
$endgroup$
– Christyn
3 hours ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















6












$begingroup$


How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?




Points that trigger the rise of an eyebrow:





  • the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole




Gases have no intrinsic shape. To contain them into a given volume you need a container. Else they spread around following pressure and concentration gradient.





  • the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it [...] The poles are full of icecaps.




You can barely have moss and lichens in a tundra environment. On icecaps you can simply forget about any vegetation, let alone a forest. If you want forests, forget about the icecaps.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$





















    1












    $begingroup$

    The planet would have to be very hot such that only the poles are temperate enough to support a forest. That s because poles are always colder than the rest of the planet.



    The rest of the planet would be a scorching hot desert.



    Remove the part about the atmosphere not spreading everywhere as it makes no sense (it violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics). Since the rest of the planet is inhospitable you don't really need that anyways.



    A river flowing out of the pole is realistic, I don't see why that would be a problem. As you get further away from the poles, it would become thinner and eventually dissappear. So you would have a forest/arid/desert transition.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$













    • $begingroup$
      Worth adding that fossil evidence shows that the Earth had forests near the south pole at one point. Making this more than just feasible. See e.g. bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12378934
      $endgroup$
      – Neil Slater
      3 mins ago













    Your Answer





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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes








    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    6












    $begingroup$


    How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?




    Points that trigger the rise of an eyebrow:





    • the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole




    Gases have no intrinsic shape. To contain them into a given volume you need a container. Else they spread around following pressure and concentration gradient.





    • the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it [...] The poles are full of icecaps.




    You can barely have moss and lichens in a tundra environment. On icecaps you can simply forget about any vegetation, let alone a forest. If you want forests, forget about the icecaps.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$


















      6












      $begingroup$


      How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?




      Points that trigger the rise of an eyebrow:





      • the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole




      Gases have no intrinsic shape. To contain them into a given volume you need a container. Else they spread around following pressure and concentration gradient.





      • the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it [...] The poles are full of icecaps.




      You can barely have moss and lichens in a tundra environment. On icecaps you can simply forget about any vegetation, let alone a forest. If you want forests, forget about the icecaps.






      share|improve this answer









      $endgroup$
















        6












        6








        6





        $begingroup$


        How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?




        Points that trigger the rise of an eyebrow:





        • the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole




        Gases have no intrinsic shape. To contain them into a given volume you need a container. Else they spread around following pressure and concentration gradient.





        • the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it [...] The poles are full of icecaps.




        You can barely have moss and lichens in a tundra environment. On icecaps you can simply forget about any vegetation, let alone a forest. If you want forests, forget about the icecaps.






        share|improve this answer









        $endgroup$




        How feasible is this, and if not, does it tax suspension of disbelief too much?




        Points that trigger the rise of an eyebrow:





        • the atmosphere has not spread throughout the planet so it has mostly aggregated at the pole




        Gases have no intrinsic shape. To contain them into a given volume you need a container. Else they spread around following pressure and concentration gradient.





        • the poles (or one pole) has a forest growing out of it [...] The poles are full of icecaps.




        You can barely have moss and lichens in a tundra environment. On icecaps you can simply forget about any vegetation, let alone a forest. If you want forests, forget about the icecaps.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 3 hours ago









        L.Dutch♦L.Dutch

        80.6k26193392




        80.6k26193392























            1












            $begingroup$

            The planet would have to be very hot such that only the poles are temperate enough to support a forest. That s because poles are always colder than the rest of the planet.



            The rest of the planet would be a scorching hot desert.



            Remove the part about the atmosphere not spreading everywhere as it makes no sense (it violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics). Since the rest of the planet is inhospitable you don't really need that anyways.



            A river flowing out of the pole is realistic, I don't see why that would be a problem. As you get further away from the poles, it would become thinner and eventually dissappear. So you would have a forest/arid/desert transition.






            share|improve this answer











            $endgroup$













            • $begingroup$
              Worth adding that fossil evidence shows that the Earth had forests near the south pole at one point. Making this more than just feasible. See e.g. bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12378934
              $endgroup$
              – Neil Slater
              3 mins ago


















            1












            $begingroup$

            The planet would have to be very hot such that only the poles are temperate enough to support a forest. That s because poles are always colder than the rest of the planet.



            The rest of the planet would be a scorching hot desert.



            Remove the part about the atmosphere not spreading everywhere as it makes no sense (it violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics). Since the rest of the planet is inhospitable you don't really need that anyways.



            A river flowing out of the pole is realistic, I don't see why that would be a problem. As you get further away from the poles, it would become thinner and eventually dissappear. So you would have a forest/arid/desert transition.






            share|improve this answer











            $endgroup$













            • $begingroup$
              Worth adding that fossil evidence shows that the Earth had forests near the south pole at one point. Making this more than just feasible. See e.g. bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12378934
              $endgroup$
              – Neil Slater
              3 mins ago
















            1












            1








            1





            $begingroup$

            The planet would have to be very hot such that only the poles are temperate enough to support a forest. That s because poles are always colder than the rest of the planet.



            The rest of the planet would be a scorching hot desert.



            Remove the part about the atmosphere not spreading everywhere as it makes no sense (it violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics). Since the rest of the planet is inhospitable you don't really need that anyways.



            A river flowing out of the pole is realistic, I don't see why that would be a problem. As you get further away from the poles, it would become thinner and eventually dissappear. So you would have a forest/arid/desert transition.






            share|improve this answer











            $endgroup$



            The planet would have to be very hot such that only the poles are temperate enough to support a forest. That s because poles are always colder than the rest of the planet.



            The rest of the planet would be a scorching hot desert.



            Remove the part about the atmosphere not spreading everywhere as it makes no sense (it violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics). Since the rest of the planet is inhospitable you don't really need that anyways.



            A river flowing out of the pole is realistic, I don't see why that would be a problem. As you get further away from the poles, it would become thinner and eventually dissappear. So you would have a forest/arid/desert transition.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited 1 hour ago

























            answered 3 hours ago









            FredFred

            2,1031717




            2,1031717












            • $begingroup$
              Worth adding that fossil evidence shows that the Earth had forests near the south pole at one point. Making this more than just feasible. See e.g. bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12378934
              $endgroup$
              – Neil Slater
              3 mins ago




















            • $begingroup$
              Worth adding that fossil evidence shows that the Earth had forests near the south pole at one point. Making this more than just feasible. See e.g. bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12378934
              $endgroup$
              – Neil Slater
              3 mins ago


















            $begingroup$
            Worth adding that fossil evidence shows that the Earth had forests near the south pole at one point. Making this more than just feasible. See e.g. bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12378934
            $endgroup$
            – Neil Slater
            3 mins ago






            $begingroup$
            Worth adding that fossil evidence shows that the Earth had forests near the south pole at one point. Making this more than just feasible. See e.g. bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12378934
            $endgroup$
            – Neil Slater
            3 mins ago












            Brandon is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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