Darkon Atmosphere
The Darkon Atmosphere is an exotic photonic-absorber environment found in light-starved regions of the Continuum Universes. Its defining component, Darkon, is a subradiant photonic compound that captures visible and near-infrared radiation, converting it into low-frequency psionic flux. The result is an eerie, dim world that glows faintly from within but resists illumination from without — a negative photosphere.
Composition and Radiative Behavior
A mixture of Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide provides the structural matrix, but it is the 10% presence of Darkon gas that defines the system. Darkon molecules absorb photons across a broad spectral band, re-emitting only in submillimeter wavelengths. This energy conversion creates a radiative inversion layer, where the upper atmosphere cools while the lower layers smolder faintly with internal luminescence.
| Property | Value / Behavior |
|---|---|
| Optical Transmission | <0.1% visible spectrum (virtually opaque) |
| Albedo | 0.02 (ultra-low) |
| Photon Conversion Efficiency | ~92% visible → sub-IR flux |
| Magnetic Permeability | 1.5× standard (enhanced field coupling) |
| Gravitational Lensing Effect | Local light-bending due to photonic mass density |
Environmental Characteristics
- Pressure: 1.2 atm — heavy but breathable with filtration.
- Temperature: 250–285 K — mild surface range, stable due to radiative self-balance.
- Visuals: Permanent twilight; sky appears black-violet even under full daylight.
- Soundscape: Dense air transmits vibration well, producing deep, resonant echoes.
- Illumination: Surfaces are lit by secondary emission rather than reflection — an internal glow without shadows.
Phenomena
- Photonic Hunger: Intense absorption of all electromagnetic radiation; even laser light dissipates within meters.
- Inverted Auroras: Occur when solar radiation interacts with upper Darkon layers, appearing as *black lightning* — lightless discharges outlined by faint violet halos.
- Gravitic Distortion: The atmosphere’s high photonic mass density subtly bends light paths, creating mirage-like warping visible even to the naked eye.
- Thermal Whispers: Sub-IR radiation produces oscillating temperature gradients, audible as faint murmurs through conductive metal.
Biological and Chemical Effects
Darkon suppresses photosynthesis and normal visual perception. Native organisms, when present, rely on thermal echolocation or bioflux vision — sensitivity to residual psionic emissions rather than light. Plant analogues convert absorbed Darkon energy directly into molecular charge gradients, effectively “feeding on shadow.”
The lack of ultraviolet and visible light drastically reduces mutation rates; evolution on such worlds proceeds slowly, if at all. The biospheres that exist tend to be ancient, static, and eerily pristine.
Cultural and Theological Notes
Continuum mystics regard Darkon worlds as anti-stars, mirrors of creation where the universe rehearses entropy in silence. The Order of Obscura believes that Darkon was first formed when fragments of the First Light were trapped within dying stars and inverted by psionic decay. To them, these atmospheres are “the sigh of extinguished suns.”
Research Applications
Darkon’s ability to absorb nearly all photonic energy makes such worlds ideal testbeds for quantum energy retention and gravity lens calibration. However, observation is difficult: all imaging must rely on sub-IR sensors or psionic interferometry. Researchers from the Grand Archive Division of Exoatmospherics report subjective effects of mild depression and disassociation after long exposure — colloquially termed “the Darkon Malaise.”
Associated Gases
Darkon • Xenon • Carbon Dioxide • Nitrogen