What does that acronym stand for again? What does that phrase even *mean*? Words are hard. I try to include the full version of an acronym in the first use of it on a note, but if you come across a an unfamiliar term in this vault that you're not sure of, check back here or ask me. 😄 ## A <dl> <dt>apparent brightness</dt> <dd>The measure of how bright a stellar object appears based on how much light reaches the place of observation, in contrast with its luminosity.</dd> <dt>antipodal</dt> <dd>Positions situated on the opposite side of a planet.</dd> <dt>APW</dt> <dd>apparent polar wander</dd> <dt>Au</dt> <dd>The chemical symbol for gold, derived from the latin word "aurum", relating to dawn. In alchemy, it shares the same symbol as sol: ☉ (the Sun).</dd> <dt>AU</dt> <dd>astronomical unit<br />1 AU is equal to the distance from Earth to the Sun (~150,000,000 km).<br /></dd> </dl> ## B ^21605a <dl> <dt>bottom-up worldbuilding</dt> <dt>inside-out worldbuilding</dt> <dd>A method of worldbuilding that uses small, micro-level details (like a character, item, or single location) as a starting point to branch out into the larger elements of the world (like conflicts, religions, countries, landmasses, and biomes).<br />This method is the opposite of <i>top-down worldbuilding</i>. Each have their pros and cons, and many people switch between the two as needed.</dd> </dl> ## C <dl> <dt>CMB</dt> <dd>core-mantle boundary<br />The region where the silicate portion of Earth's lower mantle meets the liquid, iron-nickel outer core (approximately 2,900 km below Earth's surface).</dd> <dt>COB</dt> <dd>continent-ocean boundary</dd> </dl> ## D <dl> <dt>Dsol</dt> <dd>solar density<br />A unit of measurement comparing the density of the Sun (1 Dsol = 1.41 g/cm³).</dd> </dl> ## E <dl> <dt>EEC</dt> <dd>East European Craton (Baltica)</dd> <dt>extrinsic motivation</dt> <dd>Motivations for a project driven by external factors. Examples include: gaining recognition, gaining profit, getting a reward, to reach a target, or to avoiding consequence. When the actions become associated with the outcome instead of the process, it can lead to burnout, negative feelings, and a reluctance to pursue the action without the extrinsic factor. <br />Opposite of <i>intrinsic motivation</i></dd> </dl> ## F ## G <dl> <dt>Ga</dt> <dt>Gyr</dt> <dt>Gya</dt> <dd>Gigaanum; Gigayear<br />A unit of time equal to one billion years (1x10⁹), or one thousand million years. Sometimes written as Gya when referring to "billions of years ago".</dd> </dl> ## H ^8789a0 <dl> <dt>hard worldbuilding</dt> <dd>A worldbuilding approach that builds upon consistent foundations of logical rules and/or scientific details to convey a sense of grounded realism.</dd> <dd>Opposite of <i>soft worldbuilding</i>.</dd> </dl> ## I ^bde671 <dl> <dt>IBM</dt> <dd>Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system.<br />A convergent margin boundary</dd> <dt>INSZ</dt> <dd>Induced nucleation of a subduction zone.<br />A type of subduction zone formation that happens after a collision event stops the convergence in a pre-existing subduction zone, and then plate convergence continues in a different part of the lithosphere.</dd> <dt>intrinsic motivation</dt> <dd>Motivations for a project driven from personal goals that focus on the process, not on the outcome or relating to external factors. Examples include: creative expression, personal growth, developing a skill, enjoyment, personal health and wellbeing, or doing something that aligns with your core beliefs or values.<br />Opposite of <i>extrinsic motivation</i></dd> <dt>ITCZ</dt> <dd>Intertropical Convergence Zone.<br />An equatorial belt of low pressure where the trade winds of the northern and southern hemispheres converge, causing increased rates of rainfall and thunderstorms.</dd> </dl> ## J ## K <dl> <dt>kinematics</dt> <dd>A branch of mechanics that mathematically describes how things move (but not <i>why</i> things move) in terms of position, displacement, velocity, and acceleration change over time.</dd> </dl> ## L <dl> <dt>LLSVPs</dt> <dd>Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces; sometimes called <i>superplumes</i>.<br />Antipodal, continent-sized low velocity zones at the base of Earth's mantle, associated with the formation of mantle plumes and LIPs. The LLSVPs are stable because their mass aligns with the central axis of the spinning Earth.<br />The two LLSVPs are named: Tuzo (beneath Africa) and Jason (beneath the Pacific), named in honour of the geophysicists: Tuzo Wilson, and Jason Morgan.</dd> <dt>Lsol</dt> <dd>solar luminosity (L☉)<br />A unit of measurement comparing to the luminosity of the Sun (1 Lsol = 3.846x10²⁶ watts).</dd> <dt>luminosity</dt> <dd>The actual brightness of a stellar object based on how much energy it emits, as contrasted with its apparent brightness.</dd> <dt>ly</dt> <dt>lyr</dt> <dd>lightyear (or light-year)<br />A unit of length used to measure astronomical distances based on the distance that light travels in a vacuum in one year (1 ly = 9.461x10¹² km, or 9.46 trillion km).</dd> </dl> ## M <dl> <dt>Msol</dt> <dd>solar masses (M☉)<br />A measurement of weight comparing to the Sun (1 Msol = 1.98x10³⁰ kg).</dd> <dt>MEarth</dt> <dd>Earth masses (M🜨)<br />A measurement of weight comparing to planet Earth (1 MEarth = 5.9722×10²⁴ kg).</dd> <dt>Ma</dt> <dt>Myr</dt> <dt>Mya</dt> <dd>Megaanum; megayear<br />A unit of time equal to one million years ago (1x10⁶). Sometimes written as Mya when referring to "millions of years ago".</dd> </dl> ## N <dl> <dt>NCC</dt> <dd>North China Craton</dd> <dt>NSC</dt> <dd>Northern Sask Craton (Canada)</dd> </dl> ## O ## P <dl> <dt>PGZs</dt> <dd>Plume generation zones, the edges of LLSVPs associated with the formation of LIPs.</dd> <dt>PISI</dt> <dd>Plume-induced subduction initiation.<br />A type of subduction zone formation where a large, hot mantle plume weakens oceanic lithosphere over a large enough area that the adjacent older and denser oceanic lithosphere collapses to form a new subduction zone.</dd> <dt>POV</dt> <dd>Point of view<br />Relating to the perspective from which a story is told or scene is viewed from.</dd> </dl> ## Q ## R <dl> <dt>Rsol</dt> <dd>solar radii (R☉)<br />A measure of distance from the centre of a star to its surface in comparison to that of the Sun (1 Rsol = 695,700 km).</dd> <dt>REarth</dt> <dd>Earth radii (R🜨)<br />A measure of distance from the centre of a planet to its surface in comparison to that of planet Earth (1 REarth = 6378.14 km).</dd> </dl> ## S <dl> <dt>sapient</dt> <dd>To have intelligence, wisdom, and the ability to think, reflect, and learn.</dd> <dt>sentient</dt> <dd>To have consciousness and the ability to perceive, sense, and feel things.</dd> <dt>soft worldbuilding</dt> <dd>A worldbuilding approach that puts more focus on wonder, atmosphere, and emotional impact in relation to its characters and story. Some aspects of the world and the way it works are left undefined or unexplained.</dd> <dd>Opposite of <i>hard worldbuilding</i>.</dd> <dt>sophont</dt> <dd>An intelligent being with similar or greater levels of reasoning than Earth's humans.</dd> <dt>syn-rift stage</dt> <dd>The period of active crustal extension and faulting during the formation of a rift or rift valley.</dd> <dt>SZI</dt> <dt>SI</dt> <dd>subduction zone initiation<br />The formation of a subduction zone.</dd> </dl> ## T ^051696 <dl> <dt>top-down worldbuilding</dt> <dt>outside-in worldbuilding</dt> <dd>A method of worldbuilding that involves planning broad small, macro-level details (like a world map, religion, magic system, etc) as a starting point that influences and informs the interconnected, smaller elements of the world (like characters, settlements, structures, items, and local traditions).<br />This method is the opposite of <i>bottom-up worldbuilding</i>. Each have their pros and cons, and many people switch between the two as needed.</dd> <dt>TTRPG</dt> <dd>tabletop role-playing game<br />A collaborative game where a (typically small) group of players each embody the role of a character with a backstory and certain skills, powers or abilities. The game is led by someone playing the role of the Game Master (GM), who narrates and guides the unfolding story with the players, and plays multiple roles of the other characters and enemies within the game.</dd> </dl> <dl> <dt>TPW</dt> <dd>True polar wander - the rotation of the Earth's crust and mantle relative to the spin axis. TPW is caused by heavy material in the mantle (such as subducted plates) causing all of the continents rotate and change latitude simultaneously in order to rebalance.</dd> </dl> ## U ## V <dl> <dt>VMS</dt> <dd>volcanic massive sulphide mineral deposits<br />Volcanic eruptions at the sea bed along ocean rifts leave their ash & minerals in a volcanic pile containing minerals and metals. Uplifting from continental collision brings these deposits close to the surface, exposing it to erosion.</dd> </dl> ## W ## X ## Y ## Z