Norala IV

Norala IV
Stellar Cartography
Region	Par'tha Expanse
Sector	Freeworlds Region
System	Norala system
Sun(s)	1: Norala
Moon(s)	2
Class	P
Physical
Diameter	12875km
Atmosphere	Nitrogen-oxygen with ozone and carbon dioxide content, Earth-normal pressure
Hydrosphere	Moderate, 69% surface water
Climate	Frigid
Gravity	1.1 G
Primary terrain	Ice caves, tundras, frozen plains, mountain ranges, canyons
Points of interest	Klondike Caverns (main settlement), various mining outposts
Length of Day	23h
Length of Year	549d
Native species	Human
Other species	Tellarite, other Federation species
Societal
Official Language	Federation Standard
Population	about 200
Technological Classification	N
Major cities	none
Imports	Foodstuffs, high tech, low tech, medicinal goods
Exports	minerals; some precious metals and gems; ice (for water, oxygen extraction)
Affiliation	Federation mining colony
Government	colonial

Details: Located in the Freeworlds Region of the Par'tha Expanse, Norala IV orbited the orange dwarf star Norala on a wide elliptical orbit. Beyond Norala IV was a large asteroid belt, known as the Noralan Asteroid Field, from which small asteroids regularly broke off, crashing into Norala IV's surface as meteorites. The planet consisted of a molten metallic core with dichotomous crust. Its surface is mostly covered by a frozen ocean, except where volcanically active mountain ranges pierce its surface. Massive oceanic currents beneath the southern hemisphere and the tidal pull of Norala IV's two moons caused regular seismic activity, resulting in a constantly shifting landscape of caves and tunnels.

Its orbit and axial tilt resulted in consistently icy weather patterns. Daytime temperatures reached levels unbearable to most species and rarely rose above freezing, even in the planet's relatively mild equatorial regions. The gale force winds and intense snowstorms that regularly wracked the windswept surface magnified the extreme cold of the planet.

Buried deep in Norala IV's equatorial region was a fissure range where phosphor-spice grew. The frigid biosphere included a minimal food chain: few predator species, some omnivore species, a few rodent species, ice worms and lichens.

The average planetary temperature was around -61ºC; however at Klondike Caverns, located near the planet's equator, daytime temperatures could reach -32ºC; however night-time temperatures got as low as -60ºC.