References | Skyway

Here are some of the sources used for reference and inspiration in worldbuilding for Skyway, the Floating World.

Some of these are Wikipedia. Per Wikipedia Citation rules, the date of article access is cited, when known or matters; otherwise the link is to current.

General

Atsma, Aaron J. "Ophis Pterotos" Theoi Project. https://www.theoi.com/Thaumasios/OphiesPteretoi.html: theoi.com, initial date 2000.
Author unknown. Why You Should Be Running a "Cloud" Game (Part 1). http://2orcswalkintoabar.blogspot.com/2015/08/why-you-should-be-running-cloud-game.html: Balthazar's Bloviations, August 2015.
Ken Brashier. Taizong's hell: A study collection of Chinese hell scrolls. http://www.hellscrolls.org: Reed University, initial date Autumn 2007.
China underground. The Eighteen Layers of Chinese Hell. https://china-underground.com/2011/04/27/the-eighteen-layers-of-chinese-hell/: DMSL.co, April 2011.
Cohen, Myron L., and Stephen F. Teiser. Living in the Chinese Cosmos: The Ten Magistrates of the Underworld Realm. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/cosmos/prb/underworld.htm: part of Asia for Educators Program, Columbia University, but we sadly lack a date.
Guth, Alan H. The Inflationary Universe. Reading, MA: Perseus Books, 1997.
Machemer, Theresa. "Unique Bone Structure Helped Long-Necked Pterosaurs Fly." https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unique-bone-structure-helped-long-necked-pterosaurs-fly-180977521/: Smithsonian Magazine, 16 April 2021.
John C Moorfield. Te Aka Māori Dictionary. https://maoridictionary.co.nz/: Māori Dictionary Project, initial date 2003.
PanAm Leathers. Defining Qualities of Shark Leather. https://www.panamleathers.com/blog/defining-qualities-of-shark-leather: panamleathers.com, July 2019.
Philippe Parola. Nutria Recipes. http://www.cantbeatemeatem.us/nutria.html: Parolas Enterprises, 2017.
Pteros Collaboration. "Pteros." Accessed 8 November 2023. https://www.pteros.com/.
Ben Robbins. Grand Experiments: West Marches. http://arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/78/grand-experiments-west-marches/: ars ludi, October 2007.
Saunders, Chas, and Peter J. Allen, eds. "DIYU (Chinese mythology)" Godchecker. https://www.godchecker.com/chinese-mythology/DIYU/: Godchecker.com, March 2020.
United States Department of the Interior. Giant Sequoias. https://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/bigtrees.htm: nps.gov, July 2021.
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, s.v. "Appalachian English" (accessed 16 December 2023). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Appalachian_English&oldid=1189722415
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, s.v. "Biogeochemical cycle" (accessed 16 December 2020). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biogeochemical_cycle&oldid=989025767
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, s.v. "Circadian rhythm" (accessed 22 November 2020). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Circadian_rhythm&oldid=987874429#Enforced_longer_or_shorter_cycles
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, s.v. "Etheric_plane" (accessed 14 December 2023). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Etheric_plane&oldid=1155422512
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, s.v. "Plane (esotericism)" (accessed 14 December 2023). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Plane_(esotericism)&oldid=1182415738#The_planes
Witton, Mark P. Why we think giant pterosaurs could fly. https://markwitton-com.blogspot.com/2018/05/why-we-think-giant-pterosaurs-could-fly.html: markwitton-com.blogspot.com, 31 May 2018.

Physical

Skyway itself was born of the question, "What if clouds were solid?" While this fantastical world is physically impossible without intentional intervention by godlike beings, the physical description of the world aims to shift as little of that burden on its gods as possible. Here are books, jump links, websites, and some quick notes for what's gone into answering the counter question, "What would such a world look like, to be inhabitable, even in a fantasy/steampunk setting?"

Note: Skyway, the Floating World has a lot of "give" built into it, to facilitate storytelling.

Basics

Jearl Walker, David Halliday, Robert Resnick. Fundamentals of Physics, Volume 1, 10th Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2014.

Orbital Mechanics

http://www.braeunig.us/space/orbmech.htm#perturbation

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/OrbitsCatalog

Delta-v

Manuevering in Space (FAA tutorial) https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/cami/library/online_libraries/aerospace_medicine/tutorial/media/III.4.1.5_Maneuvering_in_Space.pdf

Matthew M. Peet. Spacecraft Dynamics and Control, Lecture 8: Impulsive Orbital Maneuvers. Arizona State University, undated.

Raise or lower opposite apsis https://globalcomsatphone.com/v-a/

Hohmann transfer orbits with inclination change https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/43673/1/Owens_S_Macdonald_M_Pure_Hohmann_spiral_transfer_with_inclination_change_performed_by_low_thrust_system_Feb_2013.pdf

Magnetosphere etc