Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and is a major fuel source for fusion-powered vehicles and starships.

• Liquid Hydrogen is often abbreviated in technical documents as LHYD, L_Hyd, or LH₂.

Description (Specifications)

Hydrogen can be stored in a number of forms, but Liquid Hydrogen is the most common form for use as Ship Fuel. Hydrogen can also be refined from common water sources such as lakes and oceans where available. It can also be processed from icy asteroids.

Hydrogen normally occurs in three separate nuclide isotopes: two naturally occurring and one artificially manufactured:

1. Protium, or "Light Hydrogen" (₁H¹) is a simple atomic nucleus comprised of a single lone proton, and is by far the most abundant isotope of the element. It is naturally occurring and the primary element comprising the vast majority of the Universe.
2. Deuterium, or "Heavy Hydrogen" (₁H² or "D") is an atomic nucleus comprised of one proton and one neutron (otherwise known as a "deuteron"). It is a stable naturally occurring isotope, existing in ratio to normal protium anywhere from about 25 ppm in Gas Giant atmospheres to 150-300 ppm in cometary bodies. Typical garden worlds will often have ratios around 150 ppm in their oceans.
3. Tritium, or "Super-Heavy Hydrogen" (₁H³ or "T") is an atomic nucleus comprised of one proton and two neutrons (otherwise known as a "triton"). It is a radioactively unstable isotope with a half-life of about 12.3 years and is normally only found via artificial manufacture, decaying into Light Helium (₂He³ - otherwise known as a "Helion") via one neutron decaying into a proton thru the negative-Beta decay process, producing one high-energy electron (a "negative Beta-particle" - e^- or β^-) and an anti-neutrino (ν_e) in the process.

History & Background (Dossier)

Hydrogen is one of the major components of Gas Giant worlds and is the major respirant (breathing gas) used by most Jovionoids.

References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science