Metric

A Metric is a unit of measurement.

• Science is largely based on accurate systems of experimentation and measurement.
• Sensors and scientific instruments rely on accurate metrics to quantify their readings and data.

Description (Specifications)

Metrics are the abstract, intangible idea-tools by which sophonts measure their environment and what they interact with. Almost every sophont species and world-state develops an indigenous system of measurement and then converts to the system used by the interstellar community when they join it. This leaves a field of many different systems of measurement coexisting, in which one system is used as the primary system of study and intellectual exchange.

Scientific Metrics

Scientific metrics are employed to measure and quantify properties of the physical environment derived thru scientific observation and experimentation. Various physical properties will be assigned relative values according to associated standard metric scales by which they are quantified. Scale parameters can be modified for ease of manipulation and recording by the addition of a standardized prefix multiplier to the metric unit.

Distance & Velocity Metrics (Astronomic)

• G-Hour
• Light Speed (c)

» The Imperial Standard Value of Lightspeed (c) is defined by convention as exactly 3.0 x 10⁸ Imperial standard meters per second.

• The Imperial standard meter (m) is defined by convention as exactly one-300-millionth the distance light travels in one second.

• Astronomical Unit (AU)

» The Imperial Standard Astronomical Unit (AU) is defined by convention as:

• Exactly 150,000,000 Imperial standard kilometers (km)

• Light-velocity distances:

• light-second (ls)
• light-minute (lm)
• light-hour (ls)
• light-day (ls)
• Light-week (lw)
• Light-year (ly)

• Parsec (pc)

» The Old Terran Standard Parsec was based on orbital parallax distances and angular measures in the Sol system, and was standardized as a distance of 3.26 ly (≈ 3¼ ly).

» The Ancient Vilani Deshi was based on the separation between Vland and Tauri, yielding a distance of ≈ 2.17 ly (≈ 2¹/₆ ly).

» The Imperial Standard Parsec (pc) conventional measures include the following:

»» The Imperial Standard Metric Parsec:

• Is defined by convention to be exactly 200,000 Imperial Standard AUs.

• Is equivalent to exactly 500 light-seconds. (ls)

• Is a distance of approximately 3.171 ly (≈ 3¹/₆ ly).

»» The Imperial Standard Angular Parsec:

• Is defined by convention to be a distance of exactly pi (π) ly.

• Which is a distance of approximately 3.142 ly (≈ 3¹/₇ ly).

Distance Metrics (Planetary & Microscopic)

The Imperial standard meter (m) is defined by convention as exactly one-300-millionth the distance light travels in one second.

• Meter (m)

• Femtometer ("Fermi") (fm)
• Ångström (Å)
• Nanometer ("Millimicron") (nm)
• Micrometer ("Micron") (μm)
• Millimeter (mm)
• Centimeter (cm)
• Kilometer (km or Km)

» Local Derivative Units

Energy & Power Metrics

• Beastpower (bp) / Horsepower (hp)
• Energy
• Energy Point (EP)
• Watt (W)
• Joule (J)
• Kilowatt (kW) or (KW)
• Megajoule (MJ)
• Megawatt (MW)
• Rad

Electromagnetism Metrics

• The Electromagnetic Spectrum

» The Radiowave Spectrum

• Gauss (Gs)
• Tesla (T)
• Coulomb (C)
• Farad (F)
• Volt (V)
• Ampere/(Amp) (A)

Force & Stress & Pressure Metrics

• Atmosphere (Atm)
• Pascal (Pa)
• Newton (N)

• Kilopond (kp) (kg_f ) ===> (1.0 kp = 1.0 kg-force _(1.0g) = 10.0 N = 1.0 daN (DN) "Decanewton")

»» 1.0 kp = 1.0 DN

• Ton-force (t_f ) ===> (1.0 t_{f (1.0g)} = 1000 kg_f = 10 kN)

»» 1.0 t_f = 1.0 kDN

Gravitation Metrics

• Galileo ("Gal") = 1.0 cm/s²
• Gravity ("Gees") ("g" or "g_n" or "g₀") = 10.0 m/s² = 1000 Gal = 1.0 kGal
• Gravity Gradient (Tidal Force):

» Eotvos (E) = 0.1 μgal/m. (0.0001 μg₀/meter)

» Roche Limit:

» Jumpspace Tensor Field Gradient: See Article @ Jumpspace

Mass Metrics

• Gram (g) or (gm)

• Microgram (μg)
• Milligram (mg)
• Kilogram (kg)
• Tonne (t) - (metric ton) = 1,000 kg.

» Local Derivative Units

Temperature Metrics

• Celsius (Centigrade) (°C)
• Kelvin (K)

Time Metrics

• Imperial Calendar
• Metric Time ("Metric Day")

• Second (sec)
• Minute (min)
• Hour (hr)
• Day
• Week (wk)
• Year (yr)

Volume Metrics

The Imperial standard liter (l or L) is defined by convention relative to the kilotiter (kl). The Imperial kiloliter is defined as exactly one cubic Imperial meter; thus, one Imperial Liter is exactly one-one-thousandth the volume of a cubic meter.

• Liter (L or l)

• Milliliter (mL / ml)
• Centiliter (cL / cl)
• Deciliter (dL / dl)
• Decaliter (DL / Dl) - (Common gross-measure unit)
• Kiloliter (kL / kl or Kl) - Cubic meter (m³)

» Local Derivative Units

• Ton (t_d) (Starship Displacement Ton)

Socioeconomic Metrics

In contrast to mostly tangible scientific metrics, socioeconomic metrics measure social and economic relationships.

Economic Metrics

• Avery-Quesnay Economic Scale (AQEC)
• Bilateral Trade Number (BTN)
• Economic Extension (Ex)
• Gross Polity Product (GPP)
• Gross Sector Product (GSP)
• Gross Subsector Product (GsP)
• Gross World Product (GWP)
• Importance Extension (Ix)
• Resource Unit (RU)
• World Trade Number (WTN)
• Trade Map Key

Social Metrics

Universal Codes:

• Cultural Extension (Cx)
• Emotional Quotient (EQ)
• Hexadecimal Notation
• Hosking Rating
• Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
• Native Intelligent Life (NIL)
• Panet Relationship
• Sophonce (Sophontology)
  • Ascendant
  • Extilligence
  • Intelligence
  • Proto-Sophont
  • Sapient
  • Sentient
  • Sophont
  • Terragen
  • Transcendent
  • Uplift
• Spiritual Quotient (SQ)
• Technology Level (TL)
  • Accelerating Tech Level
  • Endo-Technology
  • Exo-Technology
  • QREBS
  • Tech Age
  • Tech Eon
  • Tech Epoch
  • Tech Era
  • Tech Level Comparison Chart
  • Tech Period
  • Technology Level
  • Three Prime Technologies
  • Universal Technological Profile
• Tetusu-Dene Scale
• Universal Legal Profile
• Universal Religion Profile

History & Background (Dossier)

Modern Imperial Metrics are largely derived from an amalgamation of the ruling predecessor cultures that imposed their own systems during earlier Imperia. By far the most influential of these were the old Solomani systems known as the "Système International d'Unités" or "SI-Units" (or today as the Standard Imperial (SI) System of Units and Metrics) and it's associated decimalized unit measurement system known simply as the "Metric System" (the basis of the Imperial Standard Metric Prefix). In many cases, modern Imperial Metrics have been generalized by unfettering them from highly specified dependence upon conditíns in an originating star system by standardisation thru rounding and decimalization - a process known as metrication.

Old Vilani Metrics

Old Vilani metrics (or corrupted versions descended from them) are still sometimes found in limited use locally where Vilani cultural heritage remains strong.

Vilani Distances

The Vilani measured distances in

• Shiig (~ "Inch") ≈ 34 mm
• Amiran = 5 Shiig (≈ 170 mm)
• Edapu = 5 Amiran (≈ 850 mm)
• Khaniimi = 5 edapu, (≈ 4.25 meters)
• Daakuu = 500 Khaniimi, (≈ 2.125 km.)
• Deshi ("Vilani Parsec") ≈ 2.17 ly

The Rule of Man

The Rule of Man succeeded in instituting many Terran metrics that replaced many of the earlier Vilani metrics. Some of the Vilani metrics survive in Vilani Space and as elements of folk sayings. Likewise, many traditional Local Derivative Units of ancient Solomani units still survive in some localities as well.

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.

• Marc Miller. T5 Core Rules (Far Future Enterprises, 2013), 615.
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science