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To: <classified>
From: <classified>
Date: 13/10/2033
Subject: <classified>
Dear <classified>,
<redacted>'s analysis of the photographic data from <redacted> is now complete. Please see attached.
The President and Vice-President of the United States have now been briefed on this situation, and are both in full accord with our stance that this extremely sensitive matter cannot and will not be disclosed to outside parties under any circumstances.
<classified>
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WATER AND LAND ON KEPLER 435-D
The land to water volume on Kepler 435-d is much lower than that on Earth. Only 14.7% of the planet's surface is made up of dry land as compared to 29.9% of our own planet. Of this 14.7%, much of the terrain is made up of marshes and swamps with thick vegetation. Large lightweight plants have also been observed floating in the sky in the same manner some species are hypothesised to have done in the Carboniferous. This confirms earlier observations that photosynthesis occurs at a widespread level on this planet.
However, at almost twice the size of Earth, the total surface area of dry land on Kepler 435-d is only slightly less than the surface area of Earth's continents.
While pockets of salinity do exist, the salinity of the 'ocean' is, on average, lower than seas and oceans on Earth, suggesting that the evolutionary history of this planet is in a far earlier state, where minerals and salts have not had time to dissolve and become eroded by water. This hypothesis is further supported by the fact that most of the rocks appear relatively 'young'. Although water vapour exists in the atmosphere at a higher concentration than on Earth, the ocean is shallow, with its deepest point less than half that of the Mariana Trench.
Furthermore, while the ocean to land proportion is higher on Kepler 435-d, 30.5% of the surface of this ocean was observed to be covered by aggregations of large floating plants, with roots extending into the water. These organisms appear analogous to water lilies, reeds and other plants on Earth known to create 'floating islands'. In some cases, these appear naturally. In others, they are orderly, with one or two species of plants predominating, and may serve an agricultural function.
SATELLITES AND SOLAR SYSTEM
Kepler 435-d has three moons, one of which is proportionally larger and slightly closer to the planet's surface than Earth's Moon. This creates far stronger tides than that of Earth, with waves at high tide observed hundreds of metres high. The largest moon, much larger than Earth's Moon, has an atmosphere which appears similar to that of Earth and may be breathable, while the smaller two have no atmosphere and appear to be asteroids captured into the planet's orbit.
Unusually, it was not possible to determine from their orbits, whether the moons are drawing closer to the planet (as with Neptune's moon Triton) or further away (as with Earth's Moon). The variation in their orbits was statistically insignificant and did not appear to change at all. It is our hypothesis that technology developed by the planet's inhabitants may be locking these moons at a stable distance to the planet.
Kepler 435-d obtains a high level of solar energy, both from the Sun-like star it orbits and from the red dwarf. This red dwarf orbits at a distance roughly equivalent of that of Neptune to Earth, yet still dominates the night sky. At its closest approach, the sky is not truly dark but is lit by a reddish glow, and the star exerts its own tidal impact.
HABITABILITY
It is unlikely that a manned crew would be able to step foot on the planet without incident without significant prior training and acclimatisation. This is due to the greater atmospheric pressure, humidity and oxygen concentration.
Even in acclimatised individuals, decompression sickness and oxygen toxicity as a result of being exposed to Kepler 435-D's atmospheric conditions would carry a high risk of death. In the view of the authors of this report, this should NOT be attempted.
Although the climate is as a rule, more stable than that of Earth, with temperatures staying firmly within the -25 to +35 range, aspects of the climate create a hostile environment for human habitability. As well as the thicker atmosphere, the level of oxygen and water vapour gives rise to frequent electrical storms.
Some tectonic activity was also observed, with two large volcanic eruptions taking place during our observation. However, as these took place in a vast, empty expanse of ocean on a planet almost twice the size of our own, they appear to have had a minimal impact.
These factors make this exoplanet a less than ideal location for human habitability. However, as described, they evidently provide a habitat for an array of DNA-based creatures, including a technologically advanced species.
In a galactic example of convergent evolution, this species strongly resembles amphibians found on Earth, specifically those of the order Anura (frogs).
In the forthcoming Part 2 of this report, artificial and semi-artificial structures which appear to be created by this species will be described, along with observations of individuals and their behaviour.
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Planet Of Frogs
Science-FictionA planet 45 light years from the earth is inhabited by a race of intelligent amphibians.
