Flammans

Flammans is a term used in speculative science and fiction to describe a class of flame-like plasma phenomena that are self-contained and stable under certain conditions. The name derives from the Latin flamma meaning flame and has been used in world-building to provide a plausible luminous energy source that is not a conventional combustion flame.

Physical properties of flammans are described as bright, colored halos or spheres that emit a continuous spectrum. In theoretical models, they maintain shape through a balance between thermal pressure and magnetic confinement, and they can persist after the initial fuel source is removed. Temperatures are typically modeled in the range of roughly 1,500 to 3,000 kelvin, depending on composition and containment.

Formation mechanisms are discussed in speculative frameworks as occurring when a hydrocarbon or hydrogen-oxygen flame interacts with a strong magnetic field or other confinement effects, often in low-gravity or microgravity environments. They may also be described as forming in industrial or volcanic contexts where rapid quenching and electric fields contribute to a self-sustaining glow.

Classification and behavior are used to distinguish subtypes such as surface flammans that cling to boundaries, core flammans that are more compact and self-sustained, and afterglow flammans that continue briefly after the fuel is exhausted. They are said to recharge when exposed to fresh energy input and to exhibit varying lifetimes depending on environmental conditions.

Applications and reception in fiction center on flammans as safe, controllable light sources, signaling devices, or energy carriers within imagined economies and technologies. In narrative treatments, discussions of containment, safety, and environmental impact are common, along with world-building considerations related to availability and regulation.