gammad

Gammad is a fictional mineral used in world-building and speculative science contexts. It is described as a rare silicate with distinctive luminescent and radiochemical properties that make it a subject of interest in mining, materials science, and astrogeology narratives.

Discovery and naming: In most stories, gammad was first described by a speculative expedition from the International Institute of Geomaterials in the late 22nd century, at the Laplace Ridge on the planet Cerulea. The name derives from gamma, reflecting its glow after exposure to gamma radiation and its proposed utility in gamma-ray spectroscopy within the fiction.

Physical and chemical properties: Gammad crystals occur as tabular to prismatic grains with a vitreous to resinous luster. The color ranges from emerald-green to blue, with a Mohs hardness around 6 and a density near 3.8 g/cm3. It exhibits strong cathodoluminescence and glows under ultraviolet light. In the fictional formulation, gammad is a silicate framework doped with trace rare-earth elements; composition varies by deposit and source.

Occurrence and formation: In the imagined universe, gammad forms in high-temperature metamorphic settings and in shock-melt pockets created by meteorite impacts. It is reported from a small number of sites in outer planetary crusts, with commercially recoverable material concentrated in remote regions requiring specialized extraction methods.

Uses and cultural significance: Within its fictional context, gammad is studied for radiation detectors, scintillators, and photonic devices, as well as potential quantum sensing applications. Economic and ethical discussions emphasize responsible mining, radiation safety, and environmental stewardship.

See also: scintillator, silicate mineral, gamma-ray spectroscopy.