(urth) Ansible Interview

[James Wynn]

Jeff:
> Are you thinking that the valleys are past the end of the solar tube, so 
> that the tube is not over head but to one side only?

Only that the valley's *plane* tilts, say, 15 degrees (perpendicular to the 
LS axis) into the *idealized* curve of the Whorl. Also that the  valley be 
somewhat deep and sides be somewhat sheer. It would not shade entire valley 
but it would put shade into it. To overshadow and entire valley you would 
need an adjacent mountain that looks like the peaks of the Alps.

>> Jeff:
>>> Are you privy to the PARTICULAR "hollowing-out" process used? There are
>>> several, even now.
[emphasis mine]

>> Me:
>> Are you?
>
> Yes; in addition to being a lifelong buff of space research, I'm also 
> engaged as a fact checker and peer reviewer for a series of books 
> including realistic space habitat construction.

Oh. Okay. So that's why Typhon made you a consultant in constructing the 
Whorl.

>>Jeff: Is there something in the text that states the mountains are 
>>symetrical? On Earth, at the peaks of mountains it is not uncommon for 
>>onside to be sheer and the other side to slope.
>
> such peaks however typically make up a rather small portion of the mtn's 
> bulk, and the overall slope of the mountain from tip to base has to be 
> overcome in order to cast a shadow onto a valley floor under vertical 
> sunlight.

One. more. time. These are not natural formations. They are essentially 
*statues*. "Ship-rock" is the asteroid material. That's why it was said that 
it would "last until the end of the Whorl".

They are not composite piles of rock pushed up by geological pressures. They 
were blasted and carved into shape. Also, the gravitation pressure near 
their peaks is considerably less. Probably they will come down eventually, 
but it's only been 300 years.