The Helium Hunt: Tracking those elusive Helium-rich Gas Giants

Redfox

Redfox
0xZZ9Te.png

At the beginning of this project (end of April 2017), Helium-rich Gas Giants were the least submitted type of body on EDDB:
9Tf2bYR.png
Incidentally, around that time CMDR EtherealCereal and CMDR Redfox independently started looking into the elusive Helium-rich Gas Giants (HRGG). Our interests 'met' in a thread here on the forum and shortly after we set up a Discord channel, started comparing notes and merged the data we both had collected so far. What followed were around 2 months of gathering data and confirming or disproving out theories.

Our goal was to unravel some of Stellar Forge's workings and provide some guidance to anyone wanting to find HRGG (which on the System Map are undistinguishable from other Gas Giants). The easiest way to identify them - once you're in the right system - is via their unique holo-representation in your cockpit:
5kT6AtF.png


So, here's what we've been able to gather so far:
  • The atmospheric Helium% is important - unsurprisingly. More interestingly, the the amount of Helium in the Gas Giants' atmospheres seems to be *identical* within a system. But more importantly, it is even *very similar* across a boxel (e.g. SectorName1 XY-Z D*). We'll call that constant "HE%" for easy reference.
  • There seem to be low-HE% boxels with HE% ranging from 26%-29%, where no HRGGs are to be found. Then there are the high-HE% boxels ranging from 31%-35%, with good chances to find HRGG (see next bullet point)
    AYuw5gr.png

    Disclaimer: Distribution between low and high are skewed as mainly systems in high-HE% boxels were scanned
  • The chance of a Gas Giant to be a HRGG directly depends on the system's HE%. So within a system with 31% HE you can expect 1-in-10 Gas Giants to be a HRGG, and within a system with 34% HE around 9-of-10 Gas Giants will be HRGGs
    Ru7WOwP.png

    8HLdoeg.png
  • The HE% within a boxel (e.g. SectorName1 XY-Z D*) seems not to correspond to the equivalent boxel in another Sector (e.g. SectorName2 XY-Z D*).
  • The HE% within a boxel (e.g. SectorName1 XY-Z D*) has no relation to neighbouring boxels of the same mass-code (e.g. SectorName1 XX-Z D*).
  • The HE% within seems not to be influenced by proximity to nebulae or positioning within the Galaxy's spiral arms.
  • The HE% does not directly seem to be influenced by the star.
    vuUF8S2.png

    Disclaimer: Distribution of found HRGG by star classes is heavily influenced by mainly surveying boxels with mass-codes D and E.
  • There have been no HRGG submitted from systems roughly 6-8kly around SagA.
  • As usual, Stellar Forge allows for some striking outliers, e.g. a systems with 22 HRGG (reported by CMDR Alesia) in an otherwise unremarkable boxel (ø32.44 HE%).

Todo:
  • The HE% within a boxel (e.g. SectorName1 XY-Z D*) has an influence on the lower mass-code boxels 'contained' within (e.g. SectorName1 XX-Z C*) it.
  • The HE%-proportions between specific boxels in a specific sector match the respective proportions of the equivalent boxels in the neighbouring sector.
  • Search for a way to be able to find high-HE% boxels in the first place

So where does that leave us?
  • We've got a somewhat better understanding/view on where these systems are/aren't. Interestingly, there seem to be no HRGG in the core
    R5WKmzr.png
  • Well, we've surveyed 1343 systems in total, of which 457 systems yielded a whopping 1462 HRGG - doubling the amount of HRGG available in EDDB.
    8mAYGLS.png
  • We've not succeeded in our ultimate goals: A way to reliably find that first HRGG, or predict a boxel's HE%.

That last point is why we're posting here and where you come into play. Are there any other HRGG-hunters out there with possible new insights. Did you spot any flaws in what you've read? Do you have any creative ideas on other avenues to explore?

As you can see in that last chart we're currently taking a timeout from the Helium Hunt, but we'll be back at it before long!

Acknowledgements:
  • CMDR Taen for joining the hunt
  • CMDR Alot for joining the discussion and answering many Stellar Forge questions (boxels ftw!)
  • CMDR Qohen Leth for the awesome patch!
 

lokvette

lokvette
I found two in the same system the other day, if I have the time ill try and tack it down in my logs, if it helps. I do remember them being the last two of the outer planets.
 

Sapporo

Sapporo
I just found two systems that had 7 and 8 HRGG each (or around that number). Quite nice to see that hollow icon a couple of times!
 

MattG

MattG
The chance of a Gas Giant to be a HRGG directly depends on the system's HE%. So within a system with 31% HE you can expect 1-in-10 Gas Giants to be a HRGG, and within a system with 34% HE around 9-of-10 Gas Giants will be HRGGs
Click to expand...

IME, if there is 1 HRGG in a system then all the gas giants in that system are HRGGs. So for the above, are you saying a system with 31%HE and 10 gas giants will have 1 HRGG and 9 non-HRGG, or that given 10 systems with 31%HE then all the GGs in 1 of those systems will be HRGG? Have you found systems that have HRGGs and other GGs? (Maybe I've just been finding 34%+ HE systems...?)

AIUI (and please correct me if I'm wrong), actual (non-Elite) HRGGs gradually lose Helium over time. Have you looked at a relationship between HE% and system age ?

This is fascinating BTW, good work.
 

Zieman

Zieman
MattG said:
IME, if there is 1 HRGG in a system then all the gas giants in that system are HRGGs. So for the above, are you saying a system with 31%HE and 10 gas giants will have 1 HRGG and 9 non-HRGG, or that given 10 systems with 31%HE then all the GGs in 1 of those systems will be HRGG? Have you found systems that have HRGGs and other GGs? (Maybe I've just been finding 34%+ HE systems...?)
Click to expand...
Looking at my notes of conquering the Orionis constellation, yes there are systems with a mix of HRGGs & other GGs.
For example V377 Orionis: 2 Gas Giants with Water-based life + 1 Gas Giant with Ammonia-based life + 8 Helium-rich Gas Giants
(I didn't note Class I or Class III GGs, as they're so common - at work, so cannot check if any present in that system)
 
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Redfox

Redfox
Thanks CMDRs! If you've recently seen a HRGG and want to tag some more - go back and check other systems in that boxel.

MattG said:
IME, if there is 1 HRGG in a system then all the gas giants in that system are HRGGs. So for the above, are you saying a system with 31%HE and 10 gas giants will have 1 HRGG and 9 non-HRGG, or that given 10 systems with 31%HE then all the GGs in 1 of those systems will be HRGG? Have you found systems that have HRGGs and other GGs? (Maybe I've just been finding 34%+ HE systems...?)

AIUI (and please correct me if I'm wrong), actual (non-Elite) HRGGs gradually lose Helium over time. Have you looked at a relationship between HE% and system age ?

This is fascinating BTW, good work.
Click to expand...

This following chart is based on the data we gathered; so yes, in a system with 10 GG and 31%HE you'll typically find 1 HRGG and 9 other GG. Can you dig up one of the systems with exclusively HRGG and check the HE%?
Ru7WOwP.png
We did track and look into the age of the primary, but weren't able to see any patterns:
A8xizkE.png
 

Edelgard von Rhein

E
Redfox said:
Thanks CMDRs! If you've recently seen a HRGG and want to tag some more - go back and check other systems in that boxel.



This following chart is based on the data we gathered; so yes, in a system with 10 GG and 31%HE you'll typically find 1 HRGG and 9 other GG. Can you dig up one of the systems with exclusively HRGG and check the HE%?
https://i.imgur.com/Ru7WOwP.png
We did track and look into the age of the primary, but weren't able to see any patterns:
https://i.imgur.com/A8xizkE.png
Click to expand...
It does look to me like you are more likely to find HRGG in younger systems from that plot but as you have clearly visited many B star systems that might just be selection bias. I have not found many HRGG but I have seldom visited young systems - it is only once in a while that I visit systems with a B star primary, e.g. as I am often looking for Earth-like Worlds and focus on FGK stars. I'll keep a look out for HRGG but the only gas giants I have screenshots of in my current expedition (which are from the region close to NGC 2286 Sector) have helium abundances around 26-27%, so I should not expect to find any.
 

MattG

MattG
Redfox said:
This following chart is based on the data we gathered; so yes, in a system with 10 GG and 31%HE you'll typically find 1 HRGG and 9 other GG. Can you dig up one of the systems with exclusively HRGG and check the HE%?
Click to expand...

Looks like they were pre-Journal finds, so not easy to find that data :(

I'll be sure to keep my eyes open now though...
 

Jackie Silver

Jackie Silver
I've been looking at mass code D boxels out near Beagle Point. Results so far are curious, but I'll wait until I've got a larger sample before committing. :)
 

Micha

Micha
I'll dig out my logs when I get home, but after not having found any HRGG's, the last week or two of my trip I found half a dozen or so (almost always solitary in systems containing other GG's), supporting the idea that they are more prevalent in certain sectors.

NB: What is a "boxel"?
 

Redfox

Redfox
Micha said:
What is a "boxel"?
Click to expand...
IMHO it's a half-serious/half-humorous term for what can also be called a sub-sector, e.g. all systems with the name "PRAE DRYE RQ-K D9-" followed by a number (in this case 37 systems, going from 0 to 36). A boxel is a cube and the length of its edges depends on the mass-code. Mass code "H" is the largest boxel and equivalent to the entire sector with edges measuring 1280ly, and each 'lower' mass-code has the length of its edges halved. So the mass-code "D" cube in this example has edges measuring merely 80ly, making it easy to survey.

osser said:
I have 23 of these from my long trip. I'll post them if i ever get time.
Click to expand...
Thanks! If you've submitted your Journals to EDDN/EDSM via EDD/EDMC/etc. then we've already 'got' them as part of the EDDB exports.
 

Fenris Wolf

Fenris Wolf
Redfox said:
That last point is why we're posting here and where you come into play. Are there any other HRGG-hunters out there with possible new insights. Did you spot any flaws in what you've read? Do you have any creative ideas on other avenues to explore?
Click to expand...

Fabulous info there Cmdr. I'll keep an eye open for them on my travels and report back with any I find (none so far).

Good luck with your quest.
 

Micha

Micha
Redfox said:
IMHO it's a half-serious/half-humorous term for what can also be called a sub-sector, e.g. all systems with the name "PRAE DRYE RQ-K D9-" followed by a number (in this case 37 systems, going from 0 to 36). A boxel is a cube and the length of its edges depends on the mass-code. Mass code "H" is the largest boxel and equivalent to the entire sector with edges measuring 1280ly, and each 'lower' mass-code has the length of its edges halved. So the mass-code "D" cube in this example has edges measuring merely 80ly, making it easy to survey.


Thanks! If you've submitted your Journals to EDDN/EDSM via EDD/EDMC/etc. then we've already 'got' them as part of the EDDB exports.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation, and as per your last sentence, you already have all of mine (18).
 
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