{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.hydrosphere","code":"thing-q83169","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q83169/","name":"hydrosphere","alternateNames":[],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.1.0-research.1","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.OBJ"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"The hydrosphere is the totality of water in liquid, solid and gaseous forms on, under and above the surface of a planet, minor planet or natural satellite, including water in oceans, inland waters, the subsurface, the atmosphere and living organisms where present.","purpose":"Enable an AI agent to recognise the hydrosphere as an interconnected planetary water system, assess its condition, and evaluate proposed actions affecting its reservoirs and exchanges.","scope":{"in":["Water reservoirs, their spatial extent, connectivity and storage","Liquid, solid and gaseous water and transitions between these phases","Water transfers among reservoirs and across a declared system boundary","Physical and chemical conditions relevant to the collective water system","Human alterations to water storage, movement and condition"],"out":["The atmosphere as a complete gaseous envelope, beyond its water content and water exchanges","The lithosphere's composition and mechanics, beyond water storage and transport","Individual species and ecosystem dynamics, beyond their relationships with water","Detailed models of individual oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers and aquifers","Water infrastructure design, utility operations and legal allocation regimes"],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["The referent includes multiple connected water reservoirs rather than a single ocean, watershed or water body.","Atmospheric water and frozen water remain relevant even though they are not liquid surface waters.","The hydrosphere denotes water stocks and their condition; the hydrologic cycle denotes processes transferring that water.","Saline water is included, distinguishing the hydrosphere from freshwater resources alone.","Atmosphere, rock and organisms are represented as hosts or exchange partners rather than included wholesale."],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"water-inventory-and-boundaries","name":"Water inventory and boundaries","description":"Defines which water stocks constitute the modelled hydrosphere and how they are partitioned.","layers":[{"id":"planetary-water-boundary","name":"Planetary water boundary","description":"Establishes the planetary referent and inclusion rules for marginal water stores.","findings":[{"id":"included-water-forms","name":"Included water forms","description":"Record a working definition covering liquid water, ice and vapour, with explicit treatment of water in organisms and minerals.","questions":[{"text":"Does this registry entry denote Earth's hydrosphere specifically or the general class of planetary hydrospheres?","id":"included-water-forms-q01","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Are biological water, deep crustal fluids and structurally bound mineral water included, excluded or represented only as exchange partners?","id":"included-water-forms-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"reservoir-partition","name":"Reservoir partition","description":"Organises water stocks into mutually interpretable reservoirs.","findings":[{"id":"nonduplicated-water-storage","name":"Nonduplicated water storage","description":"Record reservoir inventories with phase, extent, date and an accounting rule for overlapping classifications.","questions":[{"text":"How are ocean water, lakes, rivers, groundwater, soil water, ice and atmospheric water separated without overlap?","id":"nonduplicated-water-storage-q01","kind":"boundary"},{"text":"What storage estimate and uncertainty apply to each reservoir, and is volume expressed as actual volume or water equivalent?","id":"nonduplicated-water-storage-q02","kind":"measurement"}]}]}]},{"id":"water-exchanges-and-budgets","name":"Water exchanges and budgets","description":"Represents transfers connecting reservoirs and tests whether their accounting closes.","layers":[{"id":"hydrologic-transfer-pathways","name":"Hydrologic transfer pathways","description":"Identifies directed transfers through atmospheric, surface and subsurface routes.","findings":[{"id":"reservoir-to-reservoir-fluxes","name":"Reservoir-to-reservoir fluxes","description":"Record evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, runoff, infiltration, recharge and groundwater discharge as bounded transfers.","questions":[{"text":"Which source and destination reservoirs are connected by each named transfer, including intermediate stores?","id":"reservoir-to-reservoir-fluxes-q01","kind":"definition"},{"text":"What flux, direction, seasonal variation and averaging interval are supported for each pathway?","id":"reservoir-to-reservoir-fluxes-q02","kind":"measurement"}]}]},{"id":"water-budget-closure","name":"Water-budget closure","description":"Relates storage change to measured or estimated inflows and outflows.","findings":[{"id":"storage-flux-reconciliation","name":"Storage-flux reconciliation","description":"Assess budget residuals using compatible boundaries, dates and units while retaining unresolved exchanges.","questions":[{"text":"Does observed storage change agree with net water transfer within the combined measurement uncertainty?","id":"storage-flux-reconciliation-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Which transfers cross the selected hydrosphere boundary, and which merely redistribute water internally?","id":"storage-flux-reconciliation-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"phase-heat-and-chemistry","name":"Phase, heat and chemistry","description":"Records water's physical and chemical condition and the transitions that alter it.","layers":[{"id":"thermal-and-phase-condition","name":"Thermal and phase condition","description":"Tracks temperature distributions and exchanges between liquid, solid and vapour stores.","findings":[{"id":"phase-resolved-water-change","name":"Phase-resolved water change","description":"Distinguish water-mass redistribution, phase conversion and volume change associated with temperature.","questions":[{"text":"What temperature and phase observations describe the reservoir across depth, area and season?","id":"phase-resolved-water-change-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"How are melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation separated from transport and thermal expansion in reported changes?","id":"phase-resolved-water-change-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"dissolved-and-suspended-material","name":"Dissolved and suspended material","description":"Describes substances carried by water and their relevance to its condition.","findings":[{"id":"composition-and-quality-context","name":"Composition and quality context","description":"Record salinity, selected constituents and suspended material with sampling context and purpose-specific interpretation.","questions":[{"text":"Which constituents, salinity convention and sampling methods support the reported composition?","id":"composition-and-quality-context-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Against what ecological function or intended use should a measured concentration be evaluated?","id":"composition-and-quality-context-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"hydrosphere-observation-and-change","name":"Hydrosphere observation and change","description":"Connects evidence to assessments of water-system variability and longer-term change.","layers":[{"id":"observation-coverage","name":"Observation coverage","description":"Records how reservoir stocks and exchanges are observed or inferred.","findings":[{"id":"water-estimate-evidence","name":"Water-estimate evidence","description":"Separate direct observations, remote-sensing retrievals and model estimates, including their spatial and temporal limitations.","questions":[{"text":"Which instruments, datasets or models support each storage or flux estimate?","id":"water-estimate-evidence-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"What uncertainty and coverage gaps remain for deep groundwater, ocean interiors, ice and atmospheric water?","id":"water-estimate-evidence-q02","kind":"measurement"}]}]},{"id":"variability-and-trends","name":"Variability and trends","description":"Distinguishes seasonal fluctuations, episodic events and sustained changes.","findings":[{"id":"comparable-water-change","name":"Comparable water change","description":"Assess changes against a stated baseline while accounting for observation consistency and natural variability.","questions":[{"text":"What baseline and observation duration support a claimed change in storage, circulation or composition?","id":"comparable-water-change-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Could changes in instruments, coverage or processing explain part of the apparent trend?","id":"comparable-water-change-q02","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"human-alteration-and-response","name":"Human alteration and response","description":"Relates proposed or observed interventions to water-system effects and decision boundaries.","layers":[{"id":"managed-water-redistribution","name":"Managed water redistribution","description":"Tracks abstraction, impoundment, diversion, artificial recharge and return flows.","findings":[{"id":"intervention-water-accounting","name":"Intervention water accounting","description":"Record the source, destination, timing and condition of water affected by an intervention.","questions":[{"text":"How much water is withdrawn, returned, evaporated or transferred elsewhere, and over what interval?","id":"intervention-water-accounting-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Which connected reservoirs could experience changed storage or flow if the intervention proceeds?","id":"intervention-water-accounting-q02","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"response-and-recovery","name":"Response and recovery","description":"Connects detected changes to monitoring, mitigation and recovery assessment.","findings":[{"id":"water-system-response-options","name":"Water-system response options","description":"Evaluate responses using hydrologic connections, replenishment timescales and links to relevant authority and ecosystem models.","questions":[{"text":"What monitoring or intervention could test whether depletion, contamination or altered flow is stabilising or recovering?","id":"water-system-response-options-q01","kind":"action"},{"text":"Which permissions, ecological limits and operating constraints must be obtained from neighbouring models before an action is recommended?","id":"water-system-response-options-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"evidence-and-external-alignment","name":"Evidence and external alignment","description":"What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.","layers":[{"id":"reported-evidence","name":"Reported evidence","description":"Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.","findings":[{"id":"evidence-confidence-notes","name":"Check these first","description":"Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these check these first hold for the sense of hydrosphere this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-confidence-notes-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-real-world-use","name":"Real-world use","description":"Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of hydrosphere this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-real-world-use-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-measurements","name":"Typical measurements","description":"Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of hydrosphere this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-measurements-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-failure-modes-and-hazards","name":"Failure modes and hazards","description":"Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of hydrosphere this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-failure-modes-and-hazards-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-regional-variation","name":"Regional variation","description":"Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of hydrosphere this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-regional-variation-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-neighbours","name":"Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart","description":"Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of hydrosphere this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-neighbours-q01","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Describe the hydrosphere, its parts and the water cycle from scientific sources.","Report data on oceans, rivers, ice and groundwater with its sources and dates."],"mustNot":["Misrepresent data on water scarcity, sea level or ice loss.","Release pollutants into any part of the water system it controls.","Present uncertain projections as certain or dismiss them as baseless."],"requiresHuman":["Decisions about water allocation between communities."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Water is shared by all life; pollution and scarcity fall hardest on the poor.","Future generations depend on choices made about water now."],"affectedParties":["Communities without secure water","Aquatic life","Future generations"]},"owners":{"steward":"The public: held in common; states and water authorities govern its parts.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q47495022","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.hydrosphere","Wikidata: Q83169 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83169)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["Reservoir type: ocean; surface freshwater; groundwater; soil water; frozen water; atmospheric water; other explicitly bounded reservoir","Water phase: liquid; solid; vapour; mixed","Water storage: kg or m³ water equivalent, with reservoir boundary and observation date","Reservoir exchange rate: kg/s or m³/s water equivalent, with direction and averaging interval","Hydrologic connectivity: source reservoir; destination reservoir; pathway; direction; continuity","Water temperature: °C or K, with location, depth and time","Salinity: g/kg for mass-based salinity, or a named salinity scale with its convention","Water composition: named constituent concentration in mg/L, µg/L or mol/kg, with analytical method","Storage trend: increasing; decreasing; approximately stable; unresolved, over a stated interval","Turnover timescale: days or years, with calculation method and assumptions"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"not-applicable","items":[]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["Map water reservoirs and trace exchanges across a declared planetary or regional boundary.","Calculate storage changes and water-budget residuals while preserving uncertainty.","Compare phase, thermal and chemical conditions across locations and periods.","Trace potential downstream or subsurface effects through documented connections.","Evaluate scenarios for abstraction, impoundment, recharge or discharge and identify affected reservoirs.","Identify monitoring gaps that prevent a defensible assessment of hydrospheric change."]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Pollution, overuse and warming degrade oceans, rivers and groundwater.","Floods and droughts threaten lives and livelihoods."]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, United Nations, 1982.","Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, European Union."]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["The hydrosphere is studied in planetary science, hydrology and climate science as an interconnected system of water reservoirs and exchanges.","On Earth, it provides the system boundary for assessing water availability, pollution transport, ice loss and changes in the water cycle.","Its condition is evaluated by combining observations of oceans, inland waters, groundwater, ice and atmospheric water."]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q83169: hydrosphere","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83169","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Hydrosphere","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrosphere","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Does the registry intend Earth's hydrosphere specifically, or a planetary class whose instances include Earth?","Where should the inclusion boundary fall for water in organisms, deep geological fluids and hydrated minerals?","Does an existing Vercy world model already own this concept, requiring a registry link instead of a separate publication?","Which authoritative inventories and observation products provide compatible reservoir partitions, reference periods and uncertainty estimates?","What spatial resolution and decision contexts should govern aggregation, quality interpretation and intervention assessment?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q83169/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q83169/spec.json"],"providers":["Codex"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-07T11:40:33Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"not-applicable","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-07T12:16:34+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass","interaction.recognition":"The hydrosphere has no single visual identity because its reservoirs include visible water, subsurface water and invisible water vapour."},"score":1.0}}