Demobaric formula

(Also known as the "gating pressure formula".) An equation expressing the relationship between the population pressure in a given area of space, and the percentage of the planet's population present in that area during a given time period. The relationship between these two variables is expressed by the threshold constant. The balance among the variables and the constant determines how likely a given world is to produce worldgates, and how many.

Each planet has its own version of this formula, with differing values for the variables and the constant. The relationship between them all will normally change over time as the population of any given planet shifts.

(See also Worldgate complexes.)