Halo Array: Difference between revisions

The Halos encountered in the modern times are 10,000 kilometers in diameter; this size is roughly similar to that of [[Earth]], which is 12,756km in diameter. While the original twelve Halos had a diameter of 30,000 kilometers,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 310''</ref> concerns about their structural stability and transport led to the second series of rings being reduced in size.<ref name="maker"/> The surface of each ring is 318 kilometers wide,<ref>'''Halo: The Essential Visual Guide''', ''page 6''</ref> with a depth of 22.3 kilometers<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 339'' (2001)</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 13'' (2003)</ref> to 47 kilometers.<ref name="lorestream"/><ref group="note">The depth laid out in ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'' lists the ring's thickness as 22.3km, while the Lore Stream conducted by 343 Industries lists a depth of 47km. It is possible this disrepancy comes from the inclusion (or lack thereof) of the outer walls keeping the atmosphere in.</ref> The overall circumference of the ring is 31,415km and the interior surface area is 9,985,200km² - roughly the size of Canada.<ref name="lorestream"/> The main structure of the ring is constructed of a superdense foundational material,<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 340''</ref> with elaborate scaffolding and cantilever structures laid over it to support the artificial landmasses and the myriad tunnel networks and caverns that riddle the installation's internal structure.<ref name="halo3halo"/> Many of these tunnels are transit conduits meant for use by the ring's Sentinels, though some of them can be traversed by humanoid beings.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level ''[[Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|Halo]]''</ref>

The Halos are capable of repairing themselves to some degree, replacing damaged plates of foundation material and restoring biological sections.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 77-78''</ref> Some of the 30,000km-diameter Halos could also be reduced to a smaller size by shedding large portions of the foundation.<ref name="maker"/> In order to prevent the ring from falling apart during this process, it could generate a hard light hub with spokes which hold each of the foundation plates in place.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 345-346''</ref> However, the self-reduction process was far from perfect and made the original Halos prone to instability and collapse.<ref name="maker"/> The newer Halos are capable of safely ejecting segments as well due to their modular and reconfigurable construction<ref name="lorestream"/>, as long as the process is overseen by a capable enough intelligence such as a [[monitor]].<ref name="HE10"/> Additionally, small, specifically defined parts of the Halos' terrain (along with the underlying foundation layers) can be jettisoned into space as a precautionary measure against Flood outbreaks.<ref name="Last Stand"/><ref name="cea t4">'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''', ''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminal Four]]''</ref> In time, the ecosystems of these ejected sections can be restored by the Halos' automated systems.<ref name="cea t4"/>

Although first and foremost designed as weapons of mass destruction, the Halos are also designed as habitats for transplanted lifeforms, including but not limited to humans. After [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]]'s plans were co-opted by the [[Librarian]], the Halos were given terrestrial surfaces to support catalogued specimens. The Master Builder intended to allow these specimens to be infected by Flood forms contained on the rings, and then subsequently terminated in order to test the Halos' effectiveness.<ref name="c313"/> The Halo installations support a wide range of environments, habitats, ecosystems, and climates. Installation 04 and Installation 05 supported warm, temperate forests<ref>'''Halo 2''', level ''[[Uprising]]''</ref> that were both deciduous and coniferous, swamps, and cold, snow covered tundra environments.<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved''', level ''[[Assault on the Control Room]]''</ref><ref>'''Halo 2''', level ''[[Quarantine Zone (level)|Quarantine Zone]]''</ref>  Installation 00 had climate ranging all the way from tundra,<ref name="Cov">'''Halo 3''', level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]''</ref> to forest,<ref name="Cov"/> to desert.<ref>'''Halo 3''', level ''[[The Ark (level)|The Ark]]''</ref>

Each Halo ring has its own defenses, though Sentinels from Installation 00 are always deployed at a newly constructed ring to finalize preparations to launch it. [[Retriever Sentinel]]s are also stored inside the rings and will deploy automatically to attack anything deemed a threat.<ref>''Halo Wars 2'', campaign level, ''[[The Halo]]''</ref> The threat of the Sentinel defenses of Installation 03 were cause for [[Ivanoff Station]] to keep a permanent complement of [[F-41 Broadsword|Broadsword]] fighters and [[Mark 2551 Onager]] defense cannons on hand at all times, to ensure the station's defense.<ref name="ivanoff">'''[[Halo: Warfleet – An Illustrated Guide to the Spacecraft of Halo|Halo: Warfleet]]''', ''Space Stations'', ''pages 34-35''</ref> The exterior band of Halo installations contains a series of [[Confidence-class weapon array|''Confidence''-class weapon arrays]], which can be used to enforce an exclusion zone of up to one light-year. UNSC ''Pillar of Autumn'' was initially tagged as a hostile by 343 Guilty Spark using Installation 04's ''Confidence''-class defense system, but was given clearance after scans revealed that humans were aboard.<ref name="CEATerminal1">[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Terminals]]</ref><ref name="lorestream">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYaxRoAf96s '''YouTube:''' ''Halo Lore Stream: The Halo Array'']</ref>