From 26968f4903b59e8fa5528b6197ac181f1ce86ce0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: German Khokhlov <ouchlock@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:34:17 +0400
Subject: [PATCH 1/6] fix(ui): the Cesium engine's render.sharpen() mirrors the
 sharpen stage

VisualEffects sends its sharpen state to engine.render.setSharpen when a
viewer exists too; the Cesium engine keeps it as state, and the Cesium
stage itself is unchanged.
---
 src/ui/visualEffects.js       | 10 +++++-----
 src/ui/visualEffects.test.mjs | 26 ++++++++++++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 27 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/ui/visualEffects.js b/src/ui/visualEffects.js
index b23f9ebbf..461276e20 100644
--- a/src/ui/visualEffects.js
+++ b/src/ui/visualEffects.js
@@ -32,12 +32,11 @@ export class VisualEffects {
     createStage = (options) => new PostProcessStage(options),
   }) {
     this.viewer = viewer;
-    // Cesium sharpens with its own post stage below; an engine without a
-    // viewer (Navara) sharpens in its render pipeline.
+    // Cesium sharpens with its own post stage below, and the engine's
+    // render.sharpen() mirrors that stage (the Cesium engine keeps the state
+    // only); an engine without a viewer (Navara) sharpens in its pipeline.
     this.engineRender =
-      !viewer && typeof engine?.render?.setSharpen === 'function'
-        ? engine.render
-        : null;
+      typeof engine?.render?.setSharpen === 'function' ? engine.render : null;
     this.requestRender = requestRender;
     this.holdRender = holdRender;
     this.releaseRender = releaseRender;
@@ -118,6 +117,7 @@ export class VisualEffects {
     });
     this.sharpenStage.enabled = false;
     this.viewer.scene.postProcessStages.add(this.sharpenStage);
+    this.engineRender?.setSharpen({ enabled: false });
     this.applySharpenIntensity(sharpenIntensity);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/ui/visualEffects.test.mjs b/src/ui/visualEffects.test.mjs
index a564008ca..2fbf94378 100644
--- a/src/ui/visualEffects.test.mjs
+++ b/src/ui/visualEffects.test.mjs
@@ -223,14 +223,32 @@ test('without a viewer the engine sharpens with the same amount scale', () => {
   effects.destroy();
 });
 
-test('with a viewer the Cesium stage sharpens and the engine is left alone', () => {
-  let calls = 0;
-  const f = fixture({ render: { setSharpen: () => calls++ } });
+test('with a viewer the Cesium stage sharpens and the engine mirrors its state', () => {
+  let state = { enabled: false, amount: 1 };
+  const engine = {
+    render: {
+      setSharpen: (options) => {
+        state = { ...state, ...options };
+      },
+      sharpen: () => ({ ...state }),
+    },
+  };
+  const f = fixture(engine);
   f.effects.initPostProcess(0.49);
+  assert.deepEqual(engine.render.sharpen(), {
+    enabled: false,
+    amount: f.effects.sharpenStage.uniforms.amount,
+  });
   f.effects.applySharpenIntensity(0.8);
   f.effects.setSharpenEnabled(true);
-  assert.equal(calls, 0);
   assert.equal(f.effects.sharpenStage.uniforms.amount, sharpenAmount(0.8));
+  assert.equal(f.effects.sharpenStage.enabled, true);
+  assert.deepEqual(engine.render.sharpen(), {
+    enabled: true,
+    amount: sharpenAmount(0.8),
+  });
+  f.effects.setSharpenEnabled(false);
+  assert.equal(engine.render.sharpen().enabled, false);
   f.effects.destroy();
 });
 

From 5188e8869dadd410afd9742d7d052f3ed5d36708 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: German Khokhlov <ouchlock@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:06:15 +0400
Subject: [PATCH 2/6] fix(globe): the cinematic look's atmosphere scale,
 warm-up and sunset clouds

- The takram uniform paths move to internals.js (forEachLuminanceUniform,
  loud in dev when a path is gone); look.js sets each factor to scale x
  the recorded base value, so shared or copied vectors are never scaled
  twice, and the stars keep the base value (own vector when shared).
  Stars at intensity 120: a starfield shows from space.
- Both night-side shader variants compile on the first two frames.
- The clouds hide once the sun sets at the camera (dark puffs at dusk).
- No allocation on look frames that change nothing (frozen updates, a
  scratch camera place from livePosition).
Gallery regenerated.
---
 scripts/format-scope.json               |   1 -
 scripts/package-boundaries.json         |   1 -
 src/globe/navara/atmosphereLuminance.js |  61 -----
 src/globe/navara/index.js               |  50 +++--
 src/globe/navara/internals.js           |  65 ++++++
 src/globe/navara/look.js                | 143 +++++++++---
 src/globe/navara/look.test.mjs          | 281 ++++++++++++++----------
 src/globe/navara/viewOptions.js         |  22 +-
 src/globe/navara/viewOptions.test.mjs   |  14 +-
 9 files changed, 410 insertions(+), 228 deletions(-)
 delete mode 100644 src/globe/navara/atmosphereLuminance.js

diff --git a/scripts/format-scope.json b/scripts/format-scope.json
index 8e0aa8922..5e1a231f6 100644
--- a/scripts/format-scope.json
+++ b/scripts/format-scope.json
@@ -1033,7 +1033,6 @@
   "src/globe/cesium/render.js",
   "src/globe/cesium/surface.js",
   "src/globe/contract.js",
-  "src/globe/navara/atmosphereLuminance.js",
   "src/globe/navara/cameraMath.js",
   "src/globe/navara/cameraMath.test.mjs",
   "src/globe/navara/cameraModel.js",
diff --git a/scripts/package-boundaries.json b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
index 47d7c5305..2b6f6e582 100644
--- a/scripts/package-boundaries.json
+++ b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
@@ -1760,7 +1760,6 @@
       "src/globe/cesium/render.js",
       "src/globe/cesium/surface.js",
       "src/globe/cesium/engineFromViewer.js",
-      "src/globe/navara/atmosphereLuminance.js",
       "src/globe/navara/cameraMath.js",
       "src/globe/navara/cameraModel.js",
       "src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.js",
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/atmosphereLuminance.js b/src/globe/navara/atmosphereLuminance.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 57199a5c2..000000000
--- a/src/globe/navara/atmosphereLuminance.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,61 +0,0 @@
-// The cinematic look's brighter atmosphere (viewOptions.js
-// ATMOSPHERE_LUMINANCE_SCALE): the radiance-to-luminance factors of the
-// atmosphere's materials (sky, aerial perspective, clouds), multiplied by a
-// scale. Navara 0.2.1 has no public setting for them; they are uniforms of
-// the takram materials its descriptors build, reached through each handle's
-// public `ref.raw`, then fields of those objects that are not documented:
-//
-// - sky: ref.raw (the three Mesh) .material.uniforms;
-// - aerial perspective: ref.raw (Navara's Effect) .rawEffect.uniforms (a Map);
-// - clouds: ref.raw.rawEffect.cloudsPass.currentMaterial.uniforms (the
-//   clouds swap that material when their quality changes).
-//
-// Re-check each path before moving to another Navara version (as for
-// internals.js). Upstream ask: a sky luminance or atmosphere exposure that
-// leaves unlit content (the baked tiles) alone.
-
-export const LUMINANCE_UNIFORMS = Object.freeze([
-  'SUN_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE',
-  'SKY_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE',
-]);
-
-const uniformsOf = {
-  sky: (raw) => raw?.material?.uniforms,
-  aerialPerspective: (raw) => raw?.rawEffect?.uniforms,
-  clouds: (raw) => raw?.rawEffect?.cloudsPass?.currentMaterial?.uniforms,
-};
-
-const get = (uniforms, name) =>
-  uniforms instanceof Map ? uniforms.get(name) : uniforms?.[name];
-
-/**
- * Scales the atmosphere's luminance factors to `scale` times the values
- * their materials were built with. Idempotent: each factor's vector is
- * scaled once (Navara 0.2.1 shares one vector between the sky, the aerial
- * perspective and the clouds), and a material Navara rebuilds with a new
- * vector is scaled when it first shows.
- * @returns {(handles: { sky?: object, aerialPerspective?: object, clouds?: object }) => boolean}
- *   applies the scale; true when it changed a uniform.
- */
-export function createAtmosphereLuminance(scale) {
-  const scaled = new WeakSet();
-  return (handles) => {
-    if (scale === 1) return false;
-    let changed = false;
-    for (const [name, read] of Object.entries(uniformsOf)) {
-      const uniforms = read(handles[name]?.ref?.raw);
-      if (!uniforms) continue;
-      for (const key of LUMINANCE_UNIFORMS) {
-        const uniform = get(uniforms, key);
-        const value = uniform?.value;
-        if (!value || typeof value.multiplyScalar !== 'function') continue;
-        // Navara's materials share one vector per factor: scale it once.
-        if (scaled.has(value)) continue;
-        value.multiplyScalar(scale);
-        scaled.add(value);
-        changed = true;
-      }
-    }
-    return changed;
-  };
-}
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/index.js b/src/globe/navara/index.js
index 805a49c8d..39f451e8a 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/index.js
+++ b/src/globe/navara/index.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import ThreeView from '@navaramap/three';
 import * as geo from '../../geo/index.js';
 import { DefaultPlugin } from '@navaramap/three-default-plugin';
 import { createNavaraEngine } from './createNavaraEngine.js';
-import { navaraHooks } from './internals.js';
+import { forEachLuminanceUniform, navaraHooks } from './internals.js';
 import { buildNavaraLook } from './look.js';
 import { createNavaraSharpen } from './sharpen.js';
 import {
@@ -33,28 +33,22 @@ function preservedCanvas(container) {
   return canvas;
 }
 
-/** The camera's place in degrees (for the sun's elevation), or null. */
-function cameraPlace(camera) {
-  try {
-    const place = camera.pose().cartographic;
-    return place
-      ? {
-          lat: geo.math.toDegrees(place.latitude),
-          lng: geo.math.toDegrees(place.longitude),
-        }
-      : null;
-  } catch {
-    return null;
-  }
-}
+// The camera's place for the look, refreshed in place each frame (no
+// allocation): degrees for the sun's elevation, and the height.
+const lookCarto = { longitude: 0, latitude: 0, height: 0 };
+const lookPlace = { lat: 0, lng: 0 };
 
-/** The camera height, or NaN while the camera has no position yet. */
-function cameraHeight(camera) {
-  try {
-    return camera.height();
-  } catch {
-    return Number.NaN;
-  }
+/** Fills lookPlace from the camera; false while it has no position yet. */
+function readCameraPlace(camera) {
+  const place = geo.cartographic.fromCartesian(
+    camera.livePosition,
+    geo.ellipsoid.WGS84,
+    lookCarto,
+  );
+  if (!place) return false;
+  lookPlace.lat = geo.math.toDegrees(place.latitude);
+  lookPlace.lng = geo.math.toDegrees(place.longitude);
+  return true;
 }
 
 // The height of the ground in view, for the look's cloud rule: the depth of
@@ -103,7 +97,9 @@ export async function createNavaraGlobe({
     const plan = navaraScenePlan(effects ?? resolveNavaraLook(search), {
       mobile: Boolean(view.isMobileOptimized?.()),
     });
-    const look = buildNavaraLook(view, plugin, plan);
+    const look = buildNavaraLook(view, plugin, plan, undefined, {
+      forEachLuminanceUniform,
+    });
     engine = createNavaraEngine(view, {
       hooks: navaraHooks(view),
       container,
@@ -133,8 +129,14 @@ export async function createNavaraGlobe({
       engine.frames.preRender.addEventListener(() => {
         if (!moving && !groundSettled && engine.surface.tilesLoaded())
           readGround();
+        const placed = readCameraPlace(camera);
         if (
-          look.frame(cameraHeight(camera), moving, ground, cameraPlace(camera))
+          look.frame(
+            placed ? lookCarto.height : Number.NaN,
+            moving,
+            ground,
+            placed ? lookPlace : null,
+          )
         )
           engine.render.request('navara-look');
       }),
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/internals.js b/src/globe/navara/internals.js
index f79ed824d..571894777 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/internals.js
+++ b/src/globe/navara/internals.js
@@ -65,6 +65,71 @@ export function isIdle(view) {
   return view._isIdle === true;
 }
 
+/**
+ * The cinematic look's atmosphere scale (look.js createLuminanceScaler):
+ * the radiance-to-luminance factor uniforms of the takram materials behind
+ * the look's sky, stars, aerial perspective and clouds handles. Private:
+ * - sky, stars: handle.ref.raw (the three object) .material.uniforms;
+ * - aerial perspective: handle.ref.raw.rawEffect.uniforms (a Map);
+ * - clouds: handle.ref.raw.rawEffect.cloudsPass.currentMaterial.uniforms
+ *   (the clouds swap that material when their quality changes).
+ * Calls `visit(key, uniform, scaled)` for each, scaled false for the stars.
+ * A handle whose object is built but has lost a path fails loudly: it
+ * throws in the dev server and warns once in a build. Upstream ask: a sky
+ * luminance or atmosphere exposure that leaves unlit content alone.
+ */
+export const LUMINANCE_UNIFORMS = Object.freeze([
+  'SUN_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE',
+  'SKY_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE',
+]);
+const DEV = Boolean(import.meta.env?.DEV);
+const reported = new Set();
+
+function luminancePathLost(name) {
+  const message = `Navara ${NAVARA_INTERNALS_VERSION}: the ${name} luminance uniforms are not where internals.js expects them`;
+  if (DEV) throw new Error(message);
+  if (reported.has(name)) return;
+  reported.add(name);
+  console.warn(`[globe] ${message}; the atmosphere stays unscaled there`);
+}
+
+function visitLuminance(name, raw, uniforms, scaled, visit) {
+  if (!raw) return; // not built yet
+  const get = (key) =>
+    uniforms instanceof Map ? uniforms.get(key) : uniforms?.[key];
+  const sun = get(LUMINANCE_UNIFORMS[0]);
+  const sky = get(LUMINANCE_UNIFORMS[1]);
+  if (!sun?.value?.isVector3 || !sky?.value?.isVector3) {
+    luminancePathLost(name);
+    return;
+  }
+  visit(LUMINANCE_UNIFORMS[0], sun, scaled);
+  visit(LUMINANCE_UNIFORMS[1], sky, scaled);
+}
+
+export function forEachLuminanceUniform(handles, visit) {
+  const sky = handles.sky?.ref?.raw;
+  visitLuminance('sky', sky, sky?.material?.uniforms, true, visit);
+  const stars = handles.stars?.ref?.raw;
+  visitLuminance('stars', stars, stars?.material?.uniforms, false, visit);
+  const aerial = handles.aerialPerspective?.ref?.raw;
+  visitLuminance(
+    'aerial perspective',
+    aerial,
+    aerial?.rawEffect?.uniforms,
+    true,
+    visit,
+  );
+  const clouds = handles.clouds?.ref?.raw;
+  visitLuminance(
+    'clouds',
+    clouds,
+    clouds?.rawEffect?.cloudsPass?.currentMaterial?.uniforms,
+    true,
+    visit,
+  );
+}
+
 /** The hooks createNavaraEngine takes. */
 export const navaraHooks = (view) => ({
   retainTileGeometry,
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/look.js b/src/globe/navara/look.js
index c319b4f5e..4f8265619 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/look.js
+++ b/src/globe/navara/look.js
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 // view and keeps it current while the view renders: the sun follows the wall
 // clock as the HUD's SUN elevation does; the cinematic look lights the globe
 // from the atmosphere when seen from space, shows its clouds only for low
-// views over low ground, brightens the atmosphere (atmosphereLuminance.js)
-// and shows its stars only at night or from space. All of it runs only on frames the view draws
-// anyway, so an idle view stays idle.
+// views over low ground and while the sun is up, brightens the atmosphere
+// (createLuminanceScaler, uniforms from internals.js), compiles both
+// night-side shader variants at startup and shows its stars only at night
+// or from space. All of it runs only on frames the view draws anyway, so an
+// idle view stays idle.
 
-import { createAtmosphereLuminance } from './atmosphereLuminance.js';
 import {
+  cloudsSunlitAt,
   cloudsVisibleAt,
   globeLightingAt,
   starsVisibleAt,
@@ -23,9 +25,20 @@ import {
  *   camera is moving, the height of the ground in view (metres above the
  *   ellipsoid, NaN when unknown) and the camera's place (degrees, for the
  *   sun's elevation there); it returns true when it changed the scene, so
- *   the caller draws one more frame.
+ *   the caller draws one more frame. It allocates nothing on a frame that
+ *   changes nothing.
+ * @param {() => number} [now] the wall clock (ms), a test seam
+ * @param {{ forEachLuminanceUniform?: (handles: object, visit: (key: string, uniform: { value: object }, scaled: boolean) => void) => void }} [internals]
+ *   the takram uniforms behind the atmosphere scale (internals.js); without
+ *   it the scale does nothing.
  */
-export function buildNavaraLook(view, plugin, plan, now = () => Date.now()) {
+export function buildNavaraLook(
+  view,
+  plugin,
+  plan,
+  now = () => Date.now(),
+  { forEachLuminanceUniform = null } = {},
+) {
   const handles = [];
   if (plan.pluginDefault) {
     const scene = plugin.addDefaultPhotorealScene();
@@ -48,28 +61,47 @@ export function buildNavaraLook(view, plugin, plan, now = () => Date.now()) {
   const aerial = plan.globeLighting ? effect('aerialPerspective') : null;
   const clouds = effect('clouds');
   const stars = plan.daylightHidesStars ? mesh('stars') : null;
-  const atmosphereHandles = {
-    sky: mesh('sky'),
-    aerialPerspective: effect('aerialPerspective'),
-    clouds,
-  };
-  const brighten = createAtmosphereLuminance(plan.atmosphereLuminance ?? 1);
+  const brighten = createLuminanceScaler(
+    plan.atmosphereLuminance ?? 1,
+    forEachLuminanceUniform,
+    {
+      sky: mesh('sky'),
+      stars: mesh('stars'),
+      aerialPerspective: effect('aerialPerspective'),
+      clouds,
+    },
+  );
   let globeLit = false;
+  // Both aerial-perspective variants (with and without the night side) are
+  // compiled on the first two frames, during startup, so a later switch
+  // finds its shader compiled (a cold switch stalled a frame for up to
+  // 0.8 s, mid-flight on the way down from space).
+  let warmUp = aerial ? 2 : 0;
   let cloudsShown = true;
+  let cloudsSunlit = true;
   let starsShown = true;
 
   const frame = (height, moving = false, ground = Number.NaN, place = null) => {
     // Every drawn frame: a material Navara rebuilds comes back unscaled.
-    let changed = brighten(atmosphereHandles);
+    let changed = brighten();
     const atmosphere = view.atmosphere;
     if (atmosphere && sunDateStale(atmosphere.date.getTime(), now())) {
       atmosphere.date = new Date(now());
       changed = true;
     }
+    const elevation =
+      place && typeof atmosphere?.getSunElevation === 'function'
+        ? atmosphere.getSunElevation(place)
+        : Number.NaN;
+    if (warmUp) {
+      warmUp -= 1;
+      aerial.update(warmUp ? IRRADIANCE_ON : IRRADIANCE_OFF);
+      return true;
+    }
     if (aerial) {
       const next = globeLightingAt(height, globeLit);
-      // Switching recompiles the aerial perspective, a frame of about 0.8 s
-      // headless: it switches on only at rest (a flight from city to city
+      // Switching rebuilds the aerial perspective's shader (warmed up
+      // above): it switches on only at rest (a flight from city to city
       // through space never switches) and off as soon as the camera comes
       // down, before the tiles would show relit.
       if (next !== globeLit && !(next && moving)) {
@@ -77,30 +109,28 @@ export function buildNavaraLook(view, plugin, plan, now = () => Date.now()) {
         // Only the aerial perspective changes: the tiles already draw plain
         // albedo, so view.lit stays (toggling it recompiles every tile
         // material, a frame of about 0.8 s mid-flight).
-        aerial.update({ aerialPerspective: { irradiance: next } });
+        aerial.update(next ? IRRADIANCE_ON : IRRADIANCE_OFF);
         changed = true;
       }
     }
-    // Clouds only for a camera below them over low ground; switching them
-    // costs no recompile, so it follows the camera in motion too.
+    // Clouds only for a camera below them over low ground, and while the
+    // sun is up at the camera (after sunset they read as dark puffs);
+    // switching them costs no recompile, so it follows the camera in motion.
     if (clouds) {
-      const next = cloudsVisibleAt(height, ground, cloudsShown);
+      cloudsSunlit = cloudsSunlitAt(elevation, cloudsSunlit);
+      const next = cloudsSunlit && cloudsVisibleAt(height, ground, cloudsShown);
       if (next !== cloudsShown) {
         cloudsShown = next;
-        clouds.update({ visible: next });
+        clouds.update(next ? VISIBLE : HIDDEN);
         parkCloudLayers(view.atmosphere, next);
         changed = true;
       }
     }
     if (stars) {
-      const elevation =
-        place && typeof atmosphere?.getSunElevation === 'function'
-          ? atmosphere.getSunElevation(place)
-          : Number.NaN;
       const next = starsVisibleAt(height, elevation, starsShown);
       if (next !== starsShown) {
         starsShown = next;
-        stars.update({ visible: next });
+        stars.update(next ? VISIBLE : HIDDEN);
         changed = true;
       }
     }
@@ -109,6 +139,69 @@ export function buildNavaraLook(view, plugin, plan, now = () => Date.now()) {
   return { handles, frame };
 }
 
+const IRRADIANCE_ON = Object.freeze({
+  aerialPerspective: Object.freeze({ irradiance: true }),
+});
+const IRRADIANCE_OFF = Object.freeze({
+  aerialPerspective: Object.freeze({ irradiance: false }),
+});
+const VISIBLE = Object.freeze({ visible: true });
+const HIDDEN = Object.freeze({ visible: false });
+
+/**
+ * The atmosphere scale (viewOptions.js ATMOSPHERE_LUMINANCE_SCALE): each
+ * luminance factor is set to `scale` times the base value recorded the
+ * first time it is seen, never multiplied in place, so a vector Navara
+ * shares between materials, or copies into a rebuilt one, is never scaled
+ * twice. The stars keep the base value: when they share the sky's vector,
+ * they get their own. Returns `apply()`, true when it changed a uniform.
+ */
+export function createLuminanceScaler(scale, forEachUniform, handles) {
+  if (scale === 1 || !forEachUniform) return () => false;
+  const bases = new Map(); // key -> { base, target }
+  const scaledVectors = new WeakSet();
+  let changed = false;
+  const entry = (key, value) => {
+    let found = bases.get(key);
+    if (!found) {
+      found = {
+        base: value.clone(),
+        target: value.clone().multiplyScalar(scale),
+      };
+      bases.set(key, found);
+    }
+    return found;
+  };
+  const record = (key, uniform) => entry(key, uniform.value);
+  const scaleOne = (key, uniform, scaled) => {
+    if (!scaled) return;
+    const { target } = entry(key, uniform.value);
+    scaledVectors.add(uniform.value);
+    if (uniform.value.equals(target)) return;
+    uniform.value.copy(target);
+    changed = true;
+  };
+  const keepBase = (key, uniform, scaled) => {
+    if (scaled) return;
+    const { base } = entry(key, uniform.value);
+    if (scaledVectors.has(uniform.value)) {
+      uniform.value = base.clone();
+      changed = true;
+    } else if (!uniform.value.equals(base)) {
+      uniform.value.copy(base);
+      changed = true;
+    }
+  };
+  return () => {
+    changed = false;
+    // Bases first, from the values as Navara built them.
+    forEachUniform(handles, record);
+    forEachUniform(handles, scaleOne);
+    forEachUniform(handles, keepBase);
+    return changed;
+  };
+}
+
 // The clouds hand the aerial perspective their last output through the
 // atmosphere (overlay, shadow, shadow length) once, when they first draw.
 // A hidden clouds pass leaves those in place, and the aerial perspective
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/look.test.mjs b/src/globe/navara/look.test.mjs
index fd99924b1..6d2a12974 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/look.test.mjs
+++ b/src/globe/navara/look.test.mjs
@@ -37,6 +37,49 @@ const plugin = (calls) => ({
   },
 });
 
+/** A cinematic look past its two warm-up frames (updates cleared). */
+function warmCinematic(view, internals) {
+  const look = buildNavaraLook(
+    view,
+    plugin([]),
+    navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
+    () => 0,
+    internals,
+  );
+  look.frame(900);
+  look.frame(900);
+  for (const entry of view.added) entry.updates.length = 0;
+  return look;
+}
+
+test('the night-side shader variants are both compiled on the first two frames', () => {
+  const view = fakeView(0);
+  const look = buildNavaraLook(
+    view,
+    plugin([]),
+    navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
+    () => 0,
+  );
+  const aerial = view.added.find(({ desc }) =>
+    Object.hasOwn(desc, 'aerialPerspective'),
+  );
+  assert.equal(look.frame(900), true);
+  assert.equal(look.frame(900), true);
+  assert.deepEqual(aerial.updates, [
+    { aerialPerspective: { irradiance: true } },
+    { aerialPerspective: { irradiance: false } },
+  ]);
+  assert.equal(look.frame(900), false, 'then the usual rules');
+  const minimal = fakeView(0);
+  const plain = buildNavaraLook(
+    minimal,
+    plugin([]),
+    navaraScenePlan('minimal'),
+    () => 0,
+  );
+  assert.equal(plain.frame(900), false, 'no aerial perspective: no warm-up');
+});
+
 test('the photoreal look is the default plugin scene, untouched', () => {
   const calls = [];
   const view = fakeView(0);
@@ -68,12 +111,7 @@ test('the cinematic look adds its descriptors in order', () => {
 
 test('from space the globe is lit by the atmosphere; near the ground the tiles keep their own light', () => {
   const view = fakeView(0);
-  const look = buildNavaraLook(
-    view,
-    plugin([]),
-    navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
-    () => 0,
-  );
+  const look = warmCinematic(view);
   const effect = (name) =>
     view.added.find(({ desc }) => Object.hasOwn(desc, name));
   assert.equal(look.frame(900), false, 'nothing changes at street level');
@@ -92,12 +130,7 @@ test('from space the globe is lit by the atmosphere; near the ground the tiles k
 
 test('the clouds show only below their tops, switching in motion too', () => {
   const view = fakeView(0);
-  const look = buildNavaraLook(
-    view,
-    plugin([]),
-    navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
-    () => 0,
-  );
+  const look = warmCinematic(view);
   const clouds = view.added.find(({ desc }) => Object.hasOwn(desc, 'clouds'));
   assert.equal(look.frame(900, true), false, 'shown at street level');
   assert.equal(look.frame(20_000, true), true);
@@ -119,12 +152,7 @@ test('the clouds show only below their tops, switching in motion too', () => {
 
 test('globe lighting switches on only at rest, and off even in motion', () => {
   const view = fakeView(0);
-  const look = buildNavaraLook(
-    view,
-    plugin([]),
-    navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
-    () => 0,
-  );
+  const look = warmCinematic(view);
   const aerial = view.added.find(({ desc }) =>
     Object.hasOwn(desc, 'aerialPerspective'),
   );
@@ -162,7 +190,9 @@ const vec = (x, y, z) => ({
   y,
   z,
   copy(v) {
-    Object.assign(this, { x: v.x, y: v.y, z: v.z });
+    this.x = v.x;
+    this.y = v.y;
+    this.z = v.z;
     return this;
   },
   multiplyScalar(k) {
@@ -174,103 +204,142 @@ const vec = (x, y, z) => ({
   clone() {
     return vec(this.x, this.y, this.z);
   },
+  equals(v) {
+    return v.x === this.x && v.y === this.y && v.z === this.z;
+  },
 });
-const luminanceUniforms = () => ({
-  SUN_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE: { value: vec(1.3, 0.9, 0.9) },
-  SKY_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE: { value: vec(1.5, 0.9, 0.8) },
+const SUN = 'SUN_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE';
+const SKY = 'SKY_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE';
+const factors = () => ({
+  [SUN]: { value: vec(1.3, 0.9, 0.9) },
+  [SKY]: { value: vec(1.5, 0.9, 0.8) },
 });
 
-/** Gives the cinematic handles the raw objects Navara 0.2.1 builds. */
-function withRawAtmosphere(view) {
-  const find = (name) =>
-    view.added.find(({ desc }) => Object.hasOwn(desc, name));
-  const sky = luminanceUniforms();
-  const aerial = new Map(Object.entries(luminanceUniforms()));
-  const clouds = luminanceUniforms();
-  const stars = luminanceUniforms();
-  find('sky').ref = { raw: { material: { uniforms: sky } } };
-  find('stars').ref = { raw: { material: { uniforms: stars } } };
-  find('aerialPerspective').ref = { raw: { rawEffect: { uniforms: aerial } } };
-  find('clouds').ref = {
-    raw: {
-      rawEffect: { cloudsPass: { currentMaterial: { uniforms: clouds } } },
+/** A stand-in for internals.js forEachLuminanceUniform over fake materials. */
+function fakeInternals(materials) {
+  return {
+    forEachLuminanceUniform(handles, visit) {
+      for (const [name, scaled] of [
+        ['sky', true],
+        ['stars', false],
+        ['aerialPerspective', true],
+        ['clouds', true],
+      ]) {
+        if (!handles[name]) continue;
+        const uniforms = materials[name];
+        if (!uniforms) continue;
+        for (const key of [SUN, SKY]) visit(key, uniforms[key], scaled);
+      }
     },
   };
-  return { sky, aerial, clouds, stars };
 }
 
-test('the cinematic atmosphere is brighter, the stars and tiles are not', () => {
+const k = navaraScenePlan('cinematic').atmosphereLuminance;
+const near = (a, b) => assert.ok(Math.abs(a - b) < 1e-12, `${a} vs ${b}`);
+
+test('the atmosphere factors are set to scale × base, never compounded', () => {
+  const materials = {
+    sky: factors(),
+    stars: factors(),
+    aerialPerspective: factors(),
+    clouds: factors(),
+  };
   const view = fakeView(0);
-  const plan = navaraScenePlan('cinematic');
-  const look = buildNavaraLook(view, plugin([]), plan, () => 0);
-  const raw = withRawAtmosphere(view);
-  assert.equal(look.frame(900), true, 'the first frame applies the scale');
-  const k = plan.atmosphereLuminance;
-  const sky = (u) => u.SKY_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE.value;
-  const sun = (u) => u.SUN_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE.value;
-  assert.ok(Math.abs(sky(raw.sky).x - 1.5 * k) < 1e-12);
-  assert.ok(Math.abs(sun(raw.sky).x - 1.3 * k) < 1e-12);
-  assert.ok(
-    Math.abs(
-      raw.aerial.get('SKY_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE').value.x - 1.5 * k,
-    ) < 1e-12,
+  const look = buildNavaraLook(
+    view,
+    plugin([]),
+    navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
+    () => 0,
+    fakeInternals(materials),
   );
-  assert.ok(Math.abs(sky(raw.clouds).z - 0.8 * k) < 1e-12);
-  assert.equal(
-    sky(raw.stars).x,
-    1.5,
-    'only the sky, aerial perspective and clouds are walked',
-  );
-  assert.equal(look.frame(900), false, 'applied once, not compounded');
-  assert.ok(Math.abs(sky(raw.sky).x - 1.5 * k) < 1e-12);
-  // Navara rebuilds a material (a cloud quality change): the new one is scaled.
-  const fresh = luminanceUniforms();
-  view.added.find(({ desc }) =>
-    Object.hasOwn(desc, 'clouds'),
-  ).ref.raw.rawEffect.cloudsPass.currentMaterial = { uniforms: fresh };
+  look.frame(900);
+  near(materials.sky[SKY].value.x, 1.5 * k);
+  near(materials.sky[SUN].value.x, 1.3 * k);
+  near(materials.aerialPerspective[SKY].value.z, 0.8 * k);
+  near(materials.clouds[SKY].value.x, 1.5 * k);
+  assert.equal(materials.stars[SKY].value.x, 1.5, 'the stars keep the base');
+  look.frame(900);
+  look.frame(900);
+  assert.equal(look.frame(900), false, 'nothing to change once applied');
+  near(materials.sky[SKY].value.x, 1.5 * k);
+  // A rebuilt material copying the scaled vector is not scaled again.
+  materials.clouds = {
+    [SUN]: { value: materials.sky[SUN].value.clone() },
+    [SKY]: { value: materials.sky[SKY].value.clone() },
+  };
+  assert.equal(look.frame(900), false);
+  near(materials.clouds[SKY].value.x, 1.5 * k);
+  // One built from scratch is.
+  materials.clouds = factors();
   assert.equal(look.frame(900), true);
-  assert.ok(Math.abs(sky(fresh).x - 1.5 * k) < 1e-12);
+  near(materials.clouds[SKY].value.x, 1.5 * k);
 });
 
-test('a look without the scale and an atmosphere not built yet are left alone', () => {
+test('vectors shared between materials are scaled once; stars sharing them get their own', () => {
+  // Separate uniforms holding one vector each, as Navara 0.2.1 builds them.
+  const shared = factors();
+  const sharing = () => ({
+    [SUN]: { value: shared[SUN].value },
+    [SKY]: { value: shared[SKY].value },
+  });
+  const materials = {
+    sky: shared,
+    stars: sharing(),
+    aerialPerspective: sharing(),
+    clouds: sharing(),
+  };
+  const view = fakeView(0);
+  const look = buildNavaraLook(
+    view,
+    plugin([]),
+    navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
+    () => 0,
+    fakeInternals(materials),
+  );
+  look.frame(900);
+  look.frame(900);
+  near(shared[SKY].value.x, 1.5 * k);
+  assert.notEqual(materials.stars[SKY].value, shared[SKY].value);
+  assert.equal(materials.stars[SKY].value.x, 1.5);
+  assert.equal(materials.stars[SUN].value.x, 1.3);
+});
+
+test('a look without the scale, or without internals, leaves the factors alone', () => {
+  const materials = { sky: factors(), stars: factors() };
   const view = fakeView(0);
   const look = buildNavaraLook(
     view,
     plugin([]),
     navaraScenePlan('minimal'),
     () => 0,
+    fakeInternals(materials),
   );
-  const sky = luminanceUniforms();
-  view.added[0].ref = { raw: { material: { uniforms: sky } } };
   assert.equal(look.frame(900), false);
-  assert.equal(sky.SKY_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE.value.x, 1.5);
-  const cinematic = fakeView(0);
-  const other = buildNavaraLook(
-    cinematic,
+  assert.equal(materials.sky[SKY].value.x, 1.5);
+  const other = fakeView(0);
+  const cinematic = buildNavaraLook(
+    other,
     plugin([]),
     navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
     () => 0,
   );
-  assert.equal(other.frame(900), false, 'no raw objects yet: nothing to scale');
+  cinematic.frame(900);
+  cinematic.frame(900);
+  assert.equal(cinematic.frame(900), false, 'no internals: no scale');
 });
 
 test('the cinematic stars hide in a daylit sky and show at night and from space', () => {
   const view = fakeView(0);
   let elevation = 40;
   view.atmosphere.getSunElevation = () => elevation;
-  const look = buildNavaraLook(
-    view,
-    plugin([]),
-    navaraScenePlan('cinematic'),
-    () => 0,
-  );
+  const look = warmCinematic(view);
   const stars = view.added.find(({ desc }) => Object.hasOwn(desc, 'stars'));
   const place = { lat: 40.7, lng: -74 };
   assert.equal(look.frame(900, false, 0, place), true);
   assert.deepEqual(stars.updates, [{ visible: false }]);
   assert.equal(look.frame(900, false, 0, place), false);
   elevation = -10;
-  assert.equal(look.frame(900, false, 0, place), true);
+  look.frame(900, false, 0, place);
   assert.deepEqual(stars.updates.at(-1), { visible: true });
   elevation = 40;
   look.frame(900, false, 0, place);
@@ -279,11 +348,31 @@ test('the cinematic stars hide in a daylit sky and show at night and from space'
   const count = stars.updates.length;
   look.frame(900, false, 0);
   assert.equal(stars.updates.length, count, 'no place keeps them');
-  assert.equal(look.frame(900, false, 0, place), true, 'back down by day');
+  look.frame(900, false, 0, place);
   assert.deepEqual(stars.updates.at(-1), { visible: false });
 });
 
-test('the minimal look keeps its stars whatever the sun', () => {
+test('the cinematic clouds hide after sunset at the camera', () => {
+  const view = fakeView(0);
+  let elevation = 20;
+  view.atmosphere.getSunElevation = () => elevation;
+  const look = warmCinematic(view);
+  const clouds = view.added.find(({ desc }) => Object.hasOwn(desc, 'clouds'));
+  const place = { lat: 40.7, lng: -74 };
+  assert.equal(look.frame(900, false, 0, place), true, 'the stars hide');
+  assert.deepEqual(clouds.updates, []);
+  elevation = -1;
+  assert.equal(look.frame(900, false, 0, place), true);
+  assert.deepEqual(clouds.updates, [{ visible: false }]);
+  elevation = 1;
+  look.frame(900, false, 0, place);
+  assert.deepEqual(clouds.updates, [{ visible: false }], 'hysteresis');
+  elevation = 3;
+  look.frame(900, false, 0, place);
+  assert.deepEqual(clouds.updates.at(-1), { visible: true });
+});
+
+test('the minimal look keeps its stars and clouds whatever the sun', () => {
   const view = fakeView(0);
   view.atmosphere.getSunElevation = () => 40;
   const look = buildNavaraLook(
@@ -295,31 +384,3 @@ test('the minimal look keeps its stars whatever the sun', () => {
   look.frame(900, false, 0, { lat: 0, lng: 0 });
   assert.deepEqual(view.added[1].updates, []);
 });
-
-test('a factor vector the materials share is scaled once', () => {
-  const view = fakeView(0);
-  const plan = navaraScenePlan('cinematic');
-  const look = buildNavaraLook(view, plugin([]), plan, () => 0);
-  const shared = luminanceUniforms();
-  const find = (name) =>
-    view.added.find(({ desc }) => Object.hasOwn(desc, name));
-  find('sky').ref = { raw: { material: { uniforms: shared } } };
-  find('aerialPerspective').ref = {
-    raw: { rawEffect: { uniforms: new Map(Object.entries(shared)) } },
-  };
-  find('clouds').ref = {
-    raw: {
-      rawEffect: {
-        cloudsPass: { currentMaterial: { uniforms: { ...shared } } },
-      },
-    },
-  };
-  look.frame(900);
-  look.frame(900);
-  assert.ok(
-    Math.abs(
-      shared.SKY_SPECTRAL_RADIANCE_TO_LUMINANCE.value.x -
-        1.5 * plan.atmosphereLuminance,
-    ) < 1e-12,
-  );
-});
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/viewOptions.js b/src/globe/navara/viewOptions.js
index 521d56f9b..7474fb8dc 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/viewOptions.js
+++ b/src/globe/navara/viewOptions.js
@@ -100,11 +100,10 @@ export function cloudsVisibleAt(height, ground, current = true) {
 // came out dark navy (sRGB about 39, 58, 90 at Manhattan facing the
 // horizon), and the stars showed through it. The cinematic look multiplies
 // the atmosphere's radiance-to-luminance factors (sky, clouds, aerial
-// perspective; Navara's stars share them) by this scale instead of raising
+// perspective; not the stars) by this scale instead of raising
 // the exposure, so the sky turns daylight blue and the tiles keep their
 // colours.
 export const ATMOSPHERE_LUMINANCE_SCALE = 3;
-const STAR_INTENSITY = 40;
 
 // Stars show from space or once the sun is well below the horizon at the
 // camera (civil twilight), and hide in a daylit sky. Gaps keep a camera
@@ -114,6 +113,19 @@ export const STARS_HIDE_SUN_ABOVE_DEG = -4;
 export const STARS_SPACE_ENTER_M = 100_000;
 export const STARS_SPACE_EXIT_M = 80_000;
 
+// The cinematic clouds hide once the sun at the camera sets (below 0°):
+// unlit, they read as dark puffs over a dusk sky. They show again above 2°.
+export const CLOUDS_HIDE_SUN_BELOW_DEG = 0;
+export const CLOUDS_SHOW_SUN_ABOVE_DEG = 2;
+
+/** Whether the sun is up enough for the cinematic clouds; NaN keeps `current`. */
+export function cloudsSunlitAt(sunElevation, current = true) {
+  if (!Number.isFinite(sunElevation)) return current;
+  return current
+    ? sunElevation >= CLOUDS_HIDE_SUN_BELOW_DEG
+    : sunElevation > CLOUDS_SHOW_SUN_ABOVE_DEG;
+}
+
 /**
  * Whether the cinematic stars show for a camera at `height` (metres above
  * the ellipsoid) with the sun `sunElevation` degrees above its horizon; an
@@ -140,13 +152,13 @@ export function sunDateStale(atmosphereMs, nowMs, toleranceMs = 60_000) {
 const cinematic = (mobile) => ({
   pluginDefault: false,
   // Brighter, larger stars (defaults 10 and 1 px) so the night sky and the
-  // globe from space keep a visible starfield next to a sunlit Earth: 40,
-  // divided by the atmosphere scale the stars share.
+  // globe from space keep a visible starfield next to a sunlit Earth. The
+  // atmosphere scale leaves the stars at their base factor (look.js).
   meshes: [
     { sky: {} },
     {
       stars: {
-        intensity: STAR_INTENSITY / ATMOSPHERE_LUMINANCE_SCALE,
+        intensity: 120,
         pointSize: 2,
       },
     },
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/viewOptions.test.mjs b/src/globe/navara/viewOptions.test.mjs
index 67d66d05b..3abf113c8 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/viewOptions.test.mjs
+++ b/src/globe/navara/viewOptions.test.mjs
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ import {
   STARS_SPACE_ENTER_M,
   STARS_SPACE_EXIT_M,
   starsVisibleAt,
+  CLOUDS_HIDE_SUN_BELOW_DEG,
+  CLOUDS_SHOW_SUN_ABOVE_DEG,
+  cloudsSunlitAt,
 } from './viewOptions.js';
 
 test('the product view renders on demand with MSAA 4 at the native pixel ratio', () => {
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@ test('the cinematic look: photoreal plus clouds and ACES, no sun shadow maps, no
   assert.equal(plan.pluginDefault, false);
   assert.deepEqual(plan.meshes, [
     { sky: {} },
-    { stars: { intensity: 40 / ATMOSPHERE_LUMINANCE_SCALE, pointSize: 2 } },
+    { stars: { intensity: 120, pointSize: 2 } },
   ]);
   assert.deepEqual(plan.lights, [
     { skyLightProbe: {} },
@@ -214,3 +217,12 @@ test('stars show at night and from space, not in a daylit sky, with hysteresis',
   assert.ok(STARS_SHOW_SUN_BELOW_DEG < STARS_HIDE_SUN_ABOVE_DEG);
   assert.ok(STARS_SPACE_EXIT_M < STARS_SPACE_ENTER_M);
 });
+
+test('the clouds hide once the sun sets at the camera, with hysteresis', () => {
+  assert.equal(cloudsSunlitAt(40, true), true);
+  assert.equal(cloudsSunlitAt(CLOUDS_HIDE_SUN_BELOW_DEG - 0.1, true), false);
+  assert.equal(cloudsSunlitAt(1, false), false, 'inside the gap');
+  assert.equal(cloudsSunlitAt(1, true), true, 'inside the gap');
+  assert.equal(cloudsSunlitAt(CLOUDS_SHOW_SUN_ABOVE_DEG + 0.1, false), true);
+  assert.equal(cloudsSunlitAt(Number.NaN, false), false, 'unknown keeps it');
+});

From 6dad3894bdcbd79ce130fcccfa6a1ebb1dc3e82b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: German Khokhlov <ouchlock@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:06:15 +0400
Subject: [PATCH 3/6] fix(globe): sharpen sky mask past depth 0.99999, not >= 1

RGBA8 depth packing rounds near the far plane.
---
 src/globe/navara/sharpen.js | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/src/globe/navara/sharpen.js b/src/globe/navara/sharpen.js
index 034adc686..2ddc7d4d8 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/sharpen.js
+++ b/src/globe/navara/sharpen.js
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ const fragmentShader = /* glsl */ `
 uniform float amount;
 uniform sampler2D tSceneDepth;
 uniform bool uSkipSky;
+const float SKY_DEPTH = 0.99999;
 
 vec3 encodeGamma(vec3 color) {
   return pow(max(color, vec3(0.0)), vec3(1.0 / 2.2));
@@ -44,7 +45,8 @@ vec3 sampleGamma(vec2 uv) {
 }
 
 void mainImage(const in vec4 inputColor, const in vec2 uv, out vec4 outputColor) {
-  if (uSkipSky && unpackRGBAToDepth(texture2D(tSceneDepth, uv)) >= 1.0) {
+  // The far plane, with a margin: packing to RGBA8 rounds near 1.0.
+  if (uSkipSky && unpackRGBAToDepth(texture2D(tSceneDepth, uv)) > SKY_DEPTH) {
     outputColor = inputColor;
     return;
   }

From da6141be4b87862752fb752f4b166043fd8d948c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: German Khokhlov <ouchlock@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:06:15 +0400
Subject: [PATCH 4/6] perf(globe): lazy hidden tiles by tile extent; floor
 resample interval

sampleHeight collects hidden tiles only after the shown ones miss, with
no per-node allocation, and picks the finest by tile extent (Navara
exposes no geometric error), not per-mesh radius. The ground floor
resamples on a move only after 100 ms, and reports its own ground and
margin (engine.groundFloor, Navara-only diagnostics).
---
 src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.js       |   8 +-
 src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.test.mjs |   7 ++
 src/globe/navara/groundFloor.js              |  24 +++-
 src/globe/navara/groundFloor.test.mjs        |  20 ++++
 src/globe/navara/surface.js                  | 117 ++++++++++++-------
 src/globe/navara/surface.test.mjs            |  25 ++++
 6 files changed, 152 insertions(+), 49 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.js b/src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.js
index 8e4f3434f..dbd4d5d4a 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.js
+++ b/src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import { createNavaraCredits } from './credits.js';
 import { createNavaraInput } from './input.js';
 import { createNavaraMaps } from './maps.js';
 import { createNavaraSurface } from './surface.js';
-import { createGroundFloor } from './groundFloor.js';
+import { createGroundFloor, GROUND_FLOOR } from './groundFloor.js';
 
 const { cartesian3, math } = geo;
 
@@ -231,5 +231,11 @@ export function createNavaraEngine(
       sharpenPort?.destroy();
     },
     isDestroyed: () => destroyed,
+    // Navara only, not contract: the ground the floor last sampled under
+    // the camera and the margin it keeps above it (QA measures against it).
+    groundFloor: {
+      ground: () => groundFloor.ground(),
+      margin: GROUND_FLOOR.MIN_ABOVE,
+    },
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.test.mjs b/src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.test.mjs
index 0f98dad22..2ceab2c31 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.test.mjs
+++ b/src/globe/navara/createNavaraEngine.test.mjs
@@ -369,3 +369,10 @@ test('the floor does not fight flights or a lookAt target', () => {
   near(heightOf(engine), 130, 1e-6, 'lifted once released');
   engine.destroy();
 });
+
+test('the ground floor reports its own ground and margin (diagnostics, not contract)', () => {
+  const { engine } = setup();
+  assert.equal(typeof engine.groundFloor.ground, 'function');
+  assert.equal(engine.groundFloor.margin, 30);
+  assert.equal(engine.groundFloor.ground(), undefined, 'nothing sampled yet');
+});
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/groundFloor.js b/src/globe/navara/groundFloor.js
index 53e8e12ea..e670b1a7d 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/groundFloor.js
+++ b/src/globe/navara/groundFloor.js
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ export const GROUND_FLOOR = Object.freeze({
   RESAMPLE_METRES: 20,
   /** Age (ms) after which the ground is sampled again. */
   RESAMPLE_MS: 250,
+  /**
+   * Age (ms) before a move resamples: a sample of the ground outside the
+   * view costs about 1.6 ms (surface.js), too much for every frame.
+   */
+  MIN_RESAMPLE_MS: 100,
 });
 
 /**
@@ -81,12 +86,19 @@ export function createGroundFloor({
       0,
       WGS84,
     );
-    if (
-      sample &&
-      at - sample.at < GROUND_FLOOR.RESAMPLE_MS &&
-      cartesian3.distance(point, sample.point) < GROUND_FLOOR.RESAMPLE_METRES
-    )
-      return sample.height;
+    // Again after RESAMPLE_MS, or after a RESAMPLE_METRES move once
+    // MIN_RESAMPLE_MS has passed (a pan does not sample every frame).
+    if (sample) {
+      const age = at - sample.at;
+      const moved =
+        cartesian3.distance(point, sample.point) >=
+        GROUND_FLOOR.RESAMPLE_METRES;
+      if (
+        age < GROUND_FLOOR.RESAMPLE_MS &&
+        !(moved && age >= GROUND_FLOOR.MIN_RESAMPLE_MS)
+      )
+        return sample.height;
+    }
     const height =
       surface.sampleHeight(place) ?? surface.terrainHeight?.(place) ?? 0;
     sample = { point, at, height };
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/groundFloor.test.mjs b/src/globe/navara/groundFloor.test.mjs
index 9f80a109b..a5a8ff83b 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/groundFloor.test.mjs
+++ b/src/globe/navara/groundFloor.test.mjs
@@ -130,6 +130,26 @@ test('the ground is resampled after a move or a while, and the clamp only on rea
   state.position = at(2.36, 48.85, 500);
   state.ground = 140;
   floor.update();
+  assert.equal(state.samples, 2, 'not within MIN_RESAMPLE_MS of the last');
+  state.time += GROUND_FLOOR.MIN_RESAMPLE_MS;
+  floor.update();
   assert.equal(state.samples, 3, 'resampled after a move');
   assert.equal(state.clamps.length, 2, 'a 40 m change is sent');
 });
+
+test('a pan resamples at most every MIN_RESAMPLE_MS, however far it moves', () => {
+  // A sample of the ground outside the view costs about 1.6 ms (surface.js):
+  // not on every frame of a pan.
+  assert.ok(GROUND_FLOOR.MIN_RESAMPLE_MS >= 100);
+  const { floor, state } = setup({ ground: 100 });
+  state.position = at(2.35, 48.85, 500);
+  floor.update();
+  for (let frame = 1; frame <= 30; frame++) {
+    state.time = frame * 16;
+    state.position = at(2.35 + frame * 0.001, 48.85, 500); // ~73 m a frame
+    floor.update();
+  }
+  // 480 ms of panning: the first sample and one every 100 ms at most.
+  assert.ok(state.samples <= 1 + Math.ceil(480 / GROUND_FLOOR.MIN_RESAMPLE_MS));
+  assert.ok(state.samples >= 3, 'still follows the pan');
+});
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/surface.js b/src/globe/navara/surface.js
index 45fa27f51..67fb3bcbc 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/surface.js
+++ b/src/globe/navara/surface.js
@@ -58,25 +58,23 @@ const b = new Vector3();
 const c = new Vector3();
 const point = new Vector3();
 
-// Meshes with CPU positions under the tile roots, minus `exclude`: the
-// shown ones, and the loaded ones Navara hides (outside the frustum, or
-// parents of the tiles it shows), which still hold their geometry.
-function tileMeshes(roots, exclude) {
-  const shown = [];
-  const hidden = [];
-  const stack = roots
-    .filter((root) => !exclude.has(root))
-    .map((root) => [root, root.visible]);
-  while (stack.length) {
-    const [object, visible] = stack.pop();
-    if (object.isMesh && object.geometry?.attributes?.position?.array)
-      (visible ? shown : hidden).push(object);
-    for (const child of object.children)
-      if (!exclude.has(child)) stack.push([child, visible && child.visible]);
-  }
-  return { shown, hidden };
+const hasPositions = (object) =>
+  object.isMesh && Boolean(object.geometry?.attributes?.position?.array);
+
+// The meshes with CPU positions under `object`, minus `exclude`, into
+// `out`; with `shownOnly`, only through visible objects.
+function collectMeshes(object, exclude, shownOnly, out) {
+  if (exclude.has(object) || (shownOnly && !object.visible)) return;
+  if (hasPositions(object)) out.push(object);
+  const children = object.children;
+  for (let i = 0; i < children.length; i++)
+    collectMeshes(children[i], exclude, shownOnly, out);
 }
 
+// Reused between calls (sampleHeight runs per frame in the ground floor).
+const shownMeshes = [];
+const tileMeshesScratch = [];
+
 // Nearest hit along worldRay with one mesh, in metres. Not Mesh.raycast: that
 // interpolates UVs and normals, whose arrays Navara has released.
 function meshHitDistance(mesh, far) {
@@ -137,33 +135,65 @@ function nearestHit(meshes, ray) {
   return nearest;
 }
 
-// Among hidden tiles several levels of detail overlap: the hit on the
-// finest tiles (bounding radius within 1.5 times the smallest hit: a
-// quadtree parent is about twice its child), the top one
-// among them. The tiles the ray passes are tried finest first, and coarser
-// ones stop being tried once a hit sets the limit, so the coarse parents'
-// triangles are never walked.
-function finestHit(meshes, ray) {
-  worldRay.origin.set(ray.origin.x, ray.origin.y, ray.origin.z);
-  worldRay.direction.set(ray.direction.x, ray.direction.y, ray.direction.z);
-  const candidates = [];
-  for (const mesh of meshes) {
+// A tile's extent: the bounding sphere around all its meshes, in
+// Earth-fixed metres. Navara 0.2.1 exposes no geometric error or level on a
+// tile, and a quadtree tile's extent halves with each level, so the extent
+// orders them. Tiles do not move once loaded: computed once per tile.
+const extents = new WeakMap();
+function tileExtent(root) {
+  let extent = extents.get(root);
+  if (extent) return extent;
+  tileMeshesScratch.length = 0;
+  collectMeshes(root, NO_EXCLUDE, false, tileMeshesScratch);
+  if (!tileMeshesScratch.length) return null;
+  const bounds = new Sphere();
+  for (const mesh of tileMeshesScratch) {
     const geometry = mesh.geometry;
     if (!geometry.boundingSphere) geometry.computeBoundingSphere();
     sphere.copy(geometry.boundingSphere).applyMatrix4(mesh.matrixWorld);
-    if (worldRay.intersectsSphere(sphere))
-      candidates.push([sphere.radius, mesh]);
+    if (bounds.isEmpty()) bounds.copy(sphere);
+    else bounds.union(sphere);
   }
-  candidates.sort((x, y) => x[0] - y[0]);
+  extent = bounds;
+  extents.set(root, extent);
+  return extent;
+}
+const NO_EXCLUDE = new Set();
+
+// Where the shown tiles miss, the loaded tiles Navara hides (outside the
+// frustum, or parents of the tiles it shows) answer. Several levels of
+// detail overlap there: the hit on the finest tiles (extent within 1.5
+// times the finest tile hit; a quadtree parent is about twice its child),
+// the top one among them. Tiles the ray passes are tried finest first, and
+// coarser ones stop being tried once a hit sets the limit, so the coarse
+// parents' triangles are never walked.
+const hiddenTiles = [];
+function finestHiddenHit(roots, exclude, ray) {
+  worldRay.origin.set(ray.origin.x, ray.origin.y, ray.origin.z);
+  worldRay.direction.set(ray.direction.x, ray.direction.y, ray.direction.z);
+  hiddenTiles.length = 0;
+  for (let i = 0; i < roots.length; i++) {
+    const root = roots[i];
+    if (root.visible || exclude.has(root)) continue;
+    const extent = tileExtent(root);
+    if (extent && worldRay.intersectsSphere(extent)) hiddenTiles.push(root);
+  }
+  hiddenTiles.sort((x, y) => extents.get(x).radius - extents.get(y).radius);
   let limit = Infinity;
   let nearest = Infinity;
-  for (const [radius, mesh] of candidates) {
+  for (const root of hiddenTiles) {
+    const radius = extents.get(root).radius;
     if (radius > limit) break;
-    const distance = meshHitDistance(mesh, ray.far);
-    if (!Number.isFinite(distance)) continue;
+    tileMeshesScratch.length = 0;
+    collectMeshes(root, exclude, false, tileMeshesScratch);
+    let hit = Infinity;
+    for (const mesh of tileMeshesScratch)
+      hit = Math.min(hit, meshHitDistance(mesh, ray.far));
+    if (!Number.isFinite(hit)) continue;
     if (limit === Infinity) limit = 1.5 * radius;
-    nearest = Math.min(nearest, distance);
+    nearest = Math.min(nearest, hit);
   }
+  hiddenTiles.length = 0;
   return nearest;
 }
 
@@ -194,14 +224,17 @@ export function createNavaraSurface(view, hooks) {
   const sampleHeight = (place, exclude) => {
     if (!supported) return undefined;
     const ray = surfaceRay(place);
-    const { shown, hidden } = tileMeshes(
-      hooks.tileRoots(),
-      new Set(exclude ?? []),
-    );
+    const roots = hooks.tileRoots();
+    const excluded = exclude ? new Set(exclude) : NO_EXCLUDE;
     // The tiles on screen first; where they do not reach (the ground under
-    // a camera looking ahead is outside the frustum), the loaded hidden ones.
-    let distance = nearestHit(shown, ray);
-    if (!Number.isFinite(distance)) distance = finestHit(hidden, ray);
+    // a camera looking ahead is outside the frustum), the hidden ones.
+    shownMeshes.length = 0;
+    for (let i = 0; i < roots.length; i++)
+      collectMeshes(roots[i], excluded, true, shownMeshes);
+    let distance = nearestHit(shownMeshes, ray);
+    shownMeshes.length = 0;
+    if (!Number.isFinite(distance))
+      distance = finestHiddenHit(roots, excluded, ray);
     return heightAlongRay(ray, distance) ?? terrainHeight(place);
   };
   return {
diff --git a/src/globe/navara/surface.test.mjs b/src/globe/navara/surface.test.mjs
index 00b12d866..ffefb80a9 100644
--- a/src/globe/navara/surface.test.mjs
+++ b/src/globe/navara/surface.test.mjs
@@ -190,3 +190,28 @@ test('tilesLoaded follows Navara idle; a failed geometry patch means unsupported
   assert.equal(surface.supported, false);
   assert.equal(surface.clampToHeightSupported, false);
 });
+
+test('among hidden tiles the finest tile wins by its extent, not by a small mesh in a coarse tile', () => {
+  // A coarse hidden tile (800 m across) carries a small 20 m mesh 5 m above
+  // the fine hidden tile's ground: by mesh size the coarse tile's small mesh
+  // would win; by tile extent the fine tile does.
+  const fine = tileAt(10, 45, 40);
+  const coarse = tileAt(10, 45, 30, 400);
+  const coarseRoof = tileAt(10, 45, 45, 10);
+  // One coarse tile with two meshes, both relative to its own centre.
+  coarseRoof.tile.remove(coarseRoof.mesh);
+  coarseRoof.mesh.position
+    .copy(coarseRoof.tile.position)
+    .sub(coarse.tile.position);
+  coarse.tile.add(coarseRoof.mesh);
+  coarse.tile.updateMatrixWorld(true);
+  fine.tile.visible = false;
+  coarse.tile.visible = false;
+  const { surface } = setup({ tiles: [coarse.tile, fine.tile] });
+  near(
+    surface.sampleHeight(cartographic.fromDegrees(10, 45, 0)),
+    40,
+    0.05,
+    'the fine tile',
+  );
+});

From ce985768bc0f788c3c4099e9de428e4fbb2871c3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: German Khokhlov <ouchlock@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:06:15 +0400
Subject: [PATCH 5/6] test(qa): wheel floor against the floor's own ground;
 polite tile cache

The Navara wheel check measures clearance against engine.groundFloor's
ground (threshold 29 m: the floor keeps 30 m), so tiles streaming under a
still camera cannot flake it. The tile cache identifies itself with the
repository URL, keeps at most two misses in flight and merges identical
ones.
---
 scripts/qa/tileCache.mjs       | 52 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 src/tooling/tileCache.test.mjs | 44 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 94 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/scripts/qa/tileCache.mjs b/scripts/qa/tileCache.mjs
index b345e96e5..ec1aba3ff 100644
--- a/scripts/qa/tileCache.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa/tileCache.mjs
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ export const CACHED_TILE_HOSTS = Object.freeze([
   'terrain.reearth.land',
 ]);
 const RETRIES = 4;
+/** Who is asking, with a contact URL (the tile hosts' usage policies). */
+export const QA_USER_AGENT =
+  'gods-eye-view-qa/1 (headless tests with a disk cache; https://github.com/bilawalsidhu/gods-eye-view)';
+/** Fetches to the tile hosts in flight at once. */
+export const MAX_MISSES_IN_FLIGHT = 2;
 const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
 
 /**
@@ -59,7 +64,7 @@ export async function fetchTile(
   for (let attempt = 0; ; attempt++) {
     const response = await fetchImpl(url, {
       headers: {
-        'User-Agent': 'gods-eye-view-qa (headless test, cached)',
+        'User-Agent': QA_USER_AGENT,
         ...(accept ? { Accept: accept } : {}),
       },
     });
@@ -73,6 +78,48 @@ export async function fetchTile(
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Loads missing tiles politely: at most MAX_MISSES_IN_FLIGHT fetches at
+ * once (the rest queue), and one fetch for identical misses in flight (same
+ * URL and Accept). `load(url, accept)` resolves to fetchTile's result.
+ */
+export function createMissLoader({
+  fetchImpl = fetch,
+  wait = sleep,
+  maxInFlight = MAX_MISSES_IN_FLIGHT,
+} = {}) {
+  const pending = new Map();
+  const queue = [];
+  let running = 0;
+  const next = () => {
+    while (running < maxInFlight && queue.length) {
+      const job = queue.shift();
+      running++;
+      fetchTile(job.url, { accept: job.accept, fetchImpl, wait })
+        .then(job.resolve, job.reject)
+        .finally(() => {
+          running--;
+          pending.delete(job.key);
+          next();
+        });
+    }
+  };
+  return {
+    load(url, accept) {
+      const key = `${url}\n${accept ?? ''}`;
+      let promise = pending.get(key);
+      if (!promise) {
+        promise = new Promise((resolve, reject) =>
+          queue.push({ key, url, accept, resolve, reject }),
+        );
+        pending.set(key, promise);
+        next();
+      }
+      return promise;
+    },
+  };
+}
+
 /**
  * Serves the page's requests to CACHED_TILE_HOSTS from the cache (filling
  * it on a miss). Returns the counts.
@@ -84,6 +131,7 @@ export async function installTileCache(
   fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
   const stats = { hits: 0, fetched: 0, cancelled: 0, failed: 0, errors: {} };
   const client = await page.createCDPSession();
+  const misses = createMissLoader();
   client.on('Fetch.requestPaused', async ({ requestId, request }) => {
     const accept = Object.entries(request.headers ?? {}).find(
       ([name]) => name.toLowerCase() === 'accept',
@@ -101,7 +149,7 @@ export async function installTileCache(
         };
         stats.hits++;
       } else {
-        const tile = await fetchTile(request.url, { accept });
+        const tile = await misses.load(request.url, accept);
         // Only successes are cached; a 404 (no tile there) is passed on.
         if (tile.status === 200) {
           fs.writeFileSync(file, tile.body);
diff --git a/src/tooling/tileCache.test.mjs b/src/tooling/tileCache.test.mjs
index 19ffcb879..5674f06b1 100644
--- a/src/tooling/tileCache.test.mjs
+++ b/src/tooling/tileCache.test.mjs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import test from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import {
   backoffMs,
+  createMissLoader,
   fetchTile,
   tileCacheFile,
 } from '../../scripts/qa/tileCache.mjs';
@@ -69,3 +70,46 @@ test('a tile fetch retries 429s, stops after four retries, keeps Accept', async
   assert.equal(limited.status, 429);
   assert.equal(calls, 5);
 });
+
+test('misses: at most two fetches in flight, identical ones merged, a contact UA', async () => {
+  let inFlight = 0;
+  let most = 0;
+  const calls = [];
+  const releases = [];
+  const loader = createMissLoader({
+    fetchImpl: (url, init) => {
+      calls.push([url, init.headers['User-Agent']]);
+      inFlight++;
+      most = Math.max(most, inFlight);
+      return new Promise((resolve) =>
+        releases.push(() => {
+          inFlight--;
+          resolve(response(200, { 'content-type': 'image/png' }));
+        }),
+      );
+    },
+    wait: async () => {},
+  });
+  const loads = [
+    loader.load('a', null),
+    loader.load('a', null),
+    loader.load('b', null),
+    loader.load('c', null),
+    loader.load('a', 'image/webp'),
+  ];
+  for (let round = 0; round < 10 && releases.length; round++) {
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));
+    releases.splice(0).forEach((release) => release());
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));
+  }
+  const tiles = await Promise.all(loads);
+  assert.ok(tiles.every((tile) => tile.status === 200));
+  assert.equal(tiles[0], tiles[1], 'one fetch for two identical misses');
+  assert.equal(calls.length, 4, 'a, b, c and a with another Accept');
+  assert.ok(most <= 2, `${most} fetches in flight`);
+  assert.ok(
+    calls.every(([, agent]) =>
+      agent.includes('https://github.com/bilawalsidhu/gods-eye-view'),
+    ),
+  );
+});

From 4aaf9746006b7cd9cae10e10dc0ae3511d91fc9d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: German Khokhlov <ouchlock@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:06:15 +0400
Subject: [PATCH 6/6] docs(migration): the review fixes, their measurements and
 QA

---
 src/globe/contract.js | 3 ++-
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/src/globe/contract.js b/src/globe/contract.js
index 8d07e22d9..f3e51f951 100644
--- a/src/globe/contract.js
+++ b/src/globe/contract.js
@@ -167,7 +167,8 @@
  *   Sharpen slider sets in 0.1..2.1). Omitted fields keep their value; a
  *   non-boolean `enabled` or a negative or non-finite `amount` throws a
  *   TypeError. Off with amount 1 until set. The Cesium engine only keeps the
- *   state: in Cesium mode the app's own post stage sharpens.
+ *   state: in Cesium mode the app's own post stage sharpens and mirrors its
+ *   state here (src/ui/visualEffects.js).
  * @property {() => { enabled: boolean, amount: number }} sharpen
  *   The sharpening last set (a copy).
  *