[아하! 우주] The “diamond rain” of Uranus and Neptune falls throughout the universe

A person study identified that diamonds raining down on Uranus and Neptune, the planets of the solar method, could be existing through the universe.

Underneath the surface area of Uranus and Neptune, hydrogen and carbon exist in a higher-temperature, high-density liquid state. Diamonds are considered to have formed there and are bit by bit sinking into the Earth-sized rock main much more than 10,000 km down below, a phenomenon termed “diamond rain”.

Worldwide researchers, this kind of as the Dresten-Rosendorf Investigate Institute (HZDR) in Helmholtzzentrum, Germany, have declared that they have succeeded in reproducing the phenomenon of diamond rain by experimenting with general plastics.

“When oxygen is additional to hydrogen and carbon, the diamond shower phenomenon is likely to be additional frequent than anticipated,” the researchers noted.

The major variety of big icy planets, this sort of as Uranus and Neptune, are considered to exist outdoors the photo voltaic system. As a result, the scientists demonstrate that the diamond shower phenomenon is probably to take place during the universe.

Dr Dominique Klaus, a HZDR physicist who participated in the research, defined: “The shower of diamonds is absolutely distinct from the rain that falls on Earth.”

“Diamonds can form levels that prolong hundreds of kilometers or much more,” Klaus explained. Even a diamond is unlikely to shine like a stunning gem, but the construction it produces is like that of the Earth ”.

To reproduce the phenomenon of diamond rain, the analysis workforce geared up polyethylene terephthalate (PET), made use of for food stuff packaging and plastic bottles, as a mixture of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

The PET made use of in the experiment was fully new for exploration needs. “In idea, you could experiment with a bottle of Coke,” Klaus stated.

The scientists irradiated the plastic with a significant-run laser at Stanford Nationwide Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) in California, United states of america. By really promptly radiating particularly brilliant X-rays, we have been capable to observe the method of producing granular nanodiamonds invisible to the naked eye.

“Plane like Uranus and Neptune have a great deal of oxygen, so it truly is straightforward to choose hydrogen atoms from carbon,” Klaus stated. This is how simple it is to make a diamond “.

The experiments also display the probability of developing new producing strategies for nanodiamonds. Nanodiamonds are widely utilised in drug supply technology that controls drug substances, non-invasive surgical procedures, and quantum electronic know-how.

The comprehensive final results of the analysis were published in the most recent issue of the worldwide educational journal ‘Science Advances’ (the 2nd).

By Yoon Tae-hee, staff reporter [email protected]

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