Researchers, led by Dr. Mungo Frost at the SLAC Research Center in California, conducted pioneering experiments using the European X-ray Free Electron Laser Facility in Germany, to understand the formation of diamond rain on icy planets such as Neptune and Uranus.
The study, details of which were published in the journal Nature Astronomy, sheds light on the relationship between diamond rain and the complex magnetic fields found on these planets.
Previous studies indicated that diamonds could form from carbon compounds under extreme pressure within the interiors of gaseous planets.
However, a new experiment using the European X-ray Laser Facility has revealed that diamond formation can begin at lower pressures and temperatures than previously thought.
This suggests that diamond rain forms at lower depths inside these planets, which may have a greater impact on the generation of their magnetic fields.
Furthermore, the results suggest that diamond rain may also occur on smaller gaseous planets known as mini-Neptunes, which are exoplanets found outside our solar system.
The researchers found that when diamond rain falls through planetary layers, it can carry gas and ice, generating conductive ice currents. These conductive fluid movements act as a dynamo, contributing to the creation of the planets’ magnetic fields.
The researchers replicated the extreme conditions inside icy gas giants by exposing a plastic film made of a hydrocarbon compound to high pressures and temperatures exceeding 2,200 degrees Celsius, similar to the interiors of planets. The formation of diamonds was observed using laser beams at the European X-ray Laser Facility, allowing monitoring Accurate diamond formation process.
