Beneath the bluish atmosphere of the planets <a href="http://www.world-today-news.com/the-planet-neptune-is-in-encounter-with-earth-today-and-it-reaches-its-closest-meeting-point/" title="The planet Neptune is in encounter with Earth today, and it reaches its closest meeting point”>Uranus and Neptune, there may be a water-filled ocean several thousand kilometers deep. A scientist from the University of California at Berkeley came to such a conclusion in a new article, The New York Times (NYT) pointed out. The theory answers years of controversy over the unusual magnetic fields of the two outermost planets in the solar system.
Uranus and Neptune are also described as ice giants, and the idea that there is some kind of water there is not new at all. The American scientist Burkhard Militzer has now put forward a theory in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that under the atmosphere of the planets rich in hydrogen and helium is a liquid layer of water and hydrogen, which in the case of Uranus is about 8,000 kilometers. deep
“We think that’s the ocean,” Militzer said. The NYT notes that this ocean would be less than 60,000 times the pressure of the Earth’s surface, so it would be more like a mixture of gas and liquid than water on Earth.
At the same time, Militzer believes that the same thick layer of highly condensed liquid consisting of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen is underwater on Uranus and Neptune. He reached a conclusion based on a computer model that was similar to the conditions on the planets given on five hundred atoms. The result of the simulation of individual pressure and temperature was the natural formation of individual layers.
“One day I looked at the model and the water was separated from the carbon and nitrogen,” Militzer said. website Berkeley News. “I would say we now have a good theory as to why Uranus and Neptune have very different fields,” he said.
He was referring to the magnetic fields of the planets, which are different from other planets in the solar system. Voyager 2, which saw Uranus and Neptune more than 30 years ago, revealed the difference. It turned out that the ice giants do not have a bipolar magnetic field coming from the center of the planet like Earth, Jupiter or Saturn, but has moved significantly away from the center. The discovery suggested that there is no deep convection current within the two planets that creates a dipolar field.
According to Berkeley News, two scientific teams already offered an answer more than 20 years ago that Uranus and Neptune create layers that do not mix, preventing convection. Other scientists believed the planets’ interiors were more mixed, according to the NYT. Militzer’s explanation now suggests that the chaotic pattern of the magnetic fields is caused by the high water level.
“Until now, we knew basically nothing,” said the new theory planetary scientist Adam Masters who worked at the research university Imperial College London. “So this idea is very impressive,” he said.
2024-11-26 12:11:00
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What types of future exploration missions to Uranus and Neptune could be designed to directly investigate and confirm the existence of these unusual water oceans and their role in shaping the planets’ magnetic fields?
## Beneath the Surface: Exploring Uranus and Neptune’s Hidden Oceans
**Welcome to World Today News!** Today we have the privilege of discussing a groundbreaking new theory about the composition of Uranus and Neptune, the ice giants of our solar system.
Joining us are renowned planetary scientist Dr. Adam Masters from Imperial College London and Dr. Burkhard Militzer, the lead author of the study from UC Berkeley. Welcome gentlemen.
**Dr. Militzer, your research proposes a fascinating new model for the internal structure of Uranus and Neptune. Could you elaborate on the key findings and the evidence that led you to this conclusion?**
**(Dr. Militzer responds)**
**Dr. Masters, you’ve described this new theory as “very impressive.” What aspects of Dr. Militzer’s work stand out to you, and how does it advance our understanding of these distant planets?**
**(Dr. Masters responds)**
**Let’s delve deeper into this concept of a “water ocean” beneath these planets’ atmospheres. Dr. Militzer, your research suggests this isn’t your typical Earth-like water. Can you describe its unique properties and how it differs from what we experience here on Earth?**
**(Dr. Militzer responds)**
**This “water ocean” theory may hold the key to explaining Uranus and Neptune’s unusual magnetic fields. Dr. Militzer, how does this new model shed light on these highly unique magnetic configurations?**
**(Dr. Militzer responds)**
**Dr. Masters, how significant is this potential breakthrough in decoding the magnetic mysteries of these ice giants? What further research is needed to solidify this theory?**
**(Dr. Masters responds)**
**Looking forward, how might this new understanding of Uranus and Neptune’s composition impact future exploration missions to these planets?**
**(Dr. Militzer)**
**(Dr. Masters)**
**what excites you most about these findings and what they tell us about the vast mysteries that still lie hidden within our solar system? **
**(Open answer from both experts)**
**Thank you both for joining us today and sharing your expertise. This groundbreaking research offers a fascinating glimpse into the enigmatic worlds of Uranus and Neptune. Stay tuned to World Today News for continued coverage on these discoveries and future developments in the field of planetary science.**
