Is the interior of the planets liquid or solid? If it is on Earth, we know that there is a level made up of rocks mergermergerthe outer core, what about the others ExoplanetsExoplanetsand in particular Super EarthSuper Earth ? The presence of possible envelopes FluidsFluids It is actually a crucial element for understanding planetary evolution. But conditions at depth, several thousand kilometers from the surface, remain difficult to replicate. In fact, properties physicalphysical Of these environments are very poorly known, including on Earth.
Huge pressures reproduced in the laboratory
However, thanks to the device that is used X-raysX-raysA team of researchers has just succeeded in recreating… PressuresPressures Which can prevail in the mantles of exoplanets two to three times larger than Earth. These pressures (between 81 and 385 GPa) are sufficient to melt a mixture of SilicatesSilicates More or less enrichment ironiron. Thus, scientists were able to observe behavior AtomsAtoms In this liquid. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications It then reveals that, contrary to what was thought, iron does not significantly affect the density of the liquid.
This study allows us to better understand the evolution of Earth, as well as the evolution of potential super-Earths that harbor oceans from Earth. MagmaMagma.
