Diamond oceans on the outer planets
JAN 25, 2010
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.024026
Nature Physics : A new detailed analysis of the melting point of diamond suggests that Neptune and Uranus could contain liquid diamond oceans.Measuring the melting point of a diamond is very difficult because usually when it’s heated to very high temperatures diamond changes to graphite. To get round this researchers applied extremely high levels of pressure to diamonds and blasted them with lasers to reach 50,000 degrees—similar to temperature and pressure conditions found in the outer planets.When diamond is melted it behaves like water during freezing and melting, with solid forms of diamond “icebergs” floating atop liquid forms. Related article Diamond: Molten under pressure
© 2010 American Institute of Physics
