Abstract
The Galileo probe showed that Jupiter’s atmosphere is severely depleted in neon compared to protosolar values. We show via ab initio simulations of the partitioning of neon between hydrogen-helium phases that the observed depletion can be explained by the sequestration of neon into helium-rich droplets within the postulated hydrogen-helium immiscibility layer of the planets interior. We also demonstrate that this mechanism will not affect argon explaining the observed lack of depletion of this gas. This provides strong indirect evidence for hydrogen-helium immiscibility in Jupiter.
- Received 19 November 2009
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.121101
©2010 American Physical Society
Viewpoint
Peering into Jupiter
Published 22 March 2010
Ab initio simulations account for the peculiar abundance characteristics of noble gases in Jupiter
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