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Uranus and Neptune May Have
Diamond Oceans
According to Discovery News, there may
be solid diamond icebergs floating in the oceans of Uranus and Neptune.
The report stated that based upon the melting point of diamonds, there may
indeed be actual oceans of diamonds on some of the distant planets in the solar
system.
The
underlying idea that suggests the existence of diamonds on distant planets is
simple: diamonds tend to behave like water when exposed to extreme temperatures
(melting or freezing). The challenge is that diamonds are an extremely hard
material, making them very difficult to melt. Furthermore, when exposed to hot
temperatures, diamonds physically transform to graphite. Once a diamond has
transformed to graphite, it can then be melted into liquid.
Melting diamonds also requires a high pressure environment. Neptune and Uranus
are planets that both have a high pressure and a high temperature.
According to the study, scientist mimicked the planets’ atmospheres. They then
took a tiny diamond and bombarded it with lasers at ultra high pressures. The
diamond liquefied at an extremely high pressure, incomparable to anything on
Earth. When they slowly began to reduce the temperature and pressure, solid
diamond clusters appeared. They then floated, which was completely unexpected.
The scientists reasoned that the diamonds were behaving like water.
The researchers said that the existence of diamond oceans on Neptune and Uranus
would also explain the nature of their unusual magnetic fields. Unlike on earth,
Uranus and Neptune’s magnetic poles don’t match up with their geographic poles.
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Incendia Diamonds for further advice on engagement rings and wedding bands or to
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