Thermodynamics and phase separation of dense fully-ionized hydrogen--helium fluid mixtures
The free energy of a hydrogen-helium fluid mixture is evaluated for the temperatures and densities appropriate to the deep interior of a giant planet such as Jupiter. The electrons are assumed to be fully pressure-ionized and degenerate. In this regime, an appropriate first approximation to the ionic distribution functions can be found by assuming hard sphere interactions. Corrections to this approximation are incorporated by means of the perturbation theory of Anderson and Chandler. Approximations for the three-body interactions and the nonlinear response of the electron gas to the ions are included. It is predicted that a hydrogen-helium mixture, containing 10 percent by number of helium ions, separates into hydrogen-rich and helium-rich phases below about 8000$sup 0$K, at the pressures relevant to Jupiter (4 to 40 Megabars). It is also predicted that the alloy occupies less volume per ion than the separated phases. The equations of state and other thermodynamic derivatives are tabulated. Implications of these results are discussed. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y. (USA). Lab. of Atomic and Solid State Physics
- NSA Number:
- NSA-33-003880
- OSTI ID:
- 4199303
- Report Number(s):
- N-75-17185; NASA-CR-142109
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
N62000 -Physics (Fluid)
640107* -Physics Research-Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena
*HELIUM- THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
*HYDROGEN- THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
FLUIDS
IONIZED GASES
JUPITER PLANET
MIXTURES
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PERTURBATION THEORY
THREE-BODY PROBLEM