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Title: Planetary Ices and the Linear Mixing Approximation

Journal Article · · The Astrophysical Journal (Online)
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4];  [5];  [5];  [2];  [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [6];  [5]
  1. Univ. Rostock, Rostock (Germany); Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  3. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  4. Univ. Rostock, Rostock (Germany); Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)
  5. Univ. Rostock, Rostock (Germany)
  6. Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)

Here, the validity of the widely used linear mixing approximation (LMA) for the equations of state (EOSs) of planetary ices is investigated at pressure–temperature conditions typical for the interiors of Uranus and Neptune. The basis of this study is ab initio data ranging up to 1000 GPa and 20,000 K, calculated via density functional theory molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, we determine a new EOS for methane and EOS data for the 1:1 binary mixtures of methane, ammonia, and water, as well as their 2:1:4 ternary mixture. Additionally, the self-diffusion coefficients in the ternary mixture are calculated along three different Uranus interior profiles and compared to the values of the pure compounds. We find that deviations of the LMA from the results of the real mixture are generally small; for the thermal EOSs they amount to 4% or less. The diffusion coefficients in the mixture agree with those of the pure compounds within 20% or better. Finally, a new adiabatic model of Uranus with an inner layer of almost pure ices is developed. The model is consistent with the gravity field data and results in a rather cold interior ($${T}_{\mathrm{core}}\sim 4000$$ K).

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344; AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1420280
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1415412
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-734721; LA-UR-17-25748; TRN: US1801477
Journal Information:
The Astrophysical Journal (Online), Vol. 848, Issue 1; ISSN 1538-4357
Publisher:
Institute of Physics (IOP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 37 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Multiple superionic states in helium–water compounds journal July 2019
Laser-driven shock compression of “synthetic planetary mixtures” of water, ethanol, and ammonia journal July 2019
Thermal evolution of Uranus and Neptune: I. Adiabatic models journal December 2019
High-pressure chemistry of hydrocarbons relevant to planetary interiors and inertial confinement fusion journal May 2018
Shockwave compression and dissociation of ammonia gas journal January 2019
Thermal conductivity of dissociating water—an ab initio study journal February 2019
Stochastic density functional theory at finite temperatures journal March 2018
Evidence for Crystalline Structure in Dynamically-Compressed Polyethylene up to 200 GPa text January 2019
Consequences of Giant Impacts on Early Uranus for Rotation, Internal Structure, Debris, and Atmospheric Erosion journal July 2018
Viscosity and Prandtl Number of Warm Dense Water as in Ice Giant Planets journal August 2019
Evidence for Crystalline Structure in Dynamically-Compressed Polyethylene up to 200 GPa journal March 2019
Thermal evolution of Uranus and Neptune: II. Deep thermal boundary layer journal June 2021
Multiple superionic states in helium–water compounds text January 2019
Consequences of Giant Impacts on Early Uranus for Rotation, Internal Structure, Debris, and Atmospheric Erosion text January 2018
Thermal evolution of Uranus and Neptune I: adiabatic models text January 2019