Breaking the Barrier between Silica and Water in the Deep Interiors of Water-World Exoplanets
Abstract
Studies have shown that water-world planets are common in our galaxy. Models have assumed separate layers for ice and rock for the internal structure of these planets because of the large differences in chemistry and density of rock and ice. Our new experiments found a dramatic increase in the solubility of H2O in dense silica polymorphs at pressures above 20 GPa, reaching a SiO2:H2O molar ratio of 3:1. Such large solubility of H2O in silica can alter the mass-radius relations. The large solubility should be also considered in modeling the dynamo, the geochemical cycle, and the dynamics of water-world planets.
- Publication:
-
EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019
- Pub Date:
- September 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019EPSC...13..189S