2024-07-16 06:00:14
A new study reveals the possible presence of a diamond layer within Mercury.
The discovery might change our understanding of the planet closest to the Sun. Scientists have been looking at Mercury’s internal composition, proposing that extreme conditions may have encouraged the formation of diamonds at the core-mantle boundary.
Mercury, a planet known for its dark surface and dense core, holds many mysteries. Past missions, such as MESSENGER NASA, had revealed an abundance of graphite on its surface, revealing a past rich in carbone. Ces observations have prompted researchers to explore the planet’s volcanic history.
Researchers in China and Belgium used high-pressure experiments and thermodynamic modeling to simulate Mercury’s internal conditions. Dr. Yanhao Lin explains that the high pressure and temperature have helped to demonstrate the formation of diamond from graphite under conditions similar to those of Mercury.
Their work suggests that the graphite on Mercury’s surface may have come from a carbon-rich magma ocean that solidified, forming a graphitic crust. However, conditions at the core-mantle boundary would be extreme enough to transform the graphite into diamond, resulting in a layer up to 18 kilometers thick.
This discovery has implications for understanding Mercury’s magnetic field, which is particularly strong for a planet of this size. The formation of diamonds might influence the dynamics thermal and the convection in the core liquid of the planet, thus impacting the generation of the magnetic field.
Proposed scenario for diamond formation at the core-mantle boundary of Mercury.
(a) Crystallization of the carbon-saturated magma ocean and potential diamond production at its base.
(b) Crystallization of the inner core and exsolution of diamond at the core-mantle boundary.
Credit: Dr. Yanhao Lin and Dr. Bernard Charlier.
Finally, this study opens interesting perspectives for carbon-rich exoplanetary systems. The diamond-forming processes on Mercury might also occur on other planets, offering new avenues for space exploration and the search for similar planets.
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