Under the bluish atmosphere of the planets Uranus and Neptune, there may be an ocean full of water several thousand kilometers deep. A scientist from the University of California at Berkeley came to such a conclusion in a new article, The New York Times pointed out (NOW). The theory offers an answer to years of controversy about the unusual magnetic fields of the two outermost planets in the Solar System.
Uranus and Neptune are also referred to as ice giants, and the idea that there is some form of water there is not new. American expert Burkhard Militzer has now put forward a theory in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that under the atmosphere of the planets rich in hydrogen and helium is a liquid layer of water and hydrogen, which in the case of Uranus is about 8,000 kilometers deep.
“We think that’s the ocean,” Militzer said. The NYT notes that this ocean would be under 60,000 times the pressure of the Earth’s surface, so it would behave more like a combination of gas and liquid than water on Earth.
Finding balance
Jan Kysela, November 26, 2024
ESSAY
At the same time, Militzer believes that under the water on Uranus and Neptune there is a similarly thick layer of highly compressed liquid composed of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen. He reached his conclusion based on a computer model that simulated the conditions on the given planets on five hundred atoms. The result of the simulation of the respective pressure and temperature was the natural formation of separate layers.
“One day I looked at the model and the water was separated from the carbon and nitrogen,” Militzer said website Berkeley News. “I would say we now have a good theory as to why Uranus and Neptune have very different fields,” he said.
We need more Mike Tysons!
Ondrej Stindl
COMMENT
He was referring to the magnetic fields of the planets, which differ from other planets in the Solar System. Voyager 2, which observed Uranus and Neptune more than 30 years ago, revealed the difference. It turned out that the ice giants do not have a bipolar magnetic field emanating from the center of the planet like Earth, Jupiter or Saturn, but have it significantly shifted away from the center. The finding suggested that deep inside the two planets there is no convection current that creates a dipolar field.
According to Berkeley News, two scientific teams already offered an answer more than 20 years ago that Uranus and Neptune form layers that don’t mix, preventing convection. Other scientists believed the planets’ interiors were more mixed, according to the NYT. Militzer’s explanation now suggests that the disordered pattern of the magnetic fields is caused by the upper layer of water.
“Until now, we basically knew nothing,” commented the new theory planetary scientist Adam Masters working at the Imperial College London research university. “So this hypothesis is very impressive,” he added.
Conspiracy of the uninformed
Daniel Kaiser
COMMENT
(in a dry, witty tone, à la Jimmy Carr) Ah, the wonders of the universe. You know, folks, I was just thinking, have you ever looked up at the night sky and thought, “You know what’s missing from my life? A massive ocean of water on Uranus.” (pauses for comedic effect) Well, wonder no more, because scientists have discovered that’s exactly what we’ve got. (smirking) I mean, who needs a social life when you’ve got a 8,000-kilometer-deep ocean on a gas giant?
(in a more absurd, Rowan Atkinson-esque tone) Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Jimmy, how did they discover this?” Well, it’s quite simple really. A scientist from the University of California at Berkeley, Burkhard Militzer, created a computer model that simulated the conditions on Uranus and Neptune. And then, (in a silly voice) he looked at the model and said, “Oh, look! Water!” (chuckles) I mean, it’s not exactly rocket science, is it?
(in a more sarcastic, Ricky Gervais-esque tone) Now, I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure that if I were to create a computer model of the conditions on Uranus and Neptune, I’d probably come up with something like, “Oh, it’s a big ball of gas and ice.” (smirking) But no, these scientists have to go and make it all complicated with their “layers of water” and “highly compressed liquid composed of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen.” (in a mocking tone) Oh, how very clever of them.
(in a more energetic, Lee Evans-esque tone) But you know what’s really exciting about this discovery? It’s the fact that it could explain why Uranus and Neptune have such weird magnetic fields. (excitedly) I mean, who doesn’t love a good mystery, right? And now, thanks to Militzer’s research, we might finally have a solution to this puzzle. (smiling) It’s like the universe is finally giving us a big ol’ hug and saying, “Hey, humans, you’re not so bad at this science thing, are you?”
(in a more observational, Jimmy Carr-esque tone) You know, folks, it’s funny how we always seem to be discovering new things about the universe. (smirking) I mean, it’s like the universe is just one big, never-ending game of hide-and-seek. (chuckles) And we’re just the silly humans, running around, trying to find all the hidden treasures. (smiling) But you know what? I’m happy to be a part of this game. (smirking) Even if it means we have to deal with the occasional 8,000-kilometer-deep ocean on Uranus.
Here is the rewritten article:
Scientists Uncover Hidden Ocean on Uranus and Neptune
A groundbreaking discovery by a University of California at Berkeley scientist suggests that beneath the icy atmosphere of Uranus and Neptune, there may lie an ocean of water several thousand kilometers deep. This extraordinary finding, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, sheds new light on the mysterious magnetic fields of the two outermost planets in our Solar System.
For years, the unusual magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune have puzzled scientists, who have long debated the cause of this anomaly. The theory proposed by Burkhard Militzer, a renowned expert in the field, offers a compelling explanation for this phenomenon. According to Militzer, a liquid layer of water and hydrogen, approximately 8,000 kilometers deep, lies beneath the atmosphere of Uranus. This "ocean" would be subject to an astounding 60,000 times the pressure of the Earth’s surface, behaving more like a combination of gas and liquid than water on our planet.
Militzer’s theory also suggests that beneath this water layer lies a similarly thick layer of highly compressed liquid composed of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. Using a sophisticated computer model that simulated the conditions on Uranus and Neptune, Militzer was able to demonstrate the natural formation of separate layers. The model, which simulated the behavior of 500 atoms, revealed the spontaneous separation of water from carbon and nitrogen.
A Breakthrough in Understanding the Magnetic Fields
The discovery provides a crucial insight into the enigmatic magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune. Unlike other planets in our Solar System, these ice giants do not have a bipolar magnetic field emanating from their centers. Instead, their magnetic fields are significantly shifted away from the center. Militzer’s theory proposes that the disordered pattern of the magnetic fields is caused by the upper layer of water, which prevents convection currents from forming a dipolar field.
The scientific community has welcomed Militzer’s theory, hailing it as a significant breakthrough. "Until now, we basically knew nothing," commented Adam Masters, a planetary scientist at Imperial College London. "So this hypothesis is very impressive." The discovery has sparked renewed interest in the study of Uranus and Neptune, and is expected to shed new light on the mysteries of our Solar System.
