Jupiter's core is not a product of a violent cosmic collision
In short: For years, astronomers believed a massive celestial impact shattered Jupiter's interior, mixing its core into a diffuse state. However, new supercomputer simulations suggest a far more gradual process. The giant planet may have built its unique internal structure simply by absorbing different materials as it grew.
For a long time, the prevailing theory regarding Jupiter's internal structure was that a colossal collision occurred during the planet's youth. Scientists hypothesized that a massive impact with an early planet—one containing roughly half of Jupiter's core material—could have been violent enough to mix the central region, creating a 'dilute' core. This structure is characterized by a lack of a sharp boundary, where the core material gradually blends into the surrounding layers of hydrogen and helium. However, recent research using cutting-edge supercomputer simulations has challenged this narrative. Researchers from Durham University, in collaboration with NASA, SETI, and the University of Oslo, utilized the DiRAC COSMA supercomputer to model these impacts. Using the SWIFT open-source software, they tested various extreme collision scenarios.
The results were surprising: none of the simulations produced a stable dilute core. Rather, models indicated that impact-displaced ice and dense rock would rapidly reposition, creating a clear, abrupt interface separating the interior from exterior strata. The findings suggest that Jupiter's 'fuzzy' core was likely formed gradually. As the planet formed and evolved, it pulled in both heavy and light elements, allowing them to mix naturally over time rather than through a single cataclysmic event. This shift in understanding is significant because it changes how we model the birth of gas giants. Interestingly, this dilute core structure is not unique to Jupiter; evidence suggests that Saturn also possesses a similar internal configuration.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Scientists Reveal That Jupiter Is Not What We're Beeing Told
- Also: Jupiter’s core isn’t what we thought
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