Jupiter's core is not solid, liquid, or gaseous
In short: For decades, astronomers assumed Jupiter possessed a dense, solid heart. New research reveals the truth is far stranger: the planet lacks a sharp boundary between its center and its outer layers, possessing a diffuse structure that challenges our fundamental understanding of how gas giants form.
NASA's Juno spacecraft first revealed that Jupiter does not have a distinct, solid core. Instead, it features what scientists call a "dilute core." In this structure, the heavy elements at the center do not sit in a compact mass; they gradually blend into the surrounding layers of hydrogen and helium. This discovery forces a re-evaluation of planetary evolution, as it suggests that gas giants are not simply built around a solid seed. This transition from gas to liquid occurs as pressure squeezes hydrogen molecules together. The atmosphere's bottom is reached at pressures of 1,000 bars and temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius. Further down, the planet reflects more than half of all incident sunlight.
For years, researchers hypothesized that a massive collision during Jupiter's youth—potentially with an early planet containing half of its core material—mixed the interior into this "fuzzy" state. However, new supercomputer simulations using the DiRAC COSMA system and SWIFT software have debunked this theory. The research, conducted by Durham University in collaboration with NASA and other institutions, found that even extreme impacts cannot produce a stable dilute core. Instead, such collisions would cause dense rock and ice to quickly re-settle, creating a sharp boundary rather than a smooth transition. The study involved researchers from SETI and the University of Oslo. Lead author Dr Thomas Sandnes noted that impacts shake the planet in ways that do not match current observations. These simulations specifically tested mixing between different materials under extreme conditions.
The findings suggest a more gradual formation process. Rather than a cataclysmic event, Jupiter likely developed its diffuse interior by slowly absorbing both heavy and light elements as it grew. This mechanism of accretion and evolution explains the current state of the planet's heart. Notably, this phenomenon is not unique to Jupiter; evidence suggests that Saturn also possesses a similar dilute core structure. The core's makeup is attributed to how the growing planet absorbed various materials during its evolution. At depths of three Earth diameters, hydrogen atoms lose electrons due to intense pressure. This process allows the liquid to conduct electricity like a metal.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: We Finally Know What Jupiter's Core Looks Like
- Also: Jupiter’s core isn’t what we thought
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