Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 106, Issue 5, Pages 1324-1329Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0812581106
Keywords
ab initio molecular dynamics; high pressure; planetary interiors
Categories
Funding
- Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration
- Department of Energy [DOE-DE-FG52-06NA26170]
- Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Universita e della Ricerca Grant [PRIN2007]
- Livermore Computing facility
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory [DE-AC52-07NA27344]
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The properties of hydrogen-helium mixtures at Mbar pressures and intermediate temperatures (4000 to 10000 K) are calculated with first-principles molecular dynamics simulations. We determine the equation of state as a function of density, temperature, and composition and, using thermodynamic integration, we estimate the Gibbs free energy of mixing, thereby determining the temperature, at a given pressure, when helium becomes insoluble in dense metallic hydrogen. These results are directly relevant to models of the interior structure and evolution of Jovian planets. We find that the temperatures for the demixing of helium and hydrogen are sufficiently high to cross the planetary adiabat of Saturn at pressures approximate to 5 Mbar; helium is partially miscible throughout a significant portion of the interior of Saturn, and to a lesser extent in Jupiter.
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