From Norman Gregory
David Shiga reports on simulations that suggest the extreme conditions within Uranus and Neptune could produce a layer of superionic water around their cores (4 September, p 15).
Simulations with molecules heavier than water, such as hydrogen sulphide or iron hydride, could be used to explore whether they undergo similar high-pressure transitions. These would be expected to occur at much lower pressures, perhaps even those found in the Earth’s core.
If they do, it would open up interesting possibilities for explaining poorly understood aspects of our own planet, such as the composition of the its core.
Oxford, UK
