Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published August 12, 2008 | Published
Journal Article Open

Metallic helium in massive planets

Abstract

In this issue of PNAS, Stixrude and Jeanloz (4) show that band closure in pure helium occurs at lower pressures than previously thought, provided the effect of high temperatures is taken into account. This suggests that helium behaves as a metal, at least at the highest pressures encountered in Jupiter and perhaps over a wider range of pressures in the many, often much hotter, planets of Jupiter's mass and larger that are now evidently common in the universe (5). The full thermodynamic and transport properties of the relevant mixtures cannot be deduced from the behavior of the end members (pure hydrogen and pure helium) and are therefore an area of ongoing research.

Additional Information

© 2008 by the National Academy of Sciences. PNAS published ahead of print August 6, 2008, doi:10.1073/pnas.0806430105. Author contributions: D.J.S. wrote the paper. The author declares no conflict of interest. See companion article PNAS 103:11071.

Attached Files

Published - STEpnas08.pdf

Files

STEpnas08.pdf
Files (278.1 kB)
Name Size Download all
md5:96aea417e099abb842e0d6efc7ac4e9b
278.1 kB Preview Download

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 16, 2023