title: Chemical processes in the deep interior of Uranus.
abstract: The unusual magnetic fields of the planets Uranus and Neptune represent important observables for constraining and developing deep interior models. Models suggests that the unusual non-dipolar and non-axial magnetic fields of these planets originate from a thin convective and conducting shell of material around a stably stratified fluid core. Here, we present an experimental and computational study of the physical properties of a fluid representative of the interior of Uranus and Neptune. Our electrical conductivity results confirm that the core cannot be well mixed if it is to generate non-axisymmetric magnetic fields. The molecular dynamics simulations highlight the importance of chemistry on the properties of this complex mixture, including the formation of large clusters of carbon and nitrogen and a possible mechanism for a compositional gradient, which may lead to a stably stratified core.
authors.affiliation: Condensed Matter and Materials Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA. chau2@llnl.gov
authors.forename: Ricky
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: Sebastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamel
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Nellis
mesh_terms: D001256:Astronomy; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D018540:Uranus
chemical_list: D045424:Complex Mixtures; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen