Rules of formation of H–C–N–O compounds at high pressure and the fates of planetary ices

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Vol. 118; no. 19; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Conway, Lewis J., Pickard, Chris J., Hermann, Andreas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 11.05.2021; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Subjects: Ammonia; Chemical effects; Crystal structure; Decomposition; Density functional theory; Diamonds; High pressure; Magnetic fields; Neptune; Phase transitions; Physical Sciences; Planetary evolution; Planetary interiors; Pressure; Pressure effects; Solar system; Stability analysis; Thermal evolution; H–C–N–O chemistry; structure search; high pressure; planetary ices

The solar system’s outer planets, and many of their moons, are dominated by matter from the H–C–N–O chemical space, based on solar system abundances of hydrogen and the planetary ices H₂O, CH₄, and NH₃. In the planetary interiors, these ices will experience extreme pressure conditions, around 5 Mbar...