First-Principles Simulations of Mixtures in Giant Planets

巨行星混合物的第一性原理模拟

• 批准号: 1008045
• 负责人: Burkhard Militzer
• 金额: $ 32.47万
• 依托单位: University of California-Berkeley
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-01 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1008045&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: First; Principles; Simulations; Mixtures; Giant

This project is a theoretical study of molecular and atomic interactions at the high pressures characteristic of the interiors of giant planets. Two different first-principles computational approaches---density functional molecular dynamics and path integral Monte Carlo---will be used, to (1) simulate interfaces between ice and metallic hydrogen to understand their stability, particularly as related to giant planet formation and core growth; (2) simulate hydrogen-helium mixtures to understand helium rain and its effect of the cooling and radiated luminosity of Saturn; (3) predict the degree to which neon is depleted in Saturn's atmosphere through the process of neon sequestration by helium rain; (4) calculate equations of state for giant planet interiors, with an eye toward explaining the surprisingly large sizes of "hot Jupiters" and refining the temperature profile of Jupiter itself; and (5) calculate the electrical conductivity of H-He mixtures to better understand magnetic field generation and ohmic dissipation of tidal perturbations in giant planets. A graduate student will be supported and trained in this project, which will also produce high-accuracy tables of equations of state for exoplanet modeling. These equations of state will be made available to the research community. The PI and collaborators will also produce an interactive website called "Planet Builder" where students and the public can see how interior composition and physical conditions influence the overall characteristics of planets, in comparison with those in the Solar System.

该项目是对巨型行星内部高压特征的分子和原子相互作用的理论研究。两种不同的第一原理计算方法---密度功能分子动力学和路径积分蒙特卡洛 - 将使用，以（1）模拟冰和金属氢之间的接口以了解其稳定性，尤其是与巨型行星形成和核心生长有关； （2）模拟氢的混合物，以了解氦雨及其对土星的冷却和辐射光度的影响； （3）通过氦雨的霓虹灯隔离过程，预测霓虹灯在土星大气中耗尽的程度； （4）计算巨型行星内部状态的状态方程，并着眼于解释出令人惊讶的大小“热木星”的大小，并完善木星本身的温度曲线； （5）计算H-HE混合物的电导率，以更好地了解巨型行星中潮汐扰动的磁场产生和欧姆耗散。研究生将获得该项目的支持和培训，该项目还将制作出高智度的状态方程式用于系外行星建模。这些国家方程将提供给研究社区。 PI和合作者还将建立一个称为“行星建造者”的交互式网站，学生和公众可以看到内部组合物和物理条件如何影响行星的整体特征，与太阳系中的人相比。