• DMCA
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
Inter Space Sky Way
  • Home
  • Alien
  • UFO
  • Space
  • NASA
  • Space Flight
  • Astronomy
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Alien
  • UFO
  • Space
  • NASA
  • Space Flight
  • Astronomy
No Result
View All Result
Inter Space Sky Way
No Result
View All Result
Home Astronomy

Iron Snow May Clarify the Magnetic Fields at Worlds Like Ganymede

January 4, 2024
in Astronomy
60 2
0
Iron Snow May Clarify the Magnetic Fields at Worlds Like Ganymede
74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede, contains a surprisingly sturdy magnetic area for its dimension. Tidal results from Jupiter regularly stretch and squeeze the moon, maintaining its core heat and driving the magnetic area. However the actual geological processes occurring inside the core will not be totally understood. Now, a brand new experimental study has put one of many main fashions of core dynamics to the take a look at: the formation of crystalized ‘iron snow’.

The iron snow concept is sort of a geological ‘climate mannequin’ for a planetary core: it describes how iron cools and crystalizes close to the higher fringe of the core (the place it meets the mantle), then falls inwards and melts again into the liquid centre of the planet.

Ganymede’s core, in different phrases, is a molten steel snowglobe, shaken and stirred by Jupiter’s gravity.

This cycle of rising and falling iron “creates motions within the liquid core and offers power for producing a magnetic area,” the researchers behind the examine write. “Nonetheless, the important thing features of this regime stay largely unknown.”

So that they designed an experiment to check a few of these features.

In fact, scientists can’t simply peer inside a planetary core, so the workforce took to the laboratory, the place they used water ice as an analog for iron snow crystals.

The experiment consisted of a tank of water, cooled from under. A salty layer of water rested on the tank’s backside, representing the planetary mantle (and from a sensible standpoint, helped maintain the ice crystals from getting caught to the underside). On prime of the brine was a layer of recent water, representing the planet’s liquid core. Ice crystals shaped close to the underside of the tank, the place the salty and recent water mingled, then floated upwards and melted within the hotter liquid above.

In different phrases, the experiment was an upside-down simulation of iron snow, with the snowflakes drifting up as a substitute of down.

This setup allowed the workforce to check the behaviour of the crystals and their impact on the entire system.

Their findings had been shocking. As a substitute of a gentle stream of crystallization, rising, and melting, there have been as a substitute sporadic bouts of fast exercise, adopted by intervals of inactivity.

Why?

It seems that to set off the crystallization course of, the liquid wants to achieve a supercooled state, under the temperature at which you’d count on ice to solidify. As soon as that supercooled temperature is reached, it releases a flurry of snowflakes, after which pauses till the temperature is as soon as once more low sufficient to launch a brand new bout of crystals.

Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede. Picture Credit score: By Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration –

This sporadic and cyclical course of has vital ramifications for a planet’s magnetic fields. Iron snow at Ganymede would happen intermittently, and be localized at completely different locations all through the core. The consequence can be a shifting and dancing magnetic area that strengthens, weakens, and modifications form over time.

Ganymede isn’t the one place within the photo voltaic system the place iron snow dominates the behaviour of planetary cores. It’s a believable description of core behaviour in all small planetary our bodies, together with our personal Moon and Mercury, in addition to Mars and huge metallic asteroids.

In instances the place magnetic fields are recognized to exist (like Mercury and Ganymede), it brings us one step nearer to understanding the dynamics of these techniques.

For those who’re questioning, Earth’s core isn’t believed to be dominated by iron snow. The highly effective stress of gravity on the coronary heart of our planet, together with a unique composition of supplies, signifies that metals in Earth’s core are inclined to solidify in the middle, then soften as they drift outwards, quite than snowing down from the mantle (although each processes could be current in some amount, according to recent research).

Learn the paper:

Ludovic Huguet, Michael Le Bars, and Renaud Deguen. “A Laboratory Model for Iron Snow in Planetary Cores.” Geophysics Analysis Letters.

Like this:

Like Loading…

You might also like

Northern lights could also be seen in these 23 US States tonight

Touring to Mars and Ceres Utilizing Lunar Gateway as a Springboard

Extreme geomagnetic storm might spark northern lights as far south as Alabama and northern California tonight



Source link

Tags: ExplainFieldsGanymedeIronmagneticSnowWorlds
Share30Tweet19

Recommended For You

Northern lights could also be seen in these 23 US States tonight

by Chato80
June 1, 2025
0
Northern lights could also be seen in these 23 US States tonight

Northern lights may placed on a powerful present tonight (June 1) as ongoing geomagnetic storm circumstances could push auroras farther south than regular, in keeping with the Nationwide...

Read more

Touring to Mars and Ceres Utilizing Lunar Gateway as a Springboard

by Chato80
June 1, 2025
0
Touring to Mars and Ceres Utilizing Lunar Gateway as a Springboard

By Laurence Tognetti, MSc Could 31, 2025 How can humanity use the creating Lunar Gateway as an applicable start line for advancing human area exploration past the Moon?...

Read more

Extreme geomagnetic storm might spark northern lights as far south as Alabama and northern California tonight

by Chato80
May 31, 2025
0
Extreme geomagnetic storm might spark northern lights as far south as Alabama and northern California tonight

Heads up, aurora chasers! A robust photo voltaic storm is on the way in which.Area climate forecasters are warning of a robust (G3) geomagnetic storm, with an opportunity...

Read more

Advancing Deep House Journey with Nuclear Propulsion

by Chato80
May 31, 2025
0
Advancing Deep House Journey with Nuclear Propulsion

By Laurence Tognetti, MSc Could 30, 2025 How can fission-powered propulsion assist advance deep area exploration, particularly to the outer planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune? That...

Read more

Local weather scientists are internet hosting a 100-hour YouTube livestream in response to Trump’s analysis funding cuts

by Chato80
May 30, 2025
0
Local weather scientists are internet hosting a 100-hour YouTube livestream in response to Trump’s analysis funding cuts

Greater than 200 local weather and climate scientists from throughout the U.S. are participating in a marathon livestream on YouTube, planning to share their scientific work and reply...

Read more
Next Post
The Newest in Tic-Tac UFO Encounters • Newest UFO Sightings

The Newest in Tic-Tac UFO Encounters • Newest UFO Sightings

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Browse by Category

  • Alien
  • Astronomy
  • NASA
  • Space
  • Space Flight
  • UFO

Recent News

Predator: Badlands: Launch date, plot, trailers & every little thing we find out about Predator’s silver display return

Predator: Badlands: Launch date, plot, trailers & every little thing we find out about Predator’s silver display return

June 1, 2025
The Antonio Villas Boas Abduction – Brazil’s First Alien Encounter (1957)

The Antonio Villas Boas Abduction – Brazil’s First Alien Encounter (1957)

June 1, 2025
Northern lights could also be seen in these 23 US States tonight

Northern lights could also be seen in these 23 US States tonight

June 1, 2025
Touring to Mars and Ceres Utilizing Lunar Gateway as a Springboard

Touring to Mars and Ceres Utilizing Lunar Gateway as a Springboard

June 1, 2025
Trump to withdraw Jared Isaacman’s nomination as NASA chief

Trump to withdraw Jared Isaacman’s nomination as NASA chief

June 1, 2025
Final Information to Extraterrestrial UFO Contact

Final Information to Extraterrestrial UFO Contact

June 1, 2025
  • DMCA
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
INTER SPACE SKY WAY

Copyright © 2023 Inter Space Sky Way.
Inter Space Sky Way is not responsible for the content of external sites.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Alien
  • UFO
  • Space
  • NASA
  • Space Flight
  • Astronomy

Copyright © 2023 Inter Space Sky Way.
Inter Space Sky Way is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In