A subsolar oxygen abundance or a radiative region deep in Jupiter revealed by thermochemical modelling

Abstract

Jupiter's deep abundances help to constrain the formation history of the planet and the environment of the protoplanetary nebula. Juno recently measured Jupiter's deep oxygen abundance near the equator to be 2.2${}_{-2.1}^{+3.9}$ times the protosolar value (2$\sigma$ uncertainties). Even if the nominal value is supersolar, subsolar abundances cannot be ruled out. Here we use a state-of-the-art one-dimensional thermochemical and diffusion model with updated chemistry to constrain the deep oxygen abundance with upper tropospheric CO observations. We find a value of 0.3${}_{-0.2}^{+0.5}$ times the protosolar value. This result suggests that Jupiter could have a carbon-rich envelope that accreted in a region where the protosolar nebula was depleted in water. However, our model can also reproduce a solar/supersolar water abundance if vertical mixing is reduced in a radiative layer where the deep oxygen abundance is obtained. More precise measurements of the deep water abundance are needed to discriminate between these two scenarios and understand Jupiter's internal structure and evolution.

9 pages, 5 figures, paper published in Nature Astronomy

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