Properties of Dense Fluid Hydrogen and Helium in Giant Gas Planets

Abstract

Equilibrium properties of hydrogen-helium mixtures under thermodynamic conditions found in the interior of giant gas planets are studied by means of density functional theory molecular dynamics simulations. Special emphasis is placed on the molecular-to-atomic transition in the fluid phase of hydrogen in the presence of helium. Helium has a substantial influence on the stability of hydrogen molecules. The molecular bond is strengthened and its length is shortened as a result of the increased localization of the electron charge around the helium atoms, which leads to more stable hydrogen molecules compared to pure hydrogen for the same thermodynamic conditions. The {\it ab initio} treatment of the mixture enables us to investigate the structure of the liquid and to discuss hydrogen-hydrogen, helium-helium, and hydrogen-helium correlations on the basis of pair correlation functions.

arXiv comment6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, proceedings PNP12

References in corpus (4)

• A ~ 7.5 Earth-Mass Planet Orbiting the Nearby Star, GJ 876
• Shock Compression of Deuterium and the Interiors of Jupiter and Saturn
• A theoretical look at the direct detection of giant planets outside the Solar System
• First Principles Calculations of Shock Compressed Fluid Helium

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• A Massive Core in Jupiter Predicted From First-Principles Simulations
• Ab Initio Equation of State for Hydrogen-Helium Mixtures with Recalibration of the Giant-Planet Mass-Radius Relation
• Optical properties of high pressure liquid hydrogen across molecular dissociation
• Comparison of Jupiter Interior Models Derived from First-Principles Simulations