Beneath Jupiter's swirling clouds, the planet's internal composition has remained difficult to probe until now. A recent study uses computer models to estimate the amount of oxygen present, thereby providing clues about the genesis of the gas giant.
To advance this research, scientists from the University of Chicago and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed detailed simulations of Jupiter's internal atmosphere. By combining chemistry and hydrodynamics, these models trace the movements of gases and particles, providing a detailed representation of the deep layers.
Jupiter with Earth shown for comparison.
Image Wikimedia
According to their work, Jupiter would contain approximately one and a half times more oxygen than the Sun. This abundance supports the hypothesis that the planet formed by the accretion of icy material beyond the frost line, a region where water was abundant in the young Solar System.
Furthermore, Jupiter's deep atmospheric circulation proves to be slower than expected, with gases requiring several weeks to migrate between layers. This data transforms our perception of the exchanges between heat, storms, and chemical reactions inside the planet.
Beyond these discoveries, Jupiter's composition allows us to trace the history of the Solar System. Planets indeed preserve chemical imprints of their formation environment, functioning as archives of their past and shedding light on planetary evolution.
Until now, space missions such as NASA's Juno have provided indirect measurements, but the simulations now offer a more comprehensive overview. This method could be applied to other giant planets to deepen their study.
This integrated approach allows for the exploration of planetary atmospheres from a new angle. The results are published in
Planetary Science Journal.