Uranus and Neptune might be rock giants
Phys.org••general
Key Points:
- Researchers from the University of Zurich and NCCR PlanetS propose that Uranus and Neptune may have rockier interiors than previously believed, challenging the traditional classification of these planets as primarily ice giants.
- Their study, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, uses a novel simulation combining empirical and physics-based models to create unbiased yet physically consistent interior profiles for the two planets.
- The findings suggest that Uranus and Neptune's compositions could range from water-rich to rock-rich, aligning with observations of other bodies like the rock-dominated dwarf planet Pluto.
- The research also offers new insights into the complex magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune, attributing their non-dipolar nature to ionic water layers generating magnetic dynamos at different depths.
- Despite promising
