Interiors Of Uranus, Neptune Contain Extraordinary Compounds, Study Reveals

The researchers found extraordinary compounds namely the Carbonic and Orthocarbonic acids, in the interiors of Uranus and Neptune. They stated that these planets comprise of the three cornerstones of chemistry, which are the oxygen, carbon and hydrogen.

The findings of the study were published in the journal Scientific reports. It was led by chemists from MIPT and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. They found that the exceptional molecular and polymeric compounds are formed at high pressures in the interiors of the gas giant planets. These compounds are the carbonic and the ortho carbonic acids, according to Science Daily.

Scientists discover what extraordinary compounds may be hidden inside Uranus and Neptune https://t.co/49swS3ph91 pic.twitter.com/YVJ9I2RfKu

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Carbonic acid is also referred to solutions of carbon dioxide in water or carbonated water. It is described as respiratory acid or volatile acid because it is the only acid emitted as a gas by lungs. The orthocarbonic acid also called Hitler's Acid or methanetetrol consists of a single carbon atom bonded to four hydroxyl groups. It is considered as an oxoacid of carbon.

"The smaller gas giants---Uranus and Neptune---consist largely of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. We have found that a pressure of several million atmospheres unexpected compounds should form in their interiors," said Artem Oganov, the lead author of the study and professor of Skoltech and the head of MIPT's Computational materials Discovery Lab. He added that the cores of these planets may largely consist of these exotic materials.

Gabriele Saleh from MIPT and co-author explained that this is an extremely significant system because all organic chemistry "rests on" these three elements, and until now it had not been entirely clear how they behave under extreme pressures and temperatures. He further explained that they play an essential role in the chemistry of the giant planets.