Research
Argon on Uranus and Neptune may reveal more about their origins than their interiors
Phys.org ·
The Brief
- New research led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and published in The Planetary Science Journal focuses on measurements of an argon isotope.
- The measurements could help determine whether the interiors of Uranus and Neptune are dominated by ice or rock.
- According to the source, the argon measurements may reveal more about the ice giants' origins than about their interiors.
Why it matters
Uranus and Neptune are the solar system's ice giants, and their formation history is poorly constrained. A tracer that links their composition to their origins would help planetary scientists test formation models.
Who’s affected
- planetary scientists
- astronomers
- #ice giants
- #uranus
- #neptune
- #argon
- #planetary science
- #solar system
Measurements of an argon isotope could help scientists understand whether the interiors of Uranus and Neptune, our solar system's so-called ice giants, are dominated by ice or rock. New research led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and published in The Planetary Science…