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A study by researchers from Arizona State University and the University of Chicago was recently published that determined that some carbon-rich exoplanets could, under the right circumstances, be made of diamonds and silica. The researchers say that these exoplanets are unlike anything in our solar system.
When stars and planets form, they are formed from the same gas cloud, which means that the bulk compositions are similar. Stars with a lower carbon to oxygen ratio will form planets like Earth composed of silicates and oxides with a minimal diamond content. Scientists note that the Earth’s diamond content is about 0.001 percent.
However, exoplanets that form around stars with a higher carbon-oxygen ratio than our Sun are more likely to be rich in carbon. The researchers hypothesized that these carbon-rich exoplanets could convert carbon to diamond and silicate if water is present, creating a diamond-rich composition. To test the hypothesis, the researchers mimicked the interior of carbide exoplanets using high temperatures and high pressure.
First, they dipped silicon carbide in water and compressed the sample between diamonds at a very high pressure to control the reaction between silicon carbide and water. They performed laser heating and took X-ray measurements while laser heating the sample at high pressures. As predicted, silicon carbide reacted with water and turned into diamonds and silica at high temperature and pressure.
The researchers say that carbon-rich planets are unlikely to have the properties necessary to support life. Although carbon-rich planets are not expected to host life, the new study is an additional step to help scientists understand and characterize exoplanets in search of extraterrestrial life. The researchers also note that the more we learn about exoplanets, the better they will be able to interpret new data from future missions like the James Webb Space Telescope.
