Computer Simulation of Hydrogen and Helium in the Interior of Giant Planets

巨行星内部氢和氦的计算机模拟摘要本文提出了一种改进的高温高压氢氦混合物状态方程。这将使用新开发的第一原理技术，采用许多机构模拟（路径积分蒙特卡罗技术在较高的温度和密度泛函分子动力学在较低的温度）。这些结果将应用于行星天文学中的三个突出问题：1）木星有核吗？2)巨行星内部氢的金属到分子转变的性质是什么？它如何影响氦的分布？3)是什么机制延长了土星的冷却（观测到的时间是预测的两倍）？此外，这里开发的简并氢氦混合物的状态方程将是太阳系外巨行星模型的关键组成部分。这些结果有望大大提高我们从凌日和径向速度数据中约束这些行星的物理性质的能力。最终的状态方程和在它们之间插值的软件将放在网上供公众使用。一名博士后研究员将得到支持，本科生将作为本科生研究经验网站计划的一部分被纳入研究。一名博士后研究员将得到支持，本科生将被纳入研究，作为本科生网站计划研究经验的一部分。

AST-0507321Burkhard MilitzerCarnegie Institution of WashingtonComputer Simulation of Hydrogen and Helium in the Interior of Giant PlanetsABSTRACTAn improved equation of state for hydrogen-helium mixtures at high temperatures and pressures will be developed. This will be accomplished using newly developed first principle techniques employing many body simulations (path integral Monte Carlo techniques at higher temperatures and density functional molecular dynamics at lower temperatures). The results will be applied to three outstanding problems in planetaryastronomy:1) Does Jupiter have a core and did it emerge from core accretion?2) What are the properties of the metallic to molecular transition in hydrogen inside giant planets and how does it affect the distribution of helium?3) What mechanism prolonged Saturn's cooling (observed to be twice as long aspredicted)?Moreover, equations of state for degenerate hydrogen-helium mixtures developed here will be critical components in models of extrasolar giant planets. These results are expected to significantly improve our ability to constrain the physical properties of these planets from transit and radial velocity data.The final equations of state and the software to interpolate among them will be placed on the web for public use.One post-doctoral fellow will be supported and undergraduates will be included in the research as part of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site program. One post-doctoral fellow will be supported and undergraduates will be included in the research as part of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site program.