Hydrogen-Helium Mixtures at High Pressure

TL;DR

This paper investigates the properties of hydrogen-helium mixtures at high pressure using path integral Monte Carlo simulations to improve understanding of giant planet interiors and assess the accuracy of existing models.

Contribution

It provides new simulation-based data on the equation of state and structure of hydrogen-helium mixtures, comparing results to chemical models and evaluating the ideal mixing approximation.

Findings

Equation of state data for mixtures at high pressure

Assessment of ideal mixing approximation accuracy

Insights into liquid structure via pair correlation functions

Abstract

The properties of hydrogen-helium mixtures at high pressure are crucial to address important questions about the interior of Giant planets e.g. whether Jupiter has a rocky core and did it emerge via core accretion? Using path integral Monte Carlo simulations, we study the properties of these mixtures as a function of temperature, density and composition. The equation of state is calculated and compared to chemical models. We probe the accuracy of the ideal mixing approximation commonly used in such models. Finally, we discuss the structure of the liquid in terms of pair correlation functions.