Scientists used an improved photon source and recreated the structure of ice formed in
This type of ice forms at extremely hightemperatures and pressures, for example, inside planets such as Neptune and Uranus. Previously, superionic ice could only be observed for a short time, when scientists sent a shock wave through a drop of water. And in a new study published in the journal Nature Physics, scientists have found a way to create, maintain, and research such ice.
“It was a surprise - everyone thought that thisthe phase will not manifest until we find ourselves in the conditions of high pressure, at which we first discovered it, - said co-author of the study Vitaly Prakapenka, a research professor at the University of Chicago. "But we were able to very accurately determine the properties of the new ice, which is the phase of matter, thanks to several powerful tools."
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The researchers noted that this is a largeachievement - they don't even know the detailed composition of our planet. Scientists dug just 12 km beneath the Earth's surface before the equipment began to melt under extreme heat and pressure. Under these conditions, the rock becomes like plastic, and the structures of even basic molecules, such as water, begin to change.
“We were able to very accurately reflect the properties of the newice thanks to new tools, - added Vitaliy Prakapenka. "Since we cannot physically reach these places, scientists have to turn to laboratory research to recreate the conditions of extreme heat and pressure."
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