Overview
- Researchers used a laser‑heated diamond‑anvil cell to recreate the extreme conditions at the interface between hydrogen atmospheres and molten silicate interiors.
- The experiments showed molten silicates react with hydrogen, liberating oxygen that combines with hydrogen to form water reaching up to a few tens of weight percent.
- Calculations based on the results indicate these reactions could continue for billions of years, enabling long‑term water production within some sub‑Neptunes.
- The amount of water produced depends strongly on planetary makeup, with variations in factors such as the Mg:Si ratio significantly altering yields.
- The findings suggest atmospheric water detections on close‑in sub‑Neptunes are not definitive evidence of formation beyond the snow line or later delivery by icy bodies.