Study Reveals Layered Structure of Uranus, Neptune

Recent studies have revealed new insights into the internal structures of Uranus and Neptune, suggesting they consist of distinct layers much like oil and water, which may explain their unusual magnetic fields. According to Burkhard Militzer, a planetary scientist at UC Berkeley, computer simulations indicate that these ice giants have a water-rich upper layer and a hydrocarbon-rich lower layer, shaped by the extreme pressures and temperatures deep within their atmospheres. This contrasts with previous theories that proposed diamond rain as a significant feature of their interiors. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, utilizes data collected by NASA's Voyager 2 mission, which first discovered the planets' non-dipolar magnetic fields in the late 1980s. Militzer's findings could also imply that similar internal structures may exist in ice giants in other star systems. Overall, these revelations challenge long-held assumptions about the composition and dynamics of these distant planets.