If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Bad Astronomy and Universe Today Forum > Space and Astronomy > Astronomy
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 08-May-2008, 08:35 PM
m1omg's Avatar
m1omg m1omg is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,296
Default Hydrogen, helium and rare gas ice in the outer solar system

Are there any discovered bodies in the outer solar system that are known to be probably made mostly of frozen hydrogen,helium or rare gas ice instead of being mostly made of frozen water and methane with a bit of hydrocarbon "dirt"? And what is the exact average composition of the outer (KB) solar system bodies and comets?
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 09-May-2008, 09:43 AM
BigDon's Avatar
BigDon BigDon is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,433
Default

Does hydrogen or helium freeze solid outside of a laboratory?
__________________
"The beauty of that discussion of averages is that you don't have to be an expert in Apollo or in photography in order to see where this time study "analysis" breaks down. You just have to be, well...not an idiot." -JayUtah
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 09-May-2008, 09:47 AM
m1omg's Avatar
m1omg m1omg is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,296
Default

The melting point of Hydrogen at atmospheric pressure is 14.01 K, for comparision the current temperature on Eris is around 18 K, so in outer KB the temperature is low enough to freeze it.

Helium cannot freeze solid at atmospheric pressure or in vacuum at all, but I wonder; could it be the component of some KBOs interiors where it is frozen by high pressure along with lower temperature?

Noble gases freezing points (at 1 atm. unless specified otherwise);

Helium (at 2.5 MPa): 0.95 K
Neon: 24.56 K
Argon: 83.80 K
Krypton: 115.79 K
Xenon: 161.4 K
Radon: 202 K

Also, another question, can be frozen chunks of these gases floating in the interstellar space near or in nebulas where solar system is being born?
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 13-May-2008, 11:07 AM
m1omg's Avatar
m1omg m1omg is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,296
Default

Huh?Absolutely no other answers?
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 13-May-2008, 01:23 PM
tusenfem's Avatar
tusenfem tusenfem is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Graz, Austria
Posts: 1,716
Send a message via Yahoo to tusenfem
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by m1omg View Post
Helium cannot freeze solid at atmospheric pressure or in vacuum at all, but I wonder; could it be the component of some KBOs interiors where it is frozen by high pressure along with lowe temperature?
Compression tends to heat stuff (it's the gas law), so I would not expect a lower temperature in the center of a KBO.
__________________
************************************************** *************************
Optimism does not change the laws of physics. (T'Pol)
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is. (Dao De Jing 27)
************************************************** *************************
Martin ( http://www.geocities.com/DrMartinV )
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 13-May-2008, 07:34 PM
m1omg's Avatar
m1omg m1omg is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,296
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tusenfem View Post
Compression tends to heat stuff (it's the gas law), so I would not expect a lower temperature in the center of a KBO.
However compression heat will not remain infinitely.And you have pressure of cca 2.5 MPa fairly shallow under the surface, you don't need planetary core pressures to freeze helium, 2.5 MPa is just cca 25 atmospheres.Even Venus's atmosphere has much more pressure.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bode's Law For Extrasolar Planets Warren Platts Against the Mainstream 267 14-December-2007 04:51 AM
Why the CMB isn't at cosmological distances (Jerry's ideas) Jerry Against the Mainstream 244 15-August-2006 12:27 AM


All times are GMT. The time now is 01:51 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.0.0
©  2006 Bad Astronomy and Universe Today