There is a high possibility of diamonds raining on hundreds of exoplanets in space, a new experiment shows

There is a significant likelihood of diamonds precipitating on numerous exoplanets in space, according to a recent experiment. The genesis of these diamonds is attributed to the compression of carbon compounds found deep within the cores of exoplanets at exceedingly low temperatures.

Conducted at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California by Mungo Frost and his team, the experiment suggests that diamond precipitation could become a commonplace occurrence within ice-giant planets such as Uranus and Neptune.

While previous laboratory experiments explored the conditions conducive to diamond formation inside ice giants using dynamic compression methods, Frost’s experiment marks a significant departure by employing the static compression method for the first time in this context.

The experiment focused on studying the conditions of compressed carbon on icy planets using static compression but dynamic heating. The team subjected polystyrene, a polymer used in styrofoam, to compression between two diamonds and then exposed it to pulses of X-ray light. The results of the experiment were astonishing.

Observations revealed a gradual formation of diamonds from polystyrene under conditions of approximately 2200 degrees Celsius and pressures of about 19 gigapascals. These conditions closely resemble those found in the interiors of Uranus and Neptune, suggesting that diamond rain on icy planets might be a more prevalent phenomenon than previously thought.