A subsolar oxygen abundance or a radiative region deep in jupiter revealed by thermochemical modelling

ABSTRACT Jupiter’s deep abundances help to constrain the formation history of the planet and the environment of the protoplanetary nebula. Juno recently measured Jupiter’s deep oxygen

abundance near the equator to be \(2.2_{ - 2.1}^{ + 3.9}\) times the protosolar value (2σ uncertainties). Even if the nominal value is supersolar, subsolar abundances cannot be ruled out.

Here we use a state-of-the-art one-dimensional thermochemical and diffusion model with updated chemistry to constrain the deep oxygen abundance with upper tropospheric CO observations. We

find a value of \(0.3_{ - 0.2}^{ + 0.5}\) times the protosolar value. This result suggests that Jupiter could have a carbon-rich envelope that accreted in a region where the protosolar

nebula was depleted in water. However, our model can also reproduce a solar/supersolar water abundance if vertical mixing is reduced in a radiative layer where the deep oxygen abundance is

obtained. More precise measurements of the deep water abundance are needed to discriminate between these two scenarios and understand Jupiter’s internal structure and evolution. Access

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VIEWED BY OTHERS A SUPERSOLAR OXYGEN ABUNDANCE SUPPORTED BY HYDRODYNAMIC MODELLING OF JUPITER’S ATMOSPHERE Article Open access 20 November 2024 A SOLAR C/O AND SUB-SOLAR METALLICITY IN A HOT

JUPITER ATMOSPHERE Article 27 October 2021 THE 13CO-RICH ATMOSPHERE OF A YOUNG ACCRETING SUPER-JUPITER Article 14 July 2021 DATA AVAILABILITY Data that support the findings of this study

are available upon request from the corresponding author. CODE AVAILABILITY Software used in this study is available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author. REFERENCES *

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Sci._ 58, 1555–1566 (2010). Article  ADS  Google Scholar  Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS T.C. acknowledges funding from CNES and the Programme National de Planétologie (PNP) of

CNRS/INSU. J.L. acknowledges support from the Juno mission through a subcontract from the Southwest Research Institute. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Laboratoire

d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Pessac, France T. Cavalié * LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université

Paris 06, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Meudon, France T. Cavalié * Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA J. Lunine * Aix Marseille Université, Institut Origines, CNRS, CNES,

LAM, Marseille, France O. Mousis Authors * T. Cavalié View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * J. Lunine View author publications You can also

search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * O. Mousis View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS T.C. performed the modelling and

data analysis. T.C., J.L. and O.M. discussed the results and commented on the manuscript. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to T. Cavalié. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The

authors declare no competing interests. PEER REVIEW PEER REVIEW INFORMATION _Nature Astronomy_ thanks Gordon Bjoraker, Tristan Guillot and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their

contribution to the peer review of this work. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PUBLISHER’S NOTE Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional

affiliations. EXTENDED DATA EXTENDED DATA FIG. 1 CO VERTICAL PROFILE IN JUPITER COMPUTED IN THE SAME CONDITIONS AS IN15 WITH OUR CHEMICAL SCHEME, THAT IS, THAT OF21 WITH REVISED METHANOL

CHEMISTRY KINETICS. The profile is obtained for Kzz = 109 cm.2s−1 and seven times solar oxygen. It is in full agreement with those obtained with other chemical schemes and shown in Figure 17

of15, which are indicated by the grey area. EXTENDED DATA FIG. 2 KZZ PROFILES USED IN THIS WORK. The black profile is our nominal model (where Kzz = 108 cm.2s,−1 constant with altitude)

which results in an oxygen abundance of 0.3 times the protosolar value. The blue profile (Kzz=2.5 × 106 cm.2s,−1 constant with altitude) results constrains oxygen to 2.2 times the protosolar

value, that is, the Juno MWR nominal measurement of7. An intermediate constant value of 2.5 × 107 cm.2s−1 (purple line) will produce the observed CO with nearly solar oxygen. The red

profile (variable with altitude) indicates the presence of a stable radiative layer at depth with a transition region such that Kzz reaches our nominal value at the levels where PH3 and GeH4

are quenched. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary Figs. 1 and 2 and Table 1. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other

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article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law. Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Cavalié, T., Lunine, J. & Mousis,

O. A subsolar oxygen abundance or a radiative region deep in Jupiter revealed by thermochemical modelling. _Nat Astron_ 7, 678–683 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-01928-8 Download

citation * Received: 20 May 2022 * Accepted: 23 February 2023 * Published: 30 March 2023 * Issue Date: June 2023 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-01928-8 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone

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