Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has long been shrouded in mystery, particularly when it comes to its core. Contrary to initial expectations, its core doesn’t have a sharp boundary but instead gradually blends into surrounding layers of mostly hydrogen, known as a dilute core.
A recent study by Durham University researchers has cast doubt on the giant-impact origin theory for Jupiter’s dilute core. Using advanced supercomputer simulations and cutting-edge software, they tested whether a colossal collision could have created such a unique interior structure.
The simulations found that even under extreme conditions, a stable dilute core was not produced. Instead, the dense rock and ice core material displaced by an impact would quickly re-settle, leaving a distinct boundary with the outer layers of hydrogen and helium. This contradicts the hypothesis that Jupiter’s dilute core resulted from a single dramatic impact.
The study’s findings suggest that the planet’s dilute core is more likely the result of gradual accumulation of heavy and light materials as it formed and evolved. The discovery also sheds new light on similar structures found in other planets, such as Saturn, which has a dilute core as well.
This research could help scientists better understand the interiors of Jupiter- and Saturn-sized exoplanets, potentially revealing that they too have complex interior structures, rather than simple cores.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-08-counters-idea-jupiter-mysterious-core.html