NASA’s Juno spacecraft has revealed that Jupiter’s largest planet has an unusual “dilute core” at its center, with no sharp boundaries like previously expected. This discovery shocked astronomers, who had assumed giant planets would have clearly defined cores. The mystery deepened when observations showed Saturn also has a similar dilute core structure.
Scientists had proposed that Jupiter’s fuzzy core was formed by a catastrophic collision early in the planet’s history, but new research counters this idea. A team of researchers from Durham University and NASA used powerful computer simulations to model massive object collisions with planets. The results were unexpected: none of the simulations produced a stable dilute core like Jupiter’s.
Instead, the studies suggest that Jupiter’s unusual structure likely formed through a gradual process. As the growing planet slowly absorbed heavy and light materials during its formation billions of years ago, it developed a smooth transition zone between the core and outer layers. This theory gains support from Saturn’s similar dilute core, which also suggests that dilute cores form gradually rather than through rare catastrophic events.
The findings have implications for our understanding of planetary formation beyond our Solar System. If dilute cores form gradually, many Jupiter-sized planets orbiting other stars might have similarly complex internal structures. The research highlights that giant impacts played important roles in planetary formation but cannot explain every feature we observe.
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/articles/new-study-rocks-jupiters-giant-impact-theory