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Title: Experimental evidence for superionic water ice using shock compression

Journal Article · · Nature Physics
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [4];  [2];  [2]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  3. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)
  4. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

In stark contrast to common ice, Ih, water ice at planetary interior conditions has been predicted to become superionic with fast- diffusing (that is, liquid-like) hydrogen ions moving within a solid lattice of oxygen. Likely to constitute a large fraction of icy giant planets, this extraordinary phase has not been observed in the laboratory. Here, we report laser-driven shock-compression experiments on water ice VII. Using time-resolved optical pyrometry and laser velocimetry measurements as well as sup- porting density functional theory–molecular dynamics (DFT-MD) simulations, we document the shock equation of state of H2O to unprecedented extreme conditions and unravel thermodynamic signatures showing that ice melts near 5,000 K at 190 GPa. Furthermore, optical reflectivity and absorption measurements also demonstrate the low electronic conductivity of ice, which, combined with previous measurements of the total electrical conductivity under reverberating shock compression, provides experimental evidence for superionic conduction in water ice at planetary interior conditions, verifying a 30-year-old prediction.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Contributing Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, University of Rochester
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0002729
OSTI ID:
1542614
Journal Information:
Nature Physics, Vol. 14, Issue 3; ISSN 1745-2473
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group (NPG)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 131 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (29)

Advances in Graphene‐Based Liquid Cell Electron Microscopy: Working Principles, Opportunities, and Challenges journal January 2019
First‐Principles Determination of the Dissociation Phase Boundary of Phase H MgSiO 4 H 2 journal July 2019
Altered chemistry of oxygen and iron under deep Earth conditions journal January 2019
Multiple superionic states in helium–water compounds journal July 2019
Nanosecond X-ray diffraction of shock-compressed superionic water ice journal May 2019
Laser-driven shock compression of “synthetic planetary mixtures” of water, ethanol, and ammonia journal July 2019
Explaining the low luminosity of Uranus: a self-consistent thermal and structural evolution journal January 2020
Proton dynamics and the phase diagram of dense water ice journal June 2018
Near-infrared optical investigations of snow, ice, and water layers on diffuse reflecting surfaces journal December 2018
Characterizing equation of state and optical properties of dynamically pre-compressed materials journal April 2019
Advances in the experimental exploration of water’s phase diagram journal February 2019
Superionic UO 2 : A model anharmonic crystalline material journal May 2019
Electronic bandgap of water in the superionic and plasma phases journal September 2019
Growth model interpretation of planet size distribution journal April 2019
On the chain-melted phase of matter journal April 2019
Anomalous hydrogen dynamics of the ice VII–VIII transition revealed by high-pressure neutron diffraction journal March 2020
Rapid freezing of water under dynamic compression journal May 2018
Characterization of laser-driven shock compression by time-resolved Raman spectroscopy journal December 2018
Shock temperature and reflectivity of precompressed H 2 O up to 350 GPa: Approaching the interior of planets journal December 2018
Salt- and gas-filled ices under planetary conditions
  • Bove, Livia E.; Ranieri, Umbertoluca
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 377, Issue 2146 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2018.0262
journal April 2019
Path integral Monte Carlo and density functional molecular dynamics simulations of warm dense MgSiO 3 journal January 2020
Dynamics and superconductivity in compressed lanthanum superhydride journal September 2018
Multicomponent mutual diffusion in the warm, dense matter regime journal September 2019
Penetration of Steel Projectiles through Finite-Thickness Ice Targets journal May 2019
Phase Transition of Ice at High Pressures and Low Temperatures journal January 2020
Explaining the low luminosity of Uranus: a self-consistent thermal and structural evolution text January 2020
Multiple superionic states in helium–water compounds text January 2019
Advances in the experimental exploration of water's phase diagram text January 2018
Explaining the low luminosity of Uranus: A self-consistent thermal and structural evolution text January 2019


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