Diamond Planets: Rich Possibilities for Other Worlds

Science - Space.com ^ | Tue Feb 8,11:21 AM ET | Robert Roy Britt

[wingblade]

Diamond Planets: Rich Possibilities for Other Worlds

The solid planets in our solar system are made mostly of silicates. Rock, basically. A new study shows that planets around some other stars might be made mostly of carbon instead. Deep inside such worlds, where pressures are intense, the carbon would make layers of diamonds that could be miles thick.

The rich-sounding worlds are modeled after a certain type of space rock, known as the carbonaceous chondrite, which are thought to be broken bits of asteroids. Many of them have been collected on Earth.

"These meteorites contain large quantities of carbon compounds such as carbides, organics, and graphite, and even the occasional tiny diamond," Marc Kuchner of Princeton University said in a teleconference with reporters Monday evening from an extrasolar planet conference in Aspen.

The idea builds on other reasonable theories.

The planets in our solar system formed from a disk of gas and dust left behind from the Sun's formation. In regions where there was extra carbon or a lack of oxygen, carbon compounds like graphite and carbides would condense out of the mix, instead of stone.

Carbides are a ceramic used to line the cylinders of engines. They can take the heat of being very close to a star.

Kuchner and his colleague, Sara Seager of the Carnegie Institute of Washington, figure that concept fits nicely with discoveries of planets around other stars, including some that are surprisingly close to their host stars -- much closer than Mercury is to the Sun. Carbon planets could survive at high temperatures near a star, they say.

Another set of candidates for diamond-laden planets are the dark worlds orbiting a dead, fast-spinning star known as PSR 1257+12. These planets -- three of them are roughly Earth-sized -- might have been formed by the destruction of a carbon-rich star, Kuchner said.

Carbon planets might also be common near the center of the galaxy, where stars are known to contain more carbon than out here on the spiral arms where our solar system resides, some 26,000 light-years from the galactic middle.

"There's no reason to think that extrasolar planets will be just like the planets in the solar system." Kuchner said. "The possibilities are startling."

Carbon planets might have smoggy atmospheres laden with carbon dioxide, and a surface covered with tar-like precipitation. "A little bit like Los Angeles," Kuchner said.

Future telescopes might identify some of these offbeat orbs by noting these characteristics and a lack of water.

One day, diamonds could lose their allure by sheer overstocking. The entire galaxy is growing richer in carbon as generation after generation of stars produce heavier elements. In the future, Kuchner and Seager contend, all planets might form as carbon worlds.

[wingblade]

Diamonds are forever (as far as we know).

[rocksblues]

extrasolar planet conference

He's Dead Jim!

[ElkGroveDan]

Probably a good place to meet girls.

[BROKKANIC]

"One day, diamonds could lose their allure by sheer overstocking."

They are already overly abundant. Not as rare as the diamond industry would have people believe.

[Captain Beyond]

When will DeBeers get into the space race so no one else can claim the diamonds? Or will they claim outer space diamonds are fakes? Or will they build weapons platforms and blow up anything coming back to Earth that might have diamonds in it? Just curious because they tend to get really paranoid when other people besides themselves get into the diamond business.

[G32]

I was gonna post the exact same thing. Those guys will stop at nothing to keep diamonds inflated in price. I'd love to see the price of diamonds collapse, but nobody is willing to take out that corrupt tyranny called 'DeBeers'.

[muir_redwoods]

Aurthur Clarke theorized that, on a planet like Jupiter that is mostly hydrogen and other light elements, the heaviest elements would settle in the core. In jupiter's case the heavies element might be carbon. Clarke was guessing that, based on the ratio of observable carbon, the core would be a diamond about the size of our moon.

That's a beautiful idea somehow

[Strategerist]

De Beers is responsible for the greatest scam of all time.

Not just the monopoly and inflated prices, but they CREATED the myth that it was "traditional" to buy diamond rings for engagements and weddings.

[TADSLOS]

This will be nothing like the last minute rush for Cubic Zirconia Planets.

[AFreeBird]

Not as rare as the diamond industry would have people believe.

Saw a movie on Showtime or one of the movie channels called "The Core", a center of the earth journey but not in the Jules Verne image. Anyway they were going through molten magma and at one point doging diamonds as big as cape code.

I thought of DeBeers right then and thought they'd $#!t if such a find was ever made.

[brooklin]

Diamonds are actually quite plentiful. The price is kept high because of the cartel..Debeers. Limit what goes to market and create an artificial shortage... higher prices.

[montag813]

Diamonds soon will be worth no more than quartz, as the technology to produce flawless diamonds becomes ever cheaper. Don't contribute to the price-inflating diamond mafia of DeBeers.

[Montfort]

"When will DeBeers get into the space race so no one else can claim the diamonds? Or will they claim outer space diamonds are fakes? Or will they build weapons platforms and blow up anything coming back to Earth that might have diamonds in it?"

They will make up some term like "blood diamonds" and have governments declare all diamonds but DeBEers' off-limits.

[aruanan]

Diamonds are forever (as far as we know).

Unless you burn them.

[Geritol]

They also ablate.

[e_engineer]

Old news: Diamonds on Neptune

Any gas giant planet with enough methane will have diamonds.

[swilhelm73]

Well, I imagine DeBeers will be coming out against space exploration shortly. ;)

[Brian328i]

Saw a movie on Showtime or one of the movie channels called "The Core", a center of the earth journey but not in the Jules Verne image. Anyway they were going through molten magma and at one point doging diamonds as big as cape code.

There was an article awhile back about researchers discovering that in the south pole with the thick ice sheets there are supposed to be huge diamond reserves and I believe someone was trying to gather the money to do some mining there.

[Dallas59]

The French were bred to die for love
they delight in fighting duels
but I prefer a man who lives
and gives expensive jewels.
A kiss on the hand may be quite continental
but diamonds are a girl's best friend.
A kiss may be grand but it won't pay the rental
on your humble flat, or help you at the automat.
Men grow cold as girls grow old
and we all lose our charms in the end.
But square-cut or pear-shaped
these rocks don't lose their shape
Diamonds are a girl's best friend
...Tiffany's ... Cartier...
Talk to me, Harry, Winston,tell me all about it!
There may come a time when a lass needs a lawyer
but diamonds are a girl's best friend.
There may come a time when a hard-boiled employer
thinks you're awful nice
but get that ice or else no dice.
He's your guy when stocks are high
but beware when they start to descend,
It's then that those louses go back to their spouses
Diamonds are a girl's best friend.
I've heard of affairs that are strictly platonic
but diamonds are a girl's best friend,
and I think affairs that you must keep liaisonic
are better bets if little pets get big baggettes.
Time rolls on and youth is gone
and you can't straighten up when you bend
but stiff back or stiff knees
you stand straight at Tiffany's
Diamonds... Diamonds...
- I don't mean rhinestones -
but Diamonds, Are A Girl's Best Friends

[Mike Darancette]

If you found one of those planers DeBeers would have you killed.