Design Article
Diamond planet twice the size of Earth
Anne-Francoise Pele
10/12/2012 8:23 AM EDT
PARIS – Scientists from Yale University said they have identified a "diamond planet" twice the size of the Earth and eight times its mass.
The planet, named 55 Cancri e, is one of five planets orbiting a sun-like star located 40 light years from Earth in the constellation of Cancer.
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“This is our first glimpse of a rocky world with a fundamentally different chemistry from Earth,” stated Nikku Madhusudhan, a Yale postdoctoral researcher in physics and astronomy. “The surface of this planet is likely covered in graphite and diamond rather than water and granite.”
Illustration of the interior of 55 Cancri e, an extremely hot planet
with a surface of mostly graphite surrounding a thick layer of diamond,
below which is a layer of silicon-based minerals and a molten iron core
at the center. (Source Yale University)
Researchers said they observed that the planet has no water at all and appears to be composed primarily of carbon (as graphite and diamond), iron, silicon carbide, and, possibly, some silicates. At least a third of the planet's mass — the equivalent of about three Earth masses — could be diamond, they noted.
“By contrast, Earth’s interior is rich in oxygen, but extremely poor in carbon — less than a part in thousand by mass,” commented co-author and Yale geophysicist Kanani Lee.
Scientists said the identification of a carbon-rich super-Earth proves that distant rocky planets can no longer be assumed to have chemical constituents, interiors, atmospheres, or biologies similar to those of Earth.
Star map showing the planet-hosting star 55 Cancri in the constellation of Cancer. The star is visible to the naked eye. (Image by Nikku Madhusudhan. Yale University)
See related links:
NASA ponders Mars sample return mission
Diamond planet – black hole eats star – life on Mars – lots more “stuff”
Long Live Curiosity
Conductive diamond/nanotubes promise ice chips
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NASA ponders Mars sample return mission
Diamond planet – black hole eats star – life on Mars – lots more “stuff”
Long Live Curiosity
Conductive diamond/nanotubes promise ice chips
----------------------
If you found this article to be of interest, visit Military/Aerospace Designline where you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to all aspects of military, defense and aerospace. And, to register to our weekly newsletter, click here.
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Bert22306
10/12/2012 4:41 PM EDT
A "mere" 40 light years seems so close, and yet without a warp drive, not even generation travel would realistically get you there. We need a warp drive.
Of course, if we could efficienty reach to 55 Cancri e, it would sure kill today's diamond industry!
Still, when I heard that in the news last night, I was duly fascinated. Only so few years ago, many people were still doubting the existence of any other planets existing in the universe, outside of the Solar System. If that can be believed (then or now).
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Frank Eory
10/15/2012 5:42 PM EDT
"Of course, if we could efficienty reach to 55 Cancri e, it would sure kill today's diamond industry!"
So would an end to the diamond monopoly. Diamonds are not particularly rare here on Earth, but their price is not set by the usual laws of supply & demand.
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elPresidente
10/14/2012 1:07 AM EDT
A planet that can only be interesting to women.
Call me when they find a planet with Lamborghinis on the surface, with a core consisting of one, melted, 1958 Plymouth Fury
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seaEE
10/14/2012 2:07 AM EDT
Is they sure it's diamonds, or could it merely be s Seen On Late Night TV Genuine Cubic Zirconia?
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agk
10/15/2012 8:53 AM EDT
A good finding.The engineers are brainy and experienced to arrive at these results. Next step will be to find out methods to confirm their assessments by performing suitable experiments.Then send space ships with robots to bring the diamond to the earth.Ultimately this will make this research use full.
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Brutus_II
10/15/2012 11:56 AM EDT
I remember "Bones" (Dr. McCoy) treating some kind of silicate-based life form's phasor wound with a plastic cement-like concoction he mixed up. The monster recovered and in return quit attacking the miners and instead bored tunnels for them (think they were mining dilithium for their warp drives?).
Interesting to think of what strange life forms may exist on these worlds. Equally interesting is pondering what kind of yet-unknown elements may exist out there. If the known universe was created as described in the big-bang theory, one might deduce that their are not very many unknown elements left to be discovered. Or is that arrogant and narrow minded thinking?
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Etmax
10/17/2012 9:09 AM EDT
If our understanding of physics and the makeup of matter is correct, then we can already postulate what elements there can be. There are a few elements that have been created in particle accelerators to prove theories as is seen in the current table of elements, any additional ones will be heavier and possibly more radioactive. One might even be dilithium :-)
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MikeSmith2011
10/15/2012 1:07 PM EDT
Darn! Just when I had convinced the wife that she had the largest diamond in the universe.
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B2
10/15/2012 1:24 PM EDT
Dr. Evil is conspiring a way to claim it for his own!!
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peter.clarke
10/15/2012 2:23 PM EDT
But on a planet made of diamond, would diamond have any value.
I suppose how much is available at the surface would determine that.
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Stephen_M
10/15/2012 3:11 PM EDT
The planet should be considered a rough stone diamond planet and doesn't have as much value as the same planet set with rings. A diamond planet with rings could be considered a finished "set diamond planet" and would be of much higher value.
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ndancer
10/15/2012 4:24 PM EDT
Didja ever notice that diamonds are a girl's best friend, but man's best friend is a dog. What's happening around Sirius? (The following is stolen from somewhere. Forget where.)
____
((__ \
\\ !
!!!
o_OO \
(___, /
___! !
/ .-! ! _)
(_/ _/ \_/ \
_) _( /
(_(__(____)
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MClayton
10/15/2012 6:21 PM EDT
Isn't Yale home of the Skulls?
Those guys would never ruin the diamond market.
I bet on THAT planetary neighborhood, nobody thinks diamonds are valuable. The see our planet as having WATER...much more valuable...which we will understand sooner or later.
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