Phase diagram of hydrogen and a hydrogen-helium mixture at planetary conditions by Quantum Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract

Understanding planetary interiors is directly linked to our ability of simulating exotic quantum mechanical systems such as hydrogen (H) and hydrogen-helium (H-He) mixtures at high pressures and temperatures. Equations of State (EOSs) tables based on Density Functional Theory (DFT), are commonly used by planetary scientists, although this method allows only for a qualitative description of the phase diagram. Here we report quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) molecular dynamics simulations of pure H and H-He mixture. We calculate the first QMC EOS at 6000 K for an H-He mixture of a proto-solar composition, and show the crucial influence of He on the H metallization pressure. Our results can be used to calibrate other EOS calculations and are very timely given the accurate determination of Jupiter’s gravitational field from the NASA Juno mission and the effort to determine its structure.