Mechanism for water formation on rocky exoplanets demonstrated in the lab
Experiments have revealed that the interaction between a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and a molten planet leads to high levels of water production. Through this process, planets could be enriched with water during their formation, altering their chemistry, evolution and, possibly, habitability. At high pressures and temperatures, hydrogen can reduce iron oxides to produce iron and water.
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature
- Published
- 2025-12-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-04015-2
- Primary Topic
- High-pressure geophysics and materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00