Konno Phase-Limited Mass Hypothesis: Why Water Cannot Form Massive Celestial Bodies

This paper presents the Konno Phase-Limited Mass Hypothesis, a novel framework explaining why polar molecules—especially water (H₂O)—cannot form massive celestial bodies such as stars or large planets. Unlike non-polar gases like hydrogen, helium, methane, or carbon dioxide, water exhibits strong intermolecular cohesion due to its polarity and hydrogen bonding. These molecular properties cause water to undergo phase transitions (condensation, freezing) and fragmentation before gravitational self-aggregation can proceed beyond a critical mass. A key observational support is found in the persistent structure of Saturn’s rings, composed mainly of ice, which never develop into moons. This work unifies thermodynamic, molecular, and gravitational considerations into a new criterion for the mass limits of planetary materials. Author Tetsuo Konno(今野哲夫)