Largest metallic hydrogen ocean
- Who
- Jupiter
- What
- 55000 kilometre(s)
- Where
- Not Applicable
- When
- 2011
At pressures exceeding around 4 million bar, hydrogen atoms become ionised, with the electrons flowing freely among the hydrogen nuclei. This gives the liquid hydrogen metallic properties and makes it an electrical conductor, leading to the planet’s immense magnetic field. The interior of Jupiter is dominated by an ocean of metallic hydrogen which may have a depth of as much as 55,000 km.