NASA NTRS2024
The exploration of carbon-to-oxygen ratios has yielded intriguing insights into the composition of close-in giant exoplanets, giving rise to a distinct classification: carbon-rich planets, characterized by a carbon–to–oxygen ratio ≥ 1 in their atmospheres, as opposed to giant planets exhibiting carbon–to–oxygen ratios close to the protosolar value. In contrast, despite numerous space missions dispatched to the outer solar system and the proximity of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, our understanding of the carbon-to-oxygen ratio in these giants remains notably deficient. Determining this ratio is crucial as it serves as a marker linking a planet’s volatile composition directly to its formation region within the disk. This article provides an overview of the current understanding of the carbon-to-oxygen ratio in the four gas giants of our solar system and explores why there is yet no definitive dismissal of the possibility that Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune could be considered carbon-rich planets. Additionally, we delve into the three primary formation scenarios proposed in existing literature to account for a bulk carbon-to-oxygen ratio ≥ 1 in a giant planet. A significant challenge lies in accurately inferring the bulk carbon-to-oxygen ratio of our solar system’s gas giants. Retrieval methods involve integrating in situ measurements from entry probes equipped with mass spectrometers and remote sensing observations conducted at microwave wavelengths by orbiters. However, these methods fall short of fully discerning the deep carbon-to-oxygen abundance in the gas giants due to their limited probing depth, typically within the 10–100 bar range. To complement these direct measurements, indirect determinations rely on understanding the vertical distribution of atmospheric carbon monoxide in conjunction with thermochemical models. These models aid in evaluating the deep oxygen abundance in the gas giants, providing valuable insights into their overall composition.