High Pressure Workshop

New structures and exotic properties of simple molecular systems under extreme conditions: using neutrons to explore planetary interiors

11 May 2026, 13:30

30m

Auditorium (WHGA) (PSI Villigen)

Speaker

Livia E. Bove (1)IMPMC, CNRS-UMR 7590, Université P&M Curie, 75252 Paris, France 2) Physics Department, Università di Roma La Sapienza, piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00196, Roma, Italy 3)LQM, Physics Department, Ecole Politecnique Federale Lausanne, Lausanne, Suisse)

Description

Simple molecular systems—such as water, methane, ammonia, hydrogen, and their mixtures—play a central role across disciplines, from energy storage technologies to condensed matter and planetary physics 1. They are abundant on Earth, widespread in planetary bodies throughout our solar system, [2] and have even been detected on newly discovered water-rich exoplanets, representing not only a vast natural resource but also a unique testing ground for fundamental science. Thanks to their simple stoichiometry and electronic struc-ture, these systems serve as ideal model compounds for unraveling the physicochemical behavior of more complex molecular materials. When subjected to the extreme pressure–temperature conditions characteri-stic of planetary interiors, they exhibit remarkably rich phase diagrams, anomalous dynamical, thermal, and transport properties, enhanced solubility, as well as emergent phenomena such as superionicity, plasticity, and quantum entanglment.

In this talk, I will present our recent experimental insights into the structure and dynamics of simple molecu-lar systems under extreme conditions, obtained through neutron, X-ray, and light scattering techniques [3–17]. I will also highlight their implications for planetary modeling and potential energy applications.

1 W.L. Mao et al., Physics Today 60, 42 (2007).
[2] Leigh N. Fletcher et al., Planetary and Space Science, 191, 105030 (2020).
[3] S. Klotz, L. E. Bove et al. Nat. Mat. 8, 405 (2009).
[4] L. E. Bove, R. Gaal, et al., PNAS 112, 8216 (2015).
[5] S. Klotz, L.E. Bove, et al., Sci. Rep. 6, 32040 (2016).
[6] U. L. Ranieri et al., Nature Com., 8, 1076 (2017).
[7] S. Schaack et al., PNAS, 10.1073/pnas.1904911116 (2019).
[8] U. L. Ranieri, et al., Nature Com. 12: 195 (2021).
[9] S. Schaack et al., PNAS, 10.1073/pnas.1904911116 (2019).
[10] H. Zhang, et al., The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 14(9) 2301 (2023)
[11] U. Ranieri et al., PNAS 120 52 (2023)
[12] S. Di Cataldo et al., Phys. Rev. Letters 133, 236101 (2024)
[13] M. Rescigno et al., Nature 640 (8059), 662–667 (2025).
[11] L. Andriambariarijaona, et al. Physical Review B, 111(21), 214109 (2025).
[12] L. Monacelli, et al. Physical Review B DOI: 10.1103/1cgl-mklx (2025).
[13] S. Berni et al. Comm. Chemistry (accepted), arXiv:2508.09771 (2025).
[14] L. Renaud et al. PNAS (accepted), arXiv:2508.09771 (2025).

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Fund under Grant 200021149487, the French National Research Program under Grant ANR- 23-CE30-0034 EXOTIC-ICE and the Franco-Japonais program Sakura 53273PD