Quantum molecular dynamics simulations of the thermophysical properties of shocked liquid ammonia for pressures up to 1.3 TPa

Abstract

We investigate via quantum molecular-dynamics simulations the thermophysical properties of shocked liquid ammonia up to the pressure 1.3 TPa and temperature 120000 K. The principal Hugoniot is predicted from wide-range equation of state, which agrees well with available experimental measurements up to 64 GPa. Our systematic study of the structural properties demonstrates that liquid ammonia undergoes a gradual phase transition along the Hugoniot. At about 4800 K, the system transforms into a metallic, complex mixture state consisting of $\textnormal{N}\textnormal{H}_{3}$, $\textnormal{N}_{2}$, $\textnormal{H}_{2}$, N, and H. Furthermore, we discuss the implications for the interiors of Uranus and Neptune.