Is it theoretically possible to live within a gas giant's atmosphere?

Question

Let me clarify: is it possible that a gas giant might have formed with certain bands/layers of atmoshpere whose chemistry more resembles that of Earth's? Meaning, a section of atmosphere a human being (or something close) could breathe. If so, at what altitude would this layer of atmosphere need to be in order for the strength of the planet's gravitational field to be close to 9.8 m/s sq, and what would the pressure be like? (Assuming the planet is slightly smaller than Jupiter). I understand that this environment would likely be extremely windy and also quite cold. Do wind speeds decrease significantly as one bores deeper in the atmosphere?

I've done research myself but apparently most people are under the impression that this scenario is completely impossible, and I don't have the mathematical formulas/skill to prove otherwise. Hopefully my question makes some sense.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The gas giants we have in this solar system? Definitely not. Jupiter has massive belts of radiation that would kill a human in minutes. And it, like Saturn, are hugely unpredictable. Uranus and Neptune are too cold to even contemplate. All of them are, actually.

But in another solar system? In theory, if there were relatively stable bands that had the right mix of gases, right pressure, right temperature range and no pesky radiation belts, yes! It'd have to be a very robust settlement, but it's not impossible.

Believe it or not, the best location for a floating city is our next-door neighbour, Venus! Sixty-three kilometres above the surface exists a band of gas where the temperature range is 0-50 degrees celsius and the pressure is the same as on Earth. The gas composition isn't right, but it does, however, have one interesting feature - if you were to get a very large bag, pop a colony inside, and fill it with 79% nitrogen and 21% (as in, a mixture breathable to humans), it'd act as a lifting gas, supporting not only its own weight, but a colony's.

There are a few problems with that, one being the technology, another being that the winds at that altitude are in the range of three hundred kilometres an hour, another being that Venus's days and nights are so long that humans could be driven psychotic, and another being that there's all that pesky sulphuric acid floating around... but in a few hundred years, given the right mix of ceramic and carbon to keep out the acid and technology that could make a robust-enough colony, it may be possible.

On a gas planet in this solar system? There's no way. On Venus, in a few centuries, yes! And on a theoretical gas planet somewhere else with the right combination of attributes, sure!

Answer 2

To understand the interior of Jupiter is currently very hard to determine and is very indirect. This is due to the fact that atmospheric space probes can only go a depth of 150 km below the surface. Jupiter probably has a rocky core deep in the planet amounting to around 10 to 15 Earth-masses. This core is surrounded by a large quantity of hydrogen. However, unlike on the surface, this hydrogen is liquid, not gas. This is because at great depths in the planet where pressure exceeds 4 million bars, hydrogen atoms ionize, resulting in elements consisting only of protons. This process converts hydrogen into a metallic state and is then able to conduct electricity and produce magnetic fields. Thus Jupiter has one of the largest magnetospheres in the solar system, extending beyond the scope of Jupiter and into other planets. or maybe: ? Is the center of Jupiter really an Earth-sized diamond as claimed by Arthur C. Clarke? We don't really know. It is very hot, possibly as high as 56,000 K, and very dense. The central core pressure is estimated to be 100 million times the atmospheric pressure at the earth's surface.It is expected from a variety of planet formation scenarios that the planet has a rocky core of about 10-15 times the mass of the Earth, but on top of this is a seething 'ocean' of metallic hydrogen and other exotic states of hydrogen and helium, its chief constituents. Whether the central rocky core is in the form of a 'diamond' or not is not something that could be easily anticipated from the mathematical modeling of the planet's interior. In other words, Arthur's guess is as good as anyones!

Answer 3

It would never be possible for humans to live there.
If a giant gas planet had the right composition,temperature and chemistry it is likely that some sort of creatures could evolve there.
It would make a good science fiction story.

Answer 4

You might find the right pressure and maybe even the right temperature at a not too high pressure somewhere. But there is no oxygen, at least not in Jupiter's atmosphere. We dropped a probe into Jupiter's atmosphere, so we know about that particular gas giant fore sure.

Answer 5

A gas giant can, in theory, meet all your specifications at a certain atmospheric level. However, it is in the nature of a gas giant to vary rapidly. The pressures will shift, et cetera. So, you would need a highly adaptive floating city.
With that kind of expense and technology, it seems that a colony which produces its own oxygen would be far more feasible.

Answer 6

I'm going to play devils advocate (or idiot) and say this: With what we know of science right now compared to what there is to learn, we really have little to no idea what may or may not be possible. We know that it is not possible for us at this moment, but that could simply be a limit in our knowledge and understanding of the universe and of physics. Personally, I think it irresponsible to say what is or is not possible without a disclaimer. The fact of the matter is, we have no idea what conditions are like on the vast majority (to be safe, lets say about 99.999%) of the planets outside of our solar system. We continue to discover things that surprise us; things which we previously thought impossible.

In short: Is it possible on Jupiter? I think I can safely say No. Is it possible elsewhere? I don' know...

Answer 7

Yeah maybe we could in a freezer 300 times more powerful than the average and a load of air decompression systems. Not a good idea I mean if you wis to live there then you are more than welcome but would you be comfartable fry as a strip of bacon at 3000 degrees celcius I think not...

Sum up: KEEP DREAMING

Answer 8

Of course, just ask Lando Calrissian--you can totally live in the clouds and mine the Tibanna gasses for blasters.

Answer 9

NO chances are you'd die, On one of Jupiter's moons conditions seem apparent for life.

Answer 10

There's just no way. For one, the gas is almost entirely hydrogen and helium - can't breathe that.