The structure of Phaethon and detonation of its icy envelope

It is suggested that Phaethon — a hypothetical planet whose breakup gave rise to the asteroid belt — has a structure similar to that of Callisto, and thus consisted of a rocky core (40%; in mass) and an ice envelope (60%). Total breakup of the planet becomes possible in an explosition of the electrolysis products accumulated in the ice in the form of a solid solution if the planet mass M 0.5 M. Assuming M = 0.5 M we obtain 1750 km for the planet's radius with the envelope's thickness of 750km. Application of the hydrodynamic theory of detonation to the (2H₂ + O₂) solution in ice reveals that depending on the actual critical temperature which for conventional explosives lies in the range 700–900 K the minimum (2H₂ + O₂) concentration in ice required for its explosion is 13–18%;.