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The focus of the study is on the durability of primitive ices within Kuiper Belt objects-cold remnants from the solar system's inception approximately 4.6 billion years ago. A new mathematical model proposed by the researchers demonstrates how these ices can remain preserved deep within such objects for billions of years, contradicting the prevailing belief that these ices would have dissipated over time.
"Our simple mathematical model has shown that it's possible for these primitive ices to be locked within these objects for exceedingly long periods," stated Sam Birch, a planetary scientist at Brown University and one of the study's co-authors.
The research, published in the journal Icarus by Birch and Orkan Umurhan of the SETI Institute, addresses a significant gap in understanding the thermal evolution of Kuiper Belt objects. Traditional models failed to account for the longevity of temperature-sensitive ices like carbon monoxide. The new model suggests these volatile ices could survive much longer than previously thought, remaining dormant until an orbital shift brings the objects closer to the sun, whereupon they become active, or "ice bombs," violently releasing gas.
This hypothesis introduces a novel perspective on the transition of Kuiper Belt objects to comets, driven by internal pressure build-ups from trapped gases. "We've essentially found that Arrokoth's cold environment slows the sublimation process, creating a domino effect that preserves its icy interior," explained Birch.
The implications of this study extend beyond academic interest, informing mission strategies for NASA's Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return (CAESAR) mission, which aims to collect and return cometary material from 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko to Earth. Insights from this research could refine CAESAR's approach to collecting and analyzing cometary substances, potentially unveiling vast reservoirs of primordial material across the outer solar system.
"These findings not only challenge our current understanding of cometary evolution but also hint at the untapped reservoirs of ancient materials lying dormant in the outer solar system, awaiting exploration," Birch concluded.
Research Report:Retention of CO ice and gas within 486958 Arrokoth
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