Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Scientists have observed carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ices on trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) for the first time. The findings were made using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to analyse the chemical composition of these distant objects.
The study was led by planetary scientists Mário Nascimento De Prá and Noemí Pinilla-Alonso from the University of Central Florida's Florida Space Institute. They used JWST's infrared spectral capabilities to examine 59 TNOs and Centaurs, identifying carbon dioxide in 56 objects and carbon monoxide in 28.
The groundbreaking study, published in Nature Astronomy, suggests that carbon dioxide ice was abundant in the cold outer regions of the protoplanetary disk from which the solar system formed. The origins of the carbon monoxide ice remain uncertain and require further investigation.
The study found that carbon dioxide was widespread on the surfaces of the TNOs, independent of their size and dynamical class. Carbon monoxide was detected primarily in objects with a high abundance of carbon dioxide.
The discovery suggests that these ices can help us understand the formation and migration of celestial objects in the solar system. TNOs are considered relics from planetary formation, containing pristine information about the original composition of the protoplanetary disk.
Previous detections of carbon dioxide ice on TNOs were hampered by observational limitations and the possibility of the ice being buried or converted into other molecules. JWST's capabilities allowed for the precise detection and analysis of these ices.
The discovery opens up opportunities for further study. Researchers plan to explore the relationship between these ices and other compounds on TNO surfaces. The foundational knowledge gained from this study will support future planetary science and astronomy research.