Research into icy planetesimals has provided unprecedented insights into the early solar system’s formation. These small celestial objects are made up of dust and gas particles that coalesce in a protoplanetary disk surrounding a young star.
Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), such as Pluto, Eris, and Haumea, orbit beyond Neptune, with sizes ranging from dwarf planets to small rocks. Their reddish or darker surfaces are due to chemical compounds called tholins formed by ultraviolet light interacting with their icy makeup.
Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers have identified three distinct compositional groups of TNOs based on ice retention lines that existed when the solar system was formed. The telescope has also revealed specific molecules responsible for the variety of spectra, colors, and albedo observed in TNOs.
The study provides a clearer picture of the solar system’s early formation and evolution. It shows a direct connection between the spectral features of TNOs and their chemical compositions. This discovery highlights the importance of TNOs as time capsules from the Solar System’s early days, offering clues about planet and body formation billions of years ago.
The research also explored centaurs, which are TNOs that have shifted their orbits into the region of giant planets following a close gravitational encounter with Neptune. Unique spectral signatures were observed from centaurs, revealing dusty regolith mantles on their surfaces.
This new understanding of TNOs and centaurs has opened new horizons for further exploration and discovery. The findings will help scientists better comprehend the material that formed outer solar system bodies like gas giants, moons, and Pluto.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/webb-captures-best-view-ever-of-icy-objects-from-the-early-solar-system