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In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of planetary scientists from the University of Central Florida’s Florida Space Institute observed the presence of CO2 and CO ices on trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) in the far reaches of our solar system. This marks the first time these ices have been detected in this region.
The research, led by Mário Nascimento De Prá and Noemí Pinilla-Alonso, utilized the infrared spectral capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to analyze the chemical composition of 59 trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs. Their findings, published in Nature Astronomy, shed light on the abundance of carbon dioxide ice in the cold outer regions of the protoplanetary disk, the rotating disk of gas and dust from which the solar system formed.
The team reported carbon dioxide detection in 56 TNOs and carbon monoxide in 28 of a sample of 59 objects observed with the JWST. These findings suggest that carbon dioxide was widespread on the surfaces of the trans-Neptunian population, independent of the dynamical class and body size, while carbon monoxide was detected only in objects with a high carbon dioxide abundance.
The discovery of these ices on TNOs provides valuable insights into the formation of our solar system and the migration of celestial objects. According to De Prá, “Trans-Neptunian Objects are relics from the process of planetary formation. These findings can impose important constraints about where these objects were formed, how they reached the region they inhabit nowadays, and how their surfaces evolved since their formation.”
Spectrum of the surface of a trans-Neptunian object rich in carbon volatile ices obtained with JWST as part of the DiSCo Large Program. Absorptions of carbon dioxide (CO2), its isotopologue (13CO2), and carbon monoxide are highlighted in yellow. The light of the Sun (close to the center of the image) is dimmed billions of miles away, where the trans-Neptunian objects reside. Graphic rendering credit: William Gonzalez Sierra, Florida Space Institute
While carbon dioxide is commonly found in many objects in our solar system, detecting its prevalence beyond the reaches of Neptune raises many questions. The researchers aim to study further and quantify how and why carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are present in TNOs, as well as understand their unique characteristics and optical properties.
This pioneering study not only represents a significant step forward in our understanding of the outer solar system but also opens up new avenues for future research into the composition and origins of celestial bodies in this distant region.
Journal Reference
De Prá, M. N., Hénault, E., Holler, B. J., Brunetto, R., Stansberry, J. A., Carolina, A., Carvano, J. M., Harvison, B., Licandro, J., Müller, T. G., Peixinho, N., Lorenzi, V., Bannister, M. T., Pendleton, Y. J., Cruikshank, D. P., Schambeau, C. A., McClure, L., & Emery, J. P. (2024). Widespread CO2 and CO ices in the trans-Neptunian population revealed by JWST/DiSCo-TNOs. Nature Astronomy, 1-10. DOI: 10.1038/s41550-024-02276-x
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