“Being a comet formed in a remote planetary system, it is remarkable that the mixture of materials forming the surface of the body has a resemblance with trans-Neptunian objects.”
According to a report by Live Science, the team used the Joan Oró Telescope at the Montsec Observatory in Catalonia, pairing its data with observations from additional regional observatories.
Heating Near the Sun Triggered Icy Eruptions
As the comet came within 235 million miles of the Sun, it entered a heightened sublimation stage. During this heating event, the comet brightened dramatically, as described by Knewz.com.
Images from the Joan Oró Telescope revealed high-resolution views of gas and dust jets—clear signatures of cryovolcanic discharge. Cryovolcanoes typically form on icy bodies with interior heat sources. This internal warmth melts subsurface ice, enabling eruptions of vapor and dust.
Researchers believe that 3I/ATLAS’s cryovolcanic activity is triggered by a chemical process inside the comet. As sunlight heats the surface, dry ice sublimates, releasing oxidizing liquid that flows inward and reacts with metallic grains rich in iron, nickel, and sulfides.
