Researchers from the University of Hawai?i at Manoa’s Department of Chemistry have discovered what causes the array of colours in hydrocarbon-rich surfaces of Kuiper Belt objects, according to a study published in Science Advances. The Kuiper Belt is a disk of icy bodies, including Pluto, located just outside of Neptune’s orbit in our solar system. The research team replicated the environment in the Kuiper Belt to examine the colour evolution and their source on the molecular level as galactic cosmic rays processed hydrocarbons, such as methane and acetylene, under Kuiper Belt-like conditions. The study provides insight into the role played by ices exposed to radiation in the early production of biological precursor molecules.
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