# Metal carbonyls sublimating from the nucleus

> Still possible: The nickel and iron came from metal carbonyls, nickel tetracarbonyl and iron pentacarbonyl, which sublimate at low temperature and…

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/3i-atlas/answers/ANS0DFQ187PJFP2/metal-carbonyls-sublimating-from-the-nucleus  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[3I/ATLAS](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/3i-atlas)[Why did nickel vapour appear around 3I/ATLAS without iron, so far from the Sun?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/3i-atlas/questions/QST0DFQ0SJDC3TY/why-did-nickel-vapour-appear-around-3i-atlas-without-iron-so)Answer

Answer · 3I/ATLAS

# Metal carbonyls sublimating from the nucleus

The nickel and iron came from metal carbonyls, nickel tetracarbonyl and iron pentacarbonyl, which sublimate at low temperature and release the atoms in the coma.

**Still possible** Answers **1** question0

## Where it stands

**Still possible** Two pieces of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Nickel and iron production tracks CO production
- Nickel is more centrally concentrated than CN

## What would rule it out

- Metal production that does not follow CO across the orbit

## Evidence 2 for · none against

[After perihelion the metals follow CO](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/3i-atlas/evidence/EVD0DFQ46MX9MYT/after-perihelion-the-metals-follow-co)

Suggestive

FOR

[Nickel from 3.1 au, iron only inside 2.6 au](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/3i-atlas/evidence/EVD0DFQ4JNJ6RZ0/nickel-from-3-1-au-iron-only-inside-2-6-au)

Supported

FOR

## The questions it answers

[Why did nickel vapour appear around 3I/ATLAS without iron, so far from the Sun?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/3i-atlas/questions/QST0DFQ0SJDC3TY/why-did-nickel-vapour-appear-around-3i-atlas-without-iron-so)

Part of [What is 3I/ATLAS made of, and why is its chemistry so unlike a Solar System comet's?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/3i-atlas/questions/QST0DFQ0HS0K7SD/what-is-3i-atlas-made-of-and-why-is-its-chemistry-so-unlike)

Open2 answers, none ahead

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). Metal carbonyls sublimating from the nucleus [Answer ANS0DFQ187PJFP2]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0DFQ187PJFP2
```

Key

**ANS** 0DFQ187PJFP2

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Proposed

[Session 1](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/3i-atlas/sessions/SES0DFQC03S98K5/session-1-3i-atlas-opened-the-literature-to-november-2026) · 2 Nov 2026

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