Answer · 3I/ATLAS
Heat reached deeper, water-richer layers and icy grains
As 3I/ATLAS neared the Sun, heat reached deeper, water-richer ice and released icy grains into the coma, so the gas changed from CO2-dominated to water- and CO-dominated.
Where it stands
Still possibleTwo pieces of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.
What it predicts
- The change follows heliocentric distance on both legs, not time
- Icy grains in the coma fade after perihelion
What would rule it out
- Composition returns to the inbound CO2/H2O ratio at the same distances outbound
Evidence 2 for · none against
The questions it answers
OpenNo answer ahead yet
Cite it
Mysteries Department. (2026). Heat reached deeper, water-richer layers and icy grains [Answer ANS0DFQ349ZM4Y8]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0DFQ349ZM4Y8
@misc{mysteriesdept_ans0dfq349zm4y8,
title = {Heat reached deeper, water-richer layers and icy grains},
author = {{Mysteries Department}},
year = {2026},
note = {Answer, catalog key ANS0DFQ349ZM4Y8},
url = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0DFQ349ZM4Y8}
}