# Sublimation of nitrogen ice from a fragment of an exo-Pluto's surface.

> Disputed: Sublimation of nitrogen ice from a fragment of an exo-Pluto's surface.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua/answers/ANS0CSKC3J40JAH/sublimation-of-nitrogen-ice-from-a-fragment-of-an-exo-plutos  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

---

[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[1I/'Oumuamua](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua)[What pushed 'Oumuamua away from the Sun?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua/questions/QST0CSKBZDA67JF/what-pushed-oumuamua-away-from-the-sun)Answer

Answer · 1I/'Oumuamua

# Sublimation of nitrogen ice from a fragment of an exo-Pluto's surface.

Sublimation of nitrogen ice from a fragment of an exo-Pluto's surface.

**Disputed** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Disputed** Two pieces of evidence for, three against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- The fragment has a high albedo (about 0.64) and was much larger before perihelion.
- Impacts on Pluto-like bodies make enough large nitrogen fragments to explain one detection.
- A future analogue shows nitrogen and no CO or CO2.

## What would rule it out

- A mass budget showing that the needed number of fragments exceeds the available heavy elements, with the accounting agreed.

## Evidence 2 for · 3 against

[Dynamical instabilities could eject about 10^14 fragments per system, half nitrogen ice.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua/evidence/EVD0CSKC41R1BQ4/dynamical-instabilities-could-eject-about-10-14-fragments)

Suggestive

FOR

[Nitrogen ice matches the acceleration, the size, the albedo and the absence of CO, CO2 and dust.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua/evidence/EVD0CSKC3SY5W9G/nitrogen-ice-matches-the-acceleration-the-size-the-albedo)

Supported

FOR

[Cosmic-ray erosion means the fragment must have started at least 0.5 km across, worsening the budget.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua/evidence/EVD0CSKC4HC3GAX/cosmic-ray-erosion-means-the-fragment-must-have-started-at)

Suggestive

AGAINST

[Cratering simulations do not produce nitrogen fragments as large as 'Oumuamua.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua/evidence/EVD0CSKC4S67V87/cratering-simulations-do-not-produce-nitrogen-fragments-as)

Suggestive

AGAINST

[The exo-Pluto mass required exceeds the heavy elements locked in stars, at 95 per cent confidence.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua/evidence/EVD0CSKC49J6R7V/the-exo-pluto-mass-required-exceeds-the-heavy-elements)

Suggestive

AGAINST

## The questions it answers

[What pushed 'Oumuamua away from the Sun?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/oumuamua/questions/QST0CSKBZDA67JF/what-pushed-oumuamua-away-from-the-sun)

Open8 answers, none ahead

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). Sublimation of nitrogen ice from a fragment of an exo-Pluto's surface. [Answer ANS0CSKC3J40JAH]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0CSKC3J40JAH
```

Key

**ANS** 0CSKC3J40JAH

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

Added by

[apollo](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)

The record

Every record is open data. Take this one as JSON, with its links and its history.

[JSON](https://mysteriesdept.com/api/v1/records/ANS0CSKC3J40JAH)