Why are TNOs considered geological archives of the early solar system?
Answer
They lack the internal geological heat to drive major tectonic shifts
Unlike larger terrestrial bodies such as Earth or Mars, which possess internal heat engines that power geological processes like plate tectonics and active resurfacing, Trans-Neptunian Objects are generally too small to retain such heat. Because they lack these active geological mechanisms, their surfaces have remained largely unchanged for billions of years. Consequently, the chemical and physical characteristics visible today essentially function as a time capsule, preserving conditions that existed at the very dawn of solar system formation.
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