Uncovering the Origins of Arrokoth's Mysterious Mound Structures

A study led by Southwest Research Institute suggests that the large mound structures on the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth may have a common origin. These mounds, identified during NASA's New Horizons flyby in 2019, are similar in shape, size, color, and reflectivity. The findings provide insights into planetesimal formation models and could guide future missions to study other pristine planetesimals. The study highlights the need to explain the preferred size of these building blocks and suggests that similar mound structures may be common in the ancient solar system.