queueteors

Queueteors are hypothetical celestial bodies theorized to exist within the Oort Cloud. The concept of queueteors was proposed to explain certain observed anomalies in the distribution and behavior of comets originating from this distant region of the solar system. Specifically, it was suggested that these objects might be the remnants of larger, more volatile bodies that have undergone a process of slow disintegration. Unlike typical comets, which are thought to be relatively intact icy bodies, queueteors are envisioned as being composed of loosely aggregated dust and ice particles.

The proposed mechanism for their formation involves the gradual sublimation and fragmentation of primordial icy planetesimals over billions of years, exposed to the faint solar radiation and cosmic rays present in the Oort Cloud. As these larger bodies slowly erode, they would shed smaller particles, creating a dispersed population of objects that could be mistaken for a source of many small, short-lived comets. The term "queueteor" itself is a portmanteau, combining "queue," referencing the long trail of debris, and "meteor," alluding to their fragmented nature. While the existence of queueteors remains speculative, they offer a potential explanation for the observed complexity of cometary populations in the outer solar system. Further observational data and theoretical modeling are needed to confirm or refute their presence.