What is the role of icy bodies in the formation of the solar system?

The icy bodies, including comets and some of the smaller planetesimals, played an important role in the formation and evolution of the solar system. They were formed in the outer regions of the early solar system where temperatures were low enough for volatile compounds like water, ammonia, and methane to freeze and form solid bodies. These icy bodies then migrated towards the inner solar system, where they collided with each other and with the rocky bodies that were closer to the sun.

During these collisions, the icy bodies released their volatiles, which contributed to the formation of the giant planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, and also helped to build up the atmospheres of the rocky planets like Earth. In addition, the impacts of comets and other icy bodies on the early Earth may have delivered much of the water and organic compounds that make up life on our planet today.

The study of these icy bodies and their role in the formation and evolution of the solar system is an active area of research in planetary science and astronomy.