於1950年代，有兩位天文學家古柏（Gerard Kuiper）和艾吉沃斯（Kenneth Edgeworth）分別提及了古柏帶的存在。雖說他們的說法與現今古柏帶的真實位置有所出入，但仍稱得上是首先推測古柏帶的始祖。過了近半個世紀，Jewitt和Luu於1992年使用夏威夷Mauna Kea上2.2公尺的望遠鏡，成功地觀測到歷史上第一顆KBO─1992QB1，首度証實了古柏帶天體的存在。而短短十多年的光陰，這群小天體的數量已累積達一千顆以上。
目前已有許多天文學家致力於研究KBOs的動力環境，且依據KBOs不同的動力性質，我們大致可將KBOs分成三大類：CKBOs、Plutinos和SKBOs。而根據觀測所得的KBO之物理性質，如尺寸分佈、總質量、反照率等，可以幫助我們進一步了解古柏帶天體的演化歷程。於早些時候，一般相信古柏帶完整地記錄了太陽系早期形成的演化訊息，但最近科學家們藉由理論和觀測的結果發現，這個遙遠且看似平靜的邊陲地帶，很可能是一連串不斷碰撞演化過程下的產物。
我們亦可從另一觀點來切入並探討古柏帶的演化此一問題，即古柏帶天體的化學性質─「KBO的表面顏色」。由於有許多因素得以改變古柏帶天體的顏色，如原始組成成分、宇宙輻射射線的作用及碰撞作用，故研究KBOs表面顏色的變化，很可能就是幫助我們解開太陽系形成謎團的一把重要鑰匙。
我們從兩個角度來著手討論「古柏帶碰撞演化」的問題。首先，建立一「古柏帶總質量隨時間變化」的模型，發現當早期KBOs原始總數愈多或遞減愈緩慢時，經過碰撞所存活下來的古柏帶天體，其尺寸也會比較大。接著，運用一簡單的關係式來模擬KBO表面的顏色變化，結果發現各種尺寸的KBO最終的顏色均趨於一致，故我們覺得碰撞對顏色所能造成的變化是很有限的，一定存在著另一個因素會影響顏色的變化。
我們綜合以上兩個結果得出以下的推論：由於早期古柏帶的碰撞十分地猛烈，所以數千公里等級的KBOs是有機會被撞成數百公里的KBOs，又由於大尺寸的KBOs內部有分層的結構，所以早期被撞碎的KBOs可能原本就呈現不同的顏色。故造成KBO顏色多樣化的原因是原始的組成成分而非碰撞作用。如此一來，「KBOs碰撞演化歷程」模型便成功地推論了KBOs表面顏色變化的原因。反過來說，「KBOs表面顏色的變化」成了「早期KBOs碰撞演化歷程」的最佳見証人。

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