Discovery Of Extremely High-energy Particle That Fell To Earth Baffles Scientists
After detecting an incredibly high-energy particle falling to Earth, scientists were perplexed.
Unexpectedly, scientists worldwide are struggling to understand a puzzling and unheard-of finding: an extraordinarily high-energy particle that fell to Earth. Scientists are baffled by the nature and origin of this particle, which calls into question accepted beliefs about cosmic phenomena.
This surprising discovery opens up new lines of inquiry for science and poses new questions.
Who made the discovery?
Credit: Kyoto University
When Toshihiro Fujii, an associate professor at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan, first discovered the particle, he believed there "must have been a mistake."
"It showed an energy level unprecedented in the last three decades," he stated.
What Has Been Discovered?
Astronomers have seen a rare, incredibly high-energy particle descend to Earth. Scientists claim that this cosmic ray, which bears the name of the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu, is among the highest energy ever discovered.
With an energy greater than 240 extra-electron volts (EeV), the Amaterasu particle is only second in history to the Oh-My-God particle, another ultra-high-energy cosmic ray that was discovered in 1991 and had an energy of 320 EeV.
Though the particle's origins are unknown, experts think only the most vital celestial events¡ªmore significant than a star explosion¡ªcan produce them.
Credit: CNN
Scientists were left with even more questions as the particle appeared out of nowhere. According to John Matthews, a research professor in the physics and astronomy department at the University of Utah, there was nothing in the region with high enough energy to have caused the event.
It came from the Local Void, a void surrounding the Milky Way galaxy. Proffesor Matthews stated, "You ought to be able to point to where they originate in the sky."
"However, when you follow the trajectory of the Oh-My-God particle and this new particle back to their source, nothing with a high enough energy could have created it.
"That's the mystery of this - what the heck is going on?" Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays typically produce an extensive air shower, or a cascade of secondary particles and electromagnetic radiation, when they strike Earth's atmosphere.
Specialized instruments can detect electromagnetic radiation produced when some charged particles in the air shower travel faster through the atmosphere than light does.
Credit: CNN
The Utah-based Telescope Array observatory, which discovered the Amaterasu particle, is one of those instruments. It is now hoped that the particle will open up new research avenues that may help explain the origins of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
Experts speculate that it might point to an unidentified source in the Local Void, a much larger magnetic deflection than anticipated, or a lack of understanding of high-energy particle physics.
When And Where Was The Discovery Made?
Credit: DailyExpress
It was discovered on Thursday, November 23, 2023, in Utah.
What do you think about it? Do let us know in the comments.
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