Astrophysicists have made a groundbreaking discovery that the sun is emitting gamma rays with higher energies than previously measured. This new finding challenges previous assumptions about the sun and adds to our knowledge of our own galaxy.
The gamma rays emitted by the sun lose their energy in Earth’s atmosphere, making them harmless to life on our planet. This characteristic also allows researchers to detect these high-energy gamma rays using the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC) in Mexico.
The HAWC observatory operates 24/7 and uses a unique system of water tanks instead of traditional telescopes. These water tanks can detect Cherenkov radiation produced when shower particles interact with the water, enabling the observation of air showers created in the atmosphere as a result of gamma ray collisions.
The researchers began collecting data in 2015 and recently analyzed six years’ worth of information. They were surprised to find an excess of gamma rays from the sun, each with an energy level of 1 trillion electron volts (1 TeV). This discovery aligns with previous predictions that the sun could produce gamma rays when high-energy cosmic rays collide with protons in the sun.
The first observation of gamma rays with energies exceeding a billion electron volts was made in 2011 by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. This observation revealed that there were more gamma rays in the universe than expected. Encouraged by theorists, the HAWC Collaboration, which comprises over 30 institutions, investigated the sun’s gamma rays and made this recent discovery in the TeV range.
The discovery raises intriguing questions about how the sun achieves such high-energy gamma rays and the role of the sun’s magnetic fields in this phenomenon. Researchers believe that further exploration of the sun’s gamma rays will contribute to our understanding of our star and inspire more research in the field of solar science.
This exciting breakthrough in astrophysics not only expands our knowledge of the sun but also highlights the importance of innovative observatories like HAWC. With its unique detection capabilities, HAWC provides valuable insights into the highest energy phenomena occurring in our universe.
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