Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University/L-INSIGHT, Kyoto University/Ryuunosuke TakeshigeA groundbreaking detection of an extremely energetic cosmic ray by the Telescope Array experiment raises concerns about its source, as it points to a cosmic space, challenging current theories in cosmic ray origins and high-energy physics.Discovery of an Exceptional Extraterrestrial ParticleResearchers included in the Telescope Array experiment have actually revealed the detection of an extremely energetic cosmic ray. The irregular nature of these extremely energetic cosmic rays– estimated to be less than one particle per century per square kilometer– makes their detection an uncommon event, needing instruments with large gathering areas.Artists illustration of ultra-high-energy cosmic ray astronomy to clarify very energetic phenomena in contrast to a weaker cosmic ray that is impacted by electro-magnetic fields. The scientists recommend that this could suggest a much bigger magnetic deflection than is predicted by galactic magnetic field designs, an unidentified source in the regional extragalactic community, or an incomplete understanding of the associated high-energy particle physics.For more on this discovery: Reference: “An incredibly energetic cosmic ray observed by a surface detector variety” by Telescope Array Collaboration * †, R. U. Abbasi, M. G. Allen, R. Arimura, J. W. Belz, D. R. Bergman, S. A. Blake, B. K. Shin, I. J. Buckland, B. G. Cheon, T. Fujii, K. Fujisue, K. Fujita, M. Fukushima, G. D. Furlich, Z. R. Gerber, N. Globus, K. Hibino, R. Higuchi, K. Honda, D. Ikeda, H. Ito, A. Iwasaki, S. Jeong, H. M. Jeong, C. H. Jui, K. Kadota, F. Kakimoto, O. E. Kalashev, K. Kasahara, K. Kawata, I. Kharuk, E. Kido, S. W. Kim, H. B. Kim, J. H. Kim, J. H. Kim, I. Komae, Y. Kubota, M. Y. Kuznetsov, K. H. Lee, B. K. Lubsandorzhiev, J. P. Lundquist, J. N. Matthews, S. Nagataki, T. Nakamura, A. Nakazawa, T. Nonaka, S. Ogio, M. Ono, H. Oshima, I. H. Park, M. Potts, S. Pshirkov, J. R. Remington, D. C. Rodriguez, C. Rott, G. I. Rubtsov, D. Ryu, H. Sagawa, N. Sakaki, T. Sako, N. Sakurai, H. Shin, J. D. Smith, P. Sokolsky, B. T. Stokes, T. S. Stroman, K. Takahashi, M. Takeda, A. Taketa, Y. Tameda, S. Thomas, G. B. Thomson, P. G. Tinyakov, I. Tkachev, T. Tomida, S. V. Troitsky, Y. Tsunesada, S. Udo, F. R. Urban, T. Wong, K. Yamazaki, Y. Yuma, Y. V. Zhezher and Z. Zundel, 23 November 2023, Science.DOI: 10.1126/ science.abo5095.
