Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kuar
Astronomers have detected an uncommon and highly energetic particle descending to Earth, identified as the Amaterasu particle.
Named after the Japanese sun goddess, Amaterasu, the particle has ranked among the highest-energy cosmic rays ever recorded by scientists, said a research published in peer-reviewed journal, Science.
With an energy surpassing 240 exa-electron volts (EeV), the Amaterasu particle has claimed the second-highest position on the list of particles with highest concentrated natural energy. The Oh-My-God particle, detected in 1991, holds the top spot with 320 EeV.
The particle's origins have remained unknown, and experts have speculated that only colossal celestial events, exceeding the scale of a star explosion, can give rise to such phenomena.
Toshihiro Fujii, an associate professor at Osaka Metropolitan University, has expressed disbelief upon discovering the particle, noting its unprecedented energy level in the past three decades. He said that these events seems like they are coming from completely different place in space and its origin could be attributed to just one mysterious source. He added that it could be defects in the structure of spacetime and colliding cosmic strongs. He also said, "There's not a conventional explanation."
The Amaterasu particle has seemingly emerged from the Local Void, an empty space region bordering the Milky Way galaxy, intensifying the mystery surrounding its source.
Unlike typical cosmic rays, the trajectory of the Amaterasu particle cannot be linked to a high-energy source in the sky, perplexing scientists.
The Amaterasu particle has been detected by the Telescope Array observatory in Utah, an instrument designed to capture electromagnetic radiation produced by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
Scientists are hoping that the discovery of the Amaterasu particle will lead to further investigations, offering insights into the nature and origins of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
Experts have considered possibilities such as larger-than-predicted magnetic deflection, an unidentified source in the Local Void, or gaps in our understanding of high-energy particle physics.