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Tycho, one of the most studied Supernova residues, may have served briefly as the most powerful collision in the universe, new research hints. | Credit: MPIA/NASA/CALAR ALTO Observatory
Supernovas can become one of the most powerful particle collisions in the universe – but only if they pass a lot of gas before they break out, they find new studies.
For almost a century, astronomers have discovered high -energy particles that flow from the distant universe. Known as Cosmic raysThey are made mainly of protons and sometimes nuclei of larger elements. Most cosmic rays are diverted from the Earth’s magnetic field or absorbed into the upper atmosphere, but some make it all the way to the surface. Approximately once every second a cosmic beam manages to hit your body.
The cosmic rays cover a wide range of energies, with the most powerful exceeding a PETA-electronic volt (PEV). This is a quadrillion electronic volt or up to a thousand times powerful than the energies of a collision of Adrony collisionThe most powerful atomic Smasher in the world.
Astronomers have long suspected that the explosive death of massive stars may be responsible for these extremely powerful cosmic rays. After all, these supernovae has all the correct ingredients: there is a detonation with more than enough energy, a flood of elementary particles and magnetic fields that can bring these particles into rage before putting them into space.
But observations of nearby remnants of supernovi as quiet and Cassiopeia a have not fulfilled the expectations; The cosmic rays coming from these places are far beyond expected.
Paper Accepted for publication In the magazine Astronomy & Astrophysics, researchers have saved Supernova’s hypothesis and find that in special cases Supernova residues are indeed able to become “peatroons” – that is, explosions capable of generating cosmic rays of Pev.
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The team found that before the supernova was over, the star had to lose a significant amount of mass – at least two materials in the sun. This is quite common as powerful winds can drive out the outer layers of the star atmosphere before the main explosion. But most importantly, this material cannot be scattered too much. It should remain thick, compact and close to the star.
Then, when the supernova finally happens, a shock wave of the exploding star is stuck in this shell of material. And then all hell falls apart.
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As the shock travels through the surrounding sheath, the magnetic fields rise to incredibly powerful energies. These magnetic fields accept all random subatomic particles – the debris in the shell – and accelerate them, bouncing them back – behind the drowning wave. With each bounce, the particle acquires more energy. Finally, it receives enough energy to leave the chaos completely and to flow into the universe.
But within a few months the system loses steam when a shock wave slows down. It still produces an abundance of cosmic rays, but not above the PEV threshold.
This scenario explains why we did not watch any active pevitrons directly. Although the supernova goes out along the Milky Way every few years, none has been close enough in modern times to watch the short window when they can accelerate the cosmic rays to these extreme energies. So we’ll just have to be patient.