Highest-Energy Gamma Rays Detected from Pulsar Challenge Scientific Understanding
- 12 Oct 2023
Key Points
- Unprecedented Observation: The H.E.S.S. observatory in Namibia has detected gamma rays of extreme intensity originating from a pulsar, a deceased star formed from the remnants of a supernova explosion.
- Astounding Energy Levels: These gamma rays exhibited a remarkable energy level of 20 tera-electronvolts, highlighting their extraordinary power, which far surpasses the energy of visible light.
- Scientific Conundrum: The discovery presents a dilemma for scientists as it contradicts the current understanding of how pulsars generate pulsed gamma rays.
- Pulsars: Pulsars are incredibly dense and tiny celestial objects, composed mainly of neutrons.
- A mere teaspoon of their material is equivalent to over five billion tonnes, roughly 900 times the mass of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
- Cosmic Lighthouses: Pulsars emit beams of electromagnetic radiation that rotate, resembling cosmic lighthouses.
- When these beams cross our solar system, we observe flashes of radiation at regular intervals.
- Radiation Mechanism: It is believed that fast electrons produced and accelerated in the pulsar's magnetosphere, as they move toward the outer regions, are the source of this radiation.
- The magnetosphere is comprised of plasma and electromagnetic fields that envelop and rotate with the pulsar.
- Future Insights: This remarkable discovery opens a new window for observing other pulsars in the tens of teraelectronvolt range, promising a deeper understanding of the extreme acceleration processes in highly magnetized celestial objects.
