Report-Breaking Detection of Photo voltaic Photons
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• Physics 16, s107
Measurements of the highest-energy radiation from the Solar ever seen spotlight the necessity for higher photo voltaic fashions.
Observations over the previous decade or so have proven that the Solar emits many extra gamma rays at GeV energies than is predicted from modeling. Now a collaboration working the Excessive-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory in Mexico present that this gamma-ray extra extends as much as TeV energies [1]. This discovering has implications for our understanding of each stellar atmospheres and astroparticle physics.
Photo voltaic gamma rays are produced when high-energy particles known as cosmic rays head towards the Solar’s floor however are circled by the photo voltaic magnetic area. As these particles then journey away from the Solar’s floor, they work together with fuel within the photo voltaic ambiance to create gamma rays. Fashions predict the variety of emitted photons of a given power by assuming sure properties of the cosmic rays, the Solar’s magnetic area, and the photo voltaic ambiance.
The HAWC Collaboration presents the primary detection of TeV gamma rays from the Solar, a discovering based mostly on greater than six years of knowledge. The flux is way larger than predicted, indicating that the interactions between the cosmic rays and the photo voltaic ambiance are remarkably environment friendly at producing gamma rays. Furthermore, the TeV-gamma-ray flux varies in inverse proportion to the extent of photo voltaic exercise, suggesting that the Solar’s magnetic area impacts the flux—a end result that might be helpful for modeling.
The researchers say that their work requires a revised theoretical framework that may clarify the surplus of photo voltaic gamma rays at each GeV and TeV energies.
–Ryan Wilkinson
Ryan Wilkinson is a Corresponding Editor for Physics Journal based mostly in Durham, UK.
References
- A. Albert et al. (HAWC Collaboration), “Discovery of gamma rays from the quiescent Solar with HAWC,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 051201 (2023).
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