An international team of nearly 100 scientists was left perplexed after discovering the highest-energy light rays ever observed from the sun which has since created a new puzzle for the solar physicists to solve. The finding was published in Physical Review Letters after a six-year observation by more than 30 institutions across North America, Europe, and Asia.&nbsp;

<h2>The discovery</h2>

The most powerful blast of energy from the sun discovered was the first ever detection of solar gamma radiation in the teraelectronvolt (TeV) range.&nbsp;

Scientists, since the 1990s have observed that the sun emits many different kinds of high-energy radiation including gamma rays. However, the study published on Thursday showed there is much more type of light, known as gamma rays emitted by the sun at much higher energy levels than previously anticipated.

“The sun is more surprising than we knew,” said Mehr Un Nisa, a postdoctoral research associate and study co-author at Michigan State University. “We thought we had this star figured out, but that’s not the case.”&nbsp;

Notably, there were no correlations between this powerful blast of energy and heightened solar activity, in fact, the sun, as per the findings was pretty calm at the time of the detection but our current models of the sun can’t account for it. Additionally, this type of radiation doesn’t even reach the Earth’s surface but does create “telltale signatures”.&nbsp;

<h2>About the HAWC</h2>

The groundbreaking observation was made with the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC) which is located on the flanks of the Sierra Negra volcano near Puebla, Mexico at an altitude of about 13,500 feet.&nbsp;

What makes the site of the discovery important is that, unlike other observatories, it works around the clock. “We now have observational techniques that weren't possible a few years ago,” said Nisa.&nbsp;

She added that in this “particular energy regime” other ground-based telescopes couldn’t look at the sun because they only work at night, but this one operates 24/7.&nbsp;

HAWC uses a network of 300 large water tanks, each filled with about 200 metric tonnes of water which is nestled between two dormant volcano peaks in Mexico over 13,000 feet above sea level.&nbsp;

Therefore, from this “vantage point,” the researchers can observe the aftermath of gamma rays that collide with Earth’s atmosphere and by doing so produce high-energy particles called air showers that are imperceptible to the naked eye.

In these interactions, the gamma-ray energy is redistributed into particle fragments and light which are observed by the HAWC.

<h2>What was found?</h2>

The recent analysis is based on the data collected between 2014 and 2021 and observed emissions ranging between 0.5 and 2.6 TeV from the sun. Notably, among the energy in different wavelengths emitted by the sun, visible light carries energy of about 1 electron volt, compared to the 1 trillion electron volts, or 1 tera electron volt (1 TeV), that was observed by Nisa and her team.&nbsp;

“After looking at six years’ worth of data, out popped this excess of gamma rays,” said the study co-author. “When we first saw it, we were like, ‘We definitely messed this up. The sun cannot be this bright at these energies’,” she added. &nbsp;

Researchers noted that not only was the energy level surprising but so was the fact that they were seeing so much of it. Therefore, for the first time, the team has shown that the energies of the sun's rays extend into the TeV range, up to nearly 10 TeV, which does appear to be the maximum.&nbsp; 
 
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An international team of nearly 100 scientists was left perplexed after discovering the highest-energy light rays ever observed from the sun which has since created a new puzzle for the solar physicists to solve.

An international team of nearly 100 scientists was left perplexed after discovering the highest-energy light rays ever observed from the sun which has since created a new puzzle for the solar physicists to solve. The finding was published in Physical Review Letters after a six-year observation by more than 30 institutions across North America, Europe, and Asia. The discovery The most powerful blast of energy from the sun discovered was the first ever detection of solar gamma radiation in the teraelectronvolt (TeV) range. Scientists, since the 1990s have observed that the sun emits many different kinds of high-energy radiation including gamma rays. However, the study published on Thursday showed there is much more type of light, known as gamma rays emitted by the sun at much higher energy levels than previously anticipated. “The sun is more surprising than we knew,” said Mehr Un Nisa, a postdoctoral research associate and study co-author at Michigan State University. “We thought we had this star figured out, but that’s not the case.” Notably, there were no correlations between this powerful blast of energy and heightened solar activity, in fact, the sun, as per the findings was pretty calm at the time of the detection but our current models of the sun can’t account for it. Additionally, this type of radiation doesn’t even reach the Earth’s surface but does create “telltale signatures”. About the HAWC The groundbreaking observation was made with the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC) which is located on the flanks of the Sierra Negra volcano near Puebla, Mexico at an altitude of about 13,500 feet. What makes the site of the discovery important is that, unlike other observatories, it works around the clock. “We now have observational techniques that weren't possible a few years ago,” said Nisa. She added that in this “particular energy regime” other ground-based telescopes couldn’t look at the sun because they only work at night, but this one operates 24/7. HAWC uses a network of 300 large water tanks, each filled with about 200 metric tonnes of water which is nestled between two dormant volcano peaks in Mexico over 13,000 feet above sea level. Therefore, from this “vantage point,” the researchers can observe the aftermath of gamma rays that collide with Earth’s atmosphere and by doing so produce high-energy particles called air showers that are imperceptible to the naked eye. In these interactions, the gamma-ray energy is redistributed into particle fragments and light which are observed by the HAWC. What was found? The recent analysis is based on the data collected between 2014 and 2021 and observed emissions ranging between 0.5 and 2.6 TeV from the sun. Notably, among the energy in different wavelengths emitted by the sun, visible light carries energy of about 1 electron volt, compared to the 1 trillion electron volts, or 1 tera electron volt (1 TeV), that was observed by Nisa and her team. “After looking at six years’ worth of data, out popped this excess of gamma rays,” said the study co-author. “When we first saw it, we were like, ‘We definitely messed this up. The sun cannot be this bright at these energies’,” she added. Researchers noted that not only was the energy level surprising but so was the fact that they were seeing so much of it. Therefore, for the first time, the team has shown that the energies of the sun's rays extend into the TeV range, up to nearly 10 TeV, which does appear to be the maximum. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Scientists surprised after detecting ‘highest-energy light’ from the sun

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has detected the brightest gamma-ray burst of all time. In a statement issued last Thursday (June 8), NASA said, "When scientists detected the gamma-ray burst known as GRB 221009A on Oct.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has detected the brightest gamma-ray burst of all time. In a statement issued last Thursday (June 8), NASA said, "When scientists detected the gamma-ray burst known as GRB 221009A on Oct. 9, 2022, they dubbed it the brightest of all time, or BOAT." Citing follow-up studies, NASA said the GRB 221009A is 70 times brighter and far more energetic than the previous record holder. While scientists don’t yet understand why, they received a tantalizing clue from NASA’s NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array) observatory. According to a study published in the journal Science Advances, scientists used NuSTAR observations of the event to show how the collapsing star ejected a jet of material that had a shape not previously observed among gamma-ray burst jets, as well as other unique characteristics. The source of these distinctions may be the progenitor star, the study said, adding it is also possible that an entirely different mechanism launches the very brightest jets into space. 'Event so much brighter than any gamma-ray burst' Brendan O’Connor, the lead author of the study said the October 9, 2022 event was so much brighter and more energetic than any gamma-ray burst seen before. “Then, when we analyzed the NuSTAR data, we realized that it also has this unique jet structure. And that was really exciting because we have no way of studying the star that produced this event; it’s gone now. But we now have some data giving us clues about how it exploded,” O'Connor, an astronomer at George Washington University, added. What are gamma rays? Gamma rays are high-energy photons that are produced by some of the most violent events in the universe. They are the most energetic form of light in the universe yet invisible to the human eye. All known gamma-ray bursts have originated in galaxies outside our Milky Way but are bright enough to be spotted billions of light-years away, as per NASA. "Some blink into existence and last less than two seconds, while so-called long gamma-ray bursts typically radiate gamma rays for a minute or more. These objects can radiate other wavelengths for weeks," the American space agency added. Details about the GRB 221009A NASA said in the statement that the GRB 221009A- a long gamma-ray burst- was so bright that it effectively blinded most gamma-ray instruments in space. American scientists were able to reconstruct the event with data from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to determine its actual brightness. "Similar to other gamma-ray bursts, GRB 221009A had a jet that erupted from the collapsing star like it was shot into space from a fire hose, with gamma rays radiating from the hot gas and particles at the jet’s core," the statement said. However, GRB 221009A's jet stood out in a few ways. NASA said that in just about every previously observed gamma-ray burst, the jet remained remarkably compact and there was little to no stray light or material outside the narrow beam. The jet had a narrow core with wider, sloping sides. The jet from the BOAT was unique in one important way- the energy of the material in GRB 221009A also varied, meaning that instead of all the material in the jet having the same energy, the energy of the material changed with distance from the jet’s core, NASA further said and highlighted this had never been observed in a long gamma-ray burst jet earlier. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NASA detects brightest gamma-ray burst of all time, it's 70 times brighter than previous record holder

Gamma-ray bursts are so powerful they could vaporise the Earth from 200 light-years away. Gamma-ray bursts are thought to occur when a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel and its core collapses. Now, NASA has announced that on 9 October 2022, satellites detected an extremely bright gamma-ray signal that suddenly exploded from the constellation of sagitta; it lasted hundreds of seconds.

Could Gamma-ray burst kill off life on Earth?

Astrophysicists from the&nbsp;Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) have detected a dozen sources of ultra high-energy gamma rays from hot spots&nbsp;in our Milky Way galaxy,&nbsp;according to a study in the journal Nature.

Gamma rays with such high energy have never been detected before, and the findings suggest these rays can come not just from dying stars, but are also generated inside massive young stars.

''These results are really stunning,&nbsp;some of the most exciting I have ever seen,''&nbsp;said Alan Watson, an astrophysicist working with the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina.

Astrophysicist Cao Zhen&nbsp;team traced 530 high-energy gamma rays to 12 sources including a massive cluster of young stars called the Cygnus Cocoon and the interstellar cloud called the Crab Nebula.

Gamma rays are a type of extreme radiation generated by the hottest and brightest explosions in the universe, like when a large star implodes.

Those implosions also create the matter that make up planets&nbsp;and everything that lives on them, including us. Of all the electromagnetic waves in the universe, gamma rays have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy. They can release more energy in 10 seconds than our sun in 10 billion years.

The pool of purified water at LHAASO that Cao paddled across measures the subatomic shrapnel the air shower&nbsp;in the observatory's name&nbsp;created when gamma rays and high energy particles called cosmic rays crash into the Earth's atmosphere.

The shrapnel includes mysterious particles called muons that can be seen as faint blue flashes known as Cherenkov radiation in the observatory's dark water. The array of 3,120 beachball-sized globes contain tiny sensors that measure the radiation.

''We can trace these gamma rays back to their source in the sky,''&nbsp;said Cao, dressed in blue scrubs to keep the water clean. ''We can find something new.''

LHAASO is one of dozens of devices on Earth and in orbit suspended in ice tunnels in Antarctica or inside toaster-sized satellites,&nbsp;trying to understand how matter such as carbon, oxygen and iron came to be.

Located near the 4,400-meter-tall (14,500-foot-tall) Haizi Mountain, it houses separate instruments that can study different phenomena, including cosmic rays, high energy subatomic particles that scientists believe come from the same sources as gamma rays.

Cosmic rays are like sparks from a massive stellar crucible each contains flecks of material from the forging process. Gamma rays are more like light from a glowing hearth. By studying both, the observatory can learn more about what generated them.

''The Chinese observatory offers unprecedented sensitivity,''&nbsp;said Avi Loeb, a Harvard University astrophysicist, that may, for example, help physicists tell whether if some rays come from inside our galaxy or farther away.

It's not yet complete, however. Cao said that by the end of June the instruments will be in place, including 5,195 electromagnetic detectors, 1,188 muon detectors, and 18 Cherenkov telescopes each the size of a shipping container that will study air showers in the sky.

''The outcome really justifies the massive effort,''&nbsp;Watson said of the new findings. ''This is just the tip of the iceberg.''

Astrophysicists from the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) have detected a dozen sources of ultra high-energy gamma rays from hot spots in our Milky Way galaxy, according to a study in the journal Nature.

Astrophysicists from the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) have detected a dozen sources of ultra high-energy gamma rays from hot spots in our Milky Way galaxy, according to a study in the journal Nature. Gamma rays with such high energy have never been detected before, and the findings suggest these rays can come not just from dying stars, but are also generated inside massive young stars. ''These results are really stunning, some of the most exciting I have ever seen,'' said Alan Watson, an astrophysicist working with the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina. Astrophysicist Cao Zhen team traced 530 high-energy gamma rays to 12 sources including a massive cluster of young stars called the Cygnus Cocoon and the interstellar cloud called the Crab Nebula. Gamma rays are a type of extreme radiation generated by the hottest and brightest explosions in the universe, like when a large star implodes. Those implosions also create the matter that make up planets and everything that lives on them, including us. Of all the electromagnetic waves in the universe, gamma rays have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy. They can release more energy in 10 seconds than our sun in 10 billion years. The pool of purified water at LHAASO that Cao paddled across measures the subatomic shrapnel the air shower in the observatory's name created when gamma rays and high energy particles called cosmic rays crash into the Earth's atmosphere. The shrapnel includes mysterious particles called muons that can be seen as faint blue flashes known as Cherenkov radiation in the observatory's dark water. The array of 3,120 beachball-sized globes contain tiny sensors that measure the radiation. ''We can trace these gamma rays back to their source in the sky,'' said Cao, dressed in blue scrubs to keep the water clean. ''We can find something new.'' LHAASO is one of dozens of devices on Earth and in orbit suspended in ice tunnels in Antarctica or inside toaster-sized satellites, trying to understand how matter such as carbon, oxygen and iron came to be. Located near the 4,400-meter-tall (14,500-foot-tall) Haizi Mountain, it houses separate instruments that can study different phenomena, including cosmic rays, high energy subatomic particles that scientists believe come from the same sources as gamma rays. Cosmic rays are like sparks from a massive stellar crucible each contains flecks of material from the forging process. Gamma rays are more like light from a glowing hearth. By studying both, the observatory can learn more about what generated them. ''The Chinese observatory offers unprecedented sensitivity,'' said Avi Loeb, a Harvard University astrophysicist, that may, for example, help physicists tell whether if some rays come from inside our galaxy or farther away. It's not yet complete, however. Cao said that by the end of June the instruments will be in place, including 5,195 electromagnetic detectors, 1,188 muon detectors, and 18 Cherenkov telescopes each the size of a shipping container that will study air showers in the sky. ''The outcome really justifies the massive effort,'' Watson said of the new findings. ''This is just the tip of the iceberg.''

Astrophysicists detect gamma rays from surprising cosmic sources

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