Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: Japanese scientists discovered a high-energy cosmic-ray event named ‘Amaterasu,’ making it the second-highest-energy cosmic ray ever detected.
- The energy level of Amaterasu is about 40 million times higher than that produced by the Large Hadron Collider.
- The discovery of such ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) could contribute to understanding cosmic phenomena and subatomic particles better, as well as potentially challenging existing theories in high-energy particle physics.
- Amaterasu’s unique characteristic is that it appears to have originated from an empty region of the universe, presenting intriguing possibilities for unknown astronomical phenomena.
The study of these cosmic rays may offer insights into the sources of cosmic rays and enhance our understanding of high-energy physics beyond the Standard Model.
