A team of researchers using the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) experiment has detected unusual radio pulses coming from beneath the ice in Antarctica. The pulses, which appear to defy current understanding of particle physics, were found at steep angles and have been ruled out as neutrino signals.
The ANITA experiment uses a balloon to float instruments above the ice, aiming to detect cosmic neutrinos. However, instead of detecting the expected neutrino signals, the team detected two “anomalous” radio pulses coming from below the horizon. The team’s calculations showed that for these signals to be detected, they must have passed through 6,000-7,000 kilometers (3,700-4,300 miles) of rock, which would have interacted and been absorbed, leaving them undetectable.
The researchers found that the angle of the radio pulse was much sharper than predicted models. They analyzed data from other neutrino observatories, including the IceCube Experiment and the Pierre Auger Observatory, but found no similar upward-traveling air showers or signals that could explain the detected pulses.
While the team suspects that the signals are not caused by neutrinos, they have ruled out other particles as well. The researchers remain uncertain about the origin of the mysterious radio pulses, with one scientist suggesting that a unique radio propagation effect near ice and horizon may be at play.
The study’s findings were published in Physical Review Letters and could potentially lead to new discoveries in physics. Further research using the PUEO experiment is expected to improve sensitivity and help uncover the mystery behind these enigmatic signals.
Source: https://www.iflscience.com/anomalous-radio-pulses-detected-in-antarctica-are-coming-from-underneath-the-ice-79619