A team of researchers has discovered that supernovas can become powerful particle colliders in the universe, generating cosmic rays with energies up to one quadrillion electron volts (PeV). This finding resolves a long-standing question about the origin of extremely high-energy cosmic rays.
According to the research, which was published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, supernovas have the potential to create “PeVatrons” — explosions capable of generating PeV cosmic rays. However, this requires specific conditions: the star must lose a significant amount of mass, at least two suns’ worth of material, and the resulting shell must remain dense and compact.
When the supernova explodes, the shock wave from the collapsing star slams into the shell, causing magnetic fields to become incredibly powerful. These magnetic fields accelerate subatomic particles, gaining them energy with each bounce until they break free and stream into the universe.
The discovery explains why we haven’t directly observed any active PeVatrons in recent times. Supernovas occur frequently, but none have been close enough for us to observe the short window when they can accelerate cosmic rays to these extreme energies.
This finding has significant implications for our understanding of high-energy cosmic rays and their origins. It also highlights the importance of studying supernovas and their role in shaping the universe.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/scientists-may-have-discovered-the-most-powerful-particle-collider-in-the-universe