DAMPE satellite reveals cosmic rays share spectral break near 15 teravolts
Phys.org • • science
Key Points:
- The DAMPE space telescope, involving the University of Geneva, has identified a universal feature in the energy spectra of primary cosmic ray nuclei, ranging from protons to iron, marking a significant breakthrough in understanding cosmic rays.
- Cosmic rays, extremely energetic particles originating from astrophysical phenomena like supernovae and black hole jets, exhibit a "spectral softening" where the number of particles decreases more rapidly beyond a rigidity of about 15 TV.
- This common spectral feature supports models that link cosmic ray acceleration and transport to particle rigidity, effectively ruling out alternative models based on energy per nucleon with 99.999% confidence.
- The Geneva team contributed crucially by developing advanced AI techniques for event reconstruction, measuring key particle fluxes, and leading the development of DAMPE’s Silicon-Tungsten Tracker, vital for precise particle trajectory and charge measurements.
