2023-10-13 13:53:06
An example of an extensive cosmic ray shower captured by the HSC at the Subaru Telescope. – NAOJ/HSC COLLABORATION
MADRID, 13 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Extensive showers of cosmic rays have been observed with unprecedented precision using the ultra-wide-field prime focus camera mounted on the Subaru Telescope.
The advancement of this new detection method will unlock a deeper understanding of the most energetic particles in the Universe, according to a statement from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ).
When a high-energy cosmic ray collides with Earth’s atmosphere, it generates a huge amount of particles in what is known as an extensive air shower. In images taken by the Subaru Telescope’s primary focus camera, Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC), there are about 20,000 fingerprints produced by cosmic rays penetrating the CCD detectors for each camera shot. These cosmic ray signatures act as noise in astronomical observations and are removed by regular data processing.
The new research focuses on that same “noise.” By analyzing approximately 17,000 images captured between 2014 and 2020, the team identified 13 images containing extensive ‘showers’ with a number of particle tracks that far exceed the usual count.
“In astronomical images, cosmic rays are subjected to correction. However, by analyzing consistent, long-term observation data from the HSC, we were able to demonstrate the potential to extract valuable information” in scientific areas not intended for the original purpose. I think this not only provides information on methods of observing high energy particles, but also emphasizes the importance of data files with guaranteed uniform quality“said Dr. Satoshi Kawanomoto, who led the research.
These results were published in Scientific Reports.
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