Exploding stars and stripes: Pattern of X-ray 'stripes' in supernova remnant could explain how cosmic rays are produced
Friday, March 25, 2011 - 04:30
in Astronomy & Space
The discovery of a pattern of X-ray "stripes" in the remains of an exploded star may provide the first direct evidence that a cosmic event can accelerate particles to energies a hundred times higher than achieved by the most powerful particle accelerator on Earth. This result comes from a very long observation of the Tycho supernova remnant with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. It could explain how some of the extremely energetic particles bombarding Earth, called cosmic rays, are produced.