Particles faster than light emit ultra-bright gamma rays that surround pulsars

The charged particles travel faster than light in the quantum vacuum of the space surrounding the pulsars. When these electrons and protons fly on pulsars, they create the ultra-bright light of gamma rays emitted by rapidly rotating neutron stars, reveals new research.

These gamma rays, known as Cherenkov's emissions, are also found in powerful particle accelerators on Earth, such as the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland. The rays are also at the origin of the blue-white glow in the waters of a nuclear reactor. [Wacky Physics: The Coolest Little Particles in Nature]

But until now, no one thought that pulsar emissions consisted of Cherenkov radiation.

This is partly because of Albert Einstein's famous theory of relativity, according to which nothing can travel faster than light in the void. Because of these proposals, scientists previously thought that Cherenkov emissions could not occur in the quantum vacuum of the space surrounding the pulsars. This area is mostly devoid of matter but is home to ghostly quantum particles that twinkle in and out of existence.

So, does this new research mean that Einstein's historical theory has just been violated? Not at all, said Dino Jaroszynski, co-author of the study, professor of physics at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.

Pulsars create extremely powerful electromagnetic fields in the quantum vacuum surrounding the stars. Jaroszynski told Live Science that these fields distort or polarize the void, essentially creating retarders that slow down light particles. Meanwhile, charged particles such as protons and electrons pass through these fields, crossing the light.

When charged particles fly in this field, they move the electrons along their path and emit radiation that collects into an electromagnetic wave. This wave, which looks like an optical version of a sonic boom, is what we view as a gamma flash, according to a statement.

The team still does not know how bright these gamma rays are, Jaroszynski said.

"What we do know is that, under good conditions, Cherenkov's vacuum radiation surpasses the synchrotron radiation," he added, referring to another type of radiation emitted by pulsars by particles. loaded moving along a curve.

But new discoveries could have implications beyond pulsars, the researchers said.

"It's a very exciting new prediction because it could provide answers to fundamental questions such as: what is the origin of the gamma glow at the center of galaxies?" Jaroszynski said in the statement. "It provides a new way to test some of the most fundamental theories of science by pushing them to their limits."

The researchers reported their findings on April 25 in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Originally published on Science live.