A mysterious, extremely energetic particle, known as the Amaterasu particle, was detected coming from a distant region of space, and scientists have proposed explanations for its origin, potentially tracing it back to a starburst galaxy like Messier 82 ##
## Questions to inspire discussion.
Understanding Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays.
🔬 Q: What makes the Amaterasu particle exceptionally powerful? A: The Amaterasu particle detected in Utah in 2021 carries energy 40 million times higher than anything produced on Earth, equivalent to a baseball traveling at 100 km/h compressed into a single subatomic particle, making it one of the most energetic particles ever detected.
Solving the Origin Mystery.
🎯 Q: Where did scientists determine the Amaterasu particle actually originated? A: A 2026 study by Max Planck Institute scientists using approximate Bayesian computation and 3D magnetic field simulations traced the particle’s origin to a starburst galaxy like Messier 82, located 12 million light-years away, rather than the initially suspected local void with only six known galaxies.
🧲 Q: Why did the particle appear to come from an empty region of space? A: Magnetic fields in galaxies deflected the Amaterasu particle’s trajectory during its journey, causing it to appear as if it originated from the local void when it actually traveled from a distant starburst galaxy, similar to how cosmic rays are routinely deflected while passing through the Milky Way.
⚡ Q: What extreme cosmic events could produce such energetic particles? A: The Amaterasu particle likely originated from the universe’s most violent events, including tidal disruption events where black holes tear apart stars or powerful supernovae explosions, helping scientists understand the limits of nature’s energy production capabilities.
🔭 Q: What future research opportunities does this detection enable? A: The Amaterasu particle detection represents a milestone for studying ultra-high energy cosmic rays, potentially revealing new physics beyond the current standard model and improving understanding of extreme cosmic phenomena through advanced particle tracking methods.
📊 Q: How did scientists reconstruct the particle’s actual path through space? A: Researchers employed 3D magnetic field simulations combined with approximate Bayesian computation to model how galactic magnetic fields deflected the particle’s trajectory, allowing them to trace backward from the detection point to identify the true source galaxy rather than the apparent void origin.
## Key Insights.
Origin and Detection Mystery 1. 🔭 The Amaterasu particle, detected on May 27, 2021 by 23 detectors of the Telescope Array Project in Utah (500 detectors across 700 km), carries 244 EeV energy—equivalent to a baseball at 100 km/h and 40 million times higher than Earth’s particle accelerators can produce. 2. 🌌 The particle appeared to originate from the local void, a region with very few galaxies and no massive black holes, creating a fundamental mystery since no known sources in that direction could produce such extreme energy.
Breakthrough Research Methodology 1. 🧮 Max Planck Institute scientists in 2026 used approximate Bayesian computation combined with 3D magnetic field simulations to trace the particle’s actual path, accounting for deflection by galactic magnetic fields rather than assuming straight-line travel. 2. 🎯 The simulations identified starburst galaxies—specifically Messier 82 (12 million light-years away), NGC 6,946, and NGC 2403—as likely sources, where intense supernovae activity and cosmic ray production could generate such ultra-high energy particles.
Scientific Implications 1. ⚡ The research demonstrates that galactic magnetic fields significantly deflect ultra-high energy cosmic rays, meaning apparent origin directions can be misleading and particles may travel curved paths across millions of light-years. 2. 🔬 The exact acceleration mechanism in starburst galaxies that produces 244 EeV particles remains unknown, representing a frontier challenge in understanding the physical limits of particle acceleration in nature.
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Hello and welcome! My name is Anton and in this video, we will talk about the bizarre Amaterasu particle from a few years back.
Links:
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ae2c89/pdf.
Previous videos:
#science #omgparticle #particles.
0:00 Amaterasu particle mystery — another Oh-My-God?
1:20 What exactly this is.
2:10 Mystery of its origin.
3:05 How this was found.
4:05 Why it made no sense.
5:00 New study — focusing on the actual particle.
6:30 Simulating potential paths and origins.
8:00 Why this makes more sense.
8:45 Why this research is important.
9:35 What’s next?
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