Blog

Jan 6, 2023

Decoding mega magnetic explosions outside the solar system

Posted by in categories: cosmology, particle physics

Neutron stars and black holes may be stellar corpses, but they are among the most active celestial objects. They produce some of the highest-energy radiation ever observed, and scientists have long puzzled over the physics that underlies the process powering their energetic emissions.

Now, in a recent paper published in Physical Review Letters, a Dartmouth physics major and an assistant professor have proposed a new theory that explains how can be very quickly released with explosive energy into charged particles in these .

Similar magnetic explosions also occur closer to home, setting off and the Northern Lights. They can be observed wherever charged gases, called plasma, are found—even in a lab, says Matthew Goodbred ‘23, the paper’s lead author.

Comments are closed.