An Invisible Structure is Blocking Cosmic Rays from Entering the Heart of the Milky Way Galaxy.
A team of scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Nanjing has examined a gamma-ray map— the highest energy form of light in the universe, originating from cosmic rays carrying ultra-high-speed particles. They discovered that these rays are striking a type of matter resembling a gigantic wall surrounding the center of the Milky Way galaxy, resulting in explosive bursts.
Center of the Milky Way Galaxy – (Graphic from NASA)
This map also reveals another mystery that is accelerating particles at terrifying speeds, close to the speed of light, generating countless cosmic rays and gamma rays just outside the galaxy’s center, continuously blowing a high-energy storm into space. Despite this, thanks to the aforementioned “cosmic wall,” the core of the galaxy appears remarkably calm as most of the cosmic rays directed inward are blocked.
According to Live Science, the mechanism of this cosmic wall and why it exists remains a mystery.
Previously, it was suspected that the central “supermassive black hole” of the galaxy was the culprit accelerating protons and electrons to near-light speeds, creating a “sea of cosmic rays” throughout our galaxy. However, this new study indicates that the black hole is innocent, as the region around it has very few cosmic rays.
Other potential sources believed to be responsible for the sea of cosmic rays include strong stellar winds from massive stars crowded in the galaxy’s center or ancient supernovae. However, scientists believe further research is needed.
The study was recently published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
