The hunt for the origins of the universe's most energetic particles
Dec 10, 2024
The University of Utah’s Cosmic Ray Research program, along with partner institutions in the Telescope Array collaboration is looking to crack the case of exactly what the mysterious particles are that carry far more energy than an Earth-bound accelerator can deliver.
The researchers’ recent observation of the second-highest energy cosmic ray on record is providing important clues.
At a seminar on campus September 26, Jihyun Kim, senior research associate in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, presented the Cosmic Ray Research team’s findings from the Telescope Array, an international experiment based in the high desert of western Utah, where 850 detectors are arranged across half a million acres of public land, with 250 more on the way.
“We are hosting the experiment here in Utah,” Kim said. “We design, maintain, and operate everything. We go down with our students, and they learn how to operate all the systems, collect the data and analyze it by themselves. This is a really unique research experience [for our students].”
She shared the latest research and insights pertaining to cosmic rays, utilizing the largest cosmic ray observatory in the Northern Hemisphere. The research group’s mission is to achieve breakthroughs in the field of particle astrophysics. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Cosmic Ray Research program is particularly interested in the properties of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, or UHECRs.
Read the full article by Ethan Hood in @TheU.