Space
Astronomers Solve Decades-Old Mystery of a Fog of Low-Energy X-Rays (VIDEO)
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Jul 30, 2014 10:59 AM EDT
Astronomers have now solved a decades-old mystery about a fog of low-energy X-rays seen over the entire sky. By using refurbished detectors, scientists have found that much of this X-ray glow stems from a region of interstellar plasma known as the local hot bubble (LHB).
Finding out where X-rays come from is an important part of studying the universe. By identifying the source of X-rays, the researchers can essentially filter them out when looking at other phenomena.
"Interactions between the solar wind and neutral atoms in comets, the outer atmospheres of planets, and even interstellar gas produce soft X-rays," said Steve Snowden, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, in a news release. "We need to account for these processes because the X-rays they produce complicate our observations of the wider universe."
The glow that the researchers studied in this case is surprisingly bright in the gas-rich central plane of our galaxy, where it should be strongly absorbed. This suggested that the background was a local phenomenon, arising from the bubble of hot gas extending out a few hundred light-years from the solar system. Now, scientists have confirmation.
The researchers rebuilt, tested, calibrated and adapted X-ray detectors. The mission, named Diffuse X-ray emissions from the Local Galaxy (DXL) was launched atop a NASA Black Brant IX sounding rocket. This allowed them to find out that the X-rays came from the LHB and the solar wind.
We now know that the emission comes from both sources but is dominated by the local hot bubble," said Massamiliano Galeazzi, one of the researchers. "This is a significant discovery. Specifically, the existence or nonexistence of the local bubble affects our understanding of the area of the galaxy close to the sun, and can, therefore, be used as a foundation for future models of the galaxy structure."
The findings could help inform future studies. Currently, the scientists are planning the next flight of DXL, which will include additional instruments to better characterize the emission.
Want to learn more? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.
See Now:
NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone
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First Posted: Jul 30, 2014 10:59 AM EDT
Astronomers have now solved a decades-old mystery about a fog of low-energy X-rays seen over the entire sky. By using refurbished detectors, scientists have found that much of this X-ray glow stems from a region of interstellar plasma known as the local hot bubble (LHB).
Finding out where X-rays come from is an important part of studying the universe. By identifying the source of X-rays, the researchers can essentially filter them out when looking at other phenomena.
"Interactions between the solar wind and neutral atoms in comets, the outer atmospheres of planets, and even interstellar gas produce soft X-rays," said Steve Snowden, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, in a news release. "We need to account for these processes because the X-rays they produce complicate our observations of the wider universe."
The glow that the researchers studied in this case is surprisingly bright in the gas-rich central plane of our galaxy, where it should be strongly absorbed. This suggested that the background was a local phenomenon, arising from the bubble of hot gas extending out a few hundred light-years from the solar system. Now, scientists have confirmation.
The researchers rebuilt, tested, calibrated and adapted X-ray detectors. The mission, named Diffuse X-ray emissions from the Local Galaxy (DXL) was launched atop a NASA Black Brant IX sounding rocket. This allowed them to find out that the X-rays came from the LHB and the solar wind.
We now know that the emission comes from both sources but is dominated by the local hot bubble," said Massamiliano Galeazzi, one of the researchers. "This is a significant discovery. Specifically, the existence or nonexistence of the local bubble affects our understanding of the area of the galaxy close to the sun, and can, therefore, be used as a foundation for future models of the galaxy structure."
The findings could help inform future studies. Currently, the scientists are planning the next flight of DXL, which will include additional instruments to better characterize the emission.
Want to learn more? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone