In late 2018 - early 2019, scientists recorded two large flashes of gamma radiation in the earth's atmosphere with record energy. Today, they managed to find out their causes and sources.
Gamma-ray bursts are astronomical phenomena in which a significant excess in the intensity of penetrating radiation is detected. The mechanism of their appearance was not found. Presumably, these are the consequences of the collision of neutron stars, supernova explosions. Interestingly, during this phenomenon, in just a matter of seconds, more energy is generated than the Sun releases in a lifetime.
Such a phenomenon can only be detected using space telescopes. This is due to the fact that the Earth’s atmosphere makes it difficult to see an astronomical phenomenon. Sometimes it happens that such flashes are recorded by conventional telescopes. So it was in the summer of 2018 and in January 2019.
Signs of gamma-ray bursts could be seen due to the so-called Vavilov-Cherenkov effect. Powerful cosmic rays (and among them most strongly - gamma radiation) can excite atoms in the earth's air shell. If they return from an excited state to their usual state, then they emit a certain amount of photons. What is happening at this moment is perceived as visible from our planet.
In July 2018, this burst was recorded by a large telescope having the H.E.S.S. high-energy system. This telescope is located in Namibia.In astronomy, this phenomenon has received the code GRB-180720B. And in January of this year, a similar study with the GRB 190114C index was recorded by the powerful MAGIC telescope located in La Palma.
Astronomers have studied flare parameters for a long time. During the study, they discovered several startling facts. It turns out that the radiation that occurred in January had a huge energy of 200 to 1000 gigaelectron-volts. It is one hundred billion times stronger than the energy that visible light has.
The inhabitants of the Earth do not need to be afraid of such a strong energy. It turned out that the source of the flare GRB-190114C is located at an impressive distance of 4 billion light years from Earth. Another focus, GRB-180720B, is 6 billion light-years from the blue planet.
These are unimaginable distances even from the point of view of astronomy. The fact that the flash could be observed using ground-based telescopes from the Earth indicates its amazing power. Moreover, traces of gamma-ray emission could be observed for a long time from our planet.
Astronomers claim that it was possible to achieve such powerful radiation as a result of the so-called back Compton scattering. Particles having an electric charge, due to this effect, are deformed by a powerful magnetic field. Because of this, their energies so increase.
The results of such studies will be useful for studying the processes occurring in the most remote parts of the Universe. Perhaps they will shed light on the mysteries of the formation of space.
