Fred Beltzer’s Post

🌟 #HaDEA-managed project SHARP sheds new light on collisionless shocks 🌌 Collisionless shocks are one of the most fundamental phenomena in space and one of the most powerful accelerators in the universe. Despite more than half a century of collisionless shock research, our understanding of the processes of the shock energy dissipation into charged particle heating and acceleration remains incomplete. 👩🔬 Thanks to the international collaboration of leading research institutions, the #EUfunded SHARP project succeeded at significantly advancing our knowledge of shock physics. ⬇ Read more in the latest #CORDIS article: https://lnkd.in/eRy45eCN #EUSpaceResearch #Space #SpaceScience #H2020 EU Space | Finnish Meteorological Institute

Evidence of matter-antimatter annihilation in the BOAT. Researchers led by Maria Edvige Ravasio from Radboud University, analyzing data taken by the Fermi Gamma-ray Telescope, have found evidence of matter-antimatter annihilation in GRB 221009A, the brightest GRB of all time. Prior studies hinted at the possibility of the peak of energy being the product of an annihilation, but there was no proof that the signal was just a statistical fluctuation. Now, after making new statistical analysis, the team have determined that the odds this feature is just a noise fluctuation are less than one in half a billion. The findings have been published in Science (26 July, 2024). https://lnkd.in/d9QPD8-6 #physics #physicsnews #astrophysics #astronomy #boat #grb #GRB221009A #antimatter #annihilation

🔬 Recent Breakthroughs in Physics – October 2024 1. Teleportation of a Logical Qubit 🧑💻 For the first time, engineers and physicists have successfully teleported a logical qubit using fault-tolerant quantum methods. This advancement, published in Science, marks a critical step toward scalable quantum computing, bringing us closer to practical quantum systems . 2. NASA Observes Major Solar Flare 🌞 On October 3, 2024, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured an impressive X9.0 solar flare, one of the strongest observed in recent years. Solar flares like these can have significant impacts on satellite communications and power grids, highlighting the importance of monitoring solar activity . 3. Advances in Dark Matter Detection 🌌 A new AI-powered tool is revolutionizing the search for dark matter, offering unprecedented precision in identifying the elusive particles thought to make up most of the universe’s mass. This tool could be pivotal in solving one of the biggest mysteries in modern physics . These groundbreaking discoveries continue to push the boundaries of what we know about our universe. It’s an exciting time for science! #Physics #QuantumComputing #Space #DarkMatter #ScienceNews #Innovation

May 3rd is National Space Day! 🌌 Did you know? Gamma-ray and neutron spectroscopy instruments have been used successfully on multiple aerospace missions to determine the elemental composition of different planetary worlds. Currently scheduled to launch in 2028, Dragonfly will take advantage of the dense atmosphere and low gravity of Saturn’s moon Titan to fly up to 110 miles (175 kilometers), farther than any planetary surface mission. 🪐 Here’s what else it will do: ➡ Search for chemical biosignatures, past or present, from water-based life to that which might use liquid hydrocarbons. ➡ Investigate the moon’s active methane cycle. ➡ Explore the prebiotic chemistry in the atmosphere and on the surface. Reuter-Stokes has been a leader in neutron and gamma detection technology for more than six decades. Our Helium-3 proportional counters offer high sensitivity, durability and excellent spectral resolution. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the Dragonfly Gamma-ray and Neutron Spectrometer, or DraGNS, is the first planned use of active gamma-ray spectroscopy with a pulsed neutron generator (PNG) on a planetary body other than Earth. The instrument enables rapid insight into Titan’s surface; a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer will be able to remotely detect chemical elements in the subsurface immediately beneath the lander, including carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen. FUN FACT: Two Reuter-Stokes Helium-3 sensors were used as part of a 1998-1999 lunar mission to make the first identification of hydrogen at the poles of the Moon – a discovery that is still driving space exploration today. 🌕 Learn more about Reuter-Stokes Radiation Measurement and Monitoring: https://lnkd.in/d3wv9kGy Learn more about Dragonfly: https://lnkd.in/gdT4J-2K #innovation #space #aerospace #spectroscopy #spaceexploration #hydrogen #spacetechnology #DragonflyMission #JHUAPL

The Earth's ambipolar electric field detected for the first time. Researchers led by Glyn Collinson of the Goddard Space Flight Center have detected for the first time the Earth's ambipolar electric field which was hypothesized in 1968 after scientists observed a supersonic wind of particles escaping from Earth's atmosphere. The field is generated in the ionosphere at a height of around 250 kilometers (155 miles), where the solar radiation ionizes atmospheric atoms. The electrons are pushed upwards and the heavier positive ions downwards, and in the plasma environment that produces the newly measured electric field. The findings have been published in Nature (28 August, 2024). https://lnkd.in/dweydAkW #physics #physicsnews #earth #electricfield #ambipolarelectricfield #ionosphere

Unveiling the Giants: Mid-Infrared Observations of the Solar System's Largest Planets A century of mid-infrared observations has significantly advanced our understanding of the atmospheres of the giant planets in our solar system. A researcher from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom and Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile has reviewed the developments in this field and the potential of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to further enhance our knowledge of these planets. https://lnkd.in/gMC7984S

New Post: Station Science Top News: August 29, 2024 - https://lnkd.in/e3tZW8mk used an interferometer that can precisely measure gravity, magnetic fields, and other forces to study the influence of International Space Station vibrations. Results revealed that matter-wave interference of rubidium gases is robust and repeatable over a period spanning months. Atom interferometry experiments could help create high-precision measurement capabilities for gravitational, Earth, and planetary sciences. Using ultracold rubidium […]

This Monday, the moon will perfectly block much of the sunlight reaching some parts of North America, allowing the sun's atmosphere, or corona, to pop into view. The electrically conductive gas, or plasma, inside the corona is heated to the point where it can accelerate away from the sun, engulfing our entire solar system as the "solar wind." The plasma in the solar wind and its associated magnetic fields are like the wind and rain of "space weather," and they determine when space weather can disrupt technology and life on Earth. Michigan Engineering's CLaSP faculty have produced some of the best space weather forecasting models in the world, including the models behind the U.S.'s official space weather forecasting center. Now, they are involved in a new NASA Space Weather Center of Excellence to help protect astronauts, future space missions, and satellites from some of the worst space weather. To read more about U-M's leadership in studying the sun and predicting harmful space weather, click the link to our digital feature. [article] https://bit.ly/43Md0iq

[How A Quantum Sensor On The ISS Could Revolutionize Space Exploration] Scientists at NASA's Cold Atom Lab (CAL) onboard the International Space Station (ISS) have announced that, for the first time, they have successfully made high-precision measurements using a quantum sensor based on ultra-cold atoms of the element Rubidium. This is a significant achievement with wide-ranging applications, as these sensors could surpass traditional ones in sensitivity and accuracy, enabling advancements in fields like GPS technology and telecommunications. Additionally, working versions of these sensors would offer new opportunities for scientific discoveries through the study of quantum phenomena, testing the limits of fundamental physics — and maybe even pushing beyond theories such as general relativity and the Standard Model of particle physics. If so, that would undoubtedly lead to a revolution in — space exploration as well. "Reaching this milestone was incredibly challenging, and our success was not always a given," Jason Williams, the Cold Atom Lab project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said in a statement. "It took dedication and a sense of adventure by the team to make this happen." Basically, CAL researchers were able to measure the subtle vibrations of the ISS itself, using an instrument called an atom interferometer — it's one of the most advanced technologies for making high-precision measurements. The technique is based on the same principles as optical interferometry, where light is split into two beams that travel along different optical paths before getting combined to produce interference. Any differences between the beams' paths allows for extremely precise detection of changes in the environment. It will certainly be exciting to see where future experiments lead. "I expect that space-based atom interferometry will lead to exciting new discoveries and fantastic quantum technologies impacting everyday life, and will transport us into a quantum future," Nick Bigelow, a professor at University of Rochester in New York and Cold Atom Lab principal investigator for a consortium of U.S. and German scientists who co-authored the study, said in the statement. Source: https://lnkd.in/ejcZUKE9 #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews