Researchers plan to turn the moon into a giant particle detector in hopes of gaining insight into the origin of Ultra-High-Energy (UHE) cosmic rays, which are the most high-energy particles in the Universe.
The origin of these rays is one of astrophysics' great mysteries; they can only be detected on Earth at a rate of less than one particle per square kilometer per century, the University of Southampton reported.
Researchers have proposed to use the ultra-sensitive radio telescope the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) to detect UHE cosmic rays by employing the moon as a detector. The telescope will not be operational until the early 2020s, but could provide answers to a variety of long-wondered questions.
Physicists believe when these high-energy particles hit Earth's upper atmosphere it triggers a stream of secondary particles that cause difficult-to-detect radio waves only lasting for a few nanoseconds. These signals are too faint to be detected by Earthly telescopes, but researchers hope the SKA will be able to pick them up them using the lunar surface.
"Cosmic rays at these energies are so rare that you need an enormous detector to collect a significant number of them -- but the moon dwarfs any particle detector that has been built so far. If we can make this work, it should give us our best chance yet to figure out where they're coming from," said Justin Bray, a Research Fellow in Cosmic Magnetism at the University of Southampton.
"Defining science goals for the telescope is crucial for ensuring that the appropriate technical capabilities are considered during the design phase," said Professor Anna Scaife, also from Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southampton.
The team plans to use the SKA to utilize a network of radio antennas in the Southern hemisphere to reveal secrets of the evolution of the universe and challenge Einstein's theory of relativity. The telescope could also help the team get a 3-D picture of the universe.
