The first study, published May 14 in Nature, introduced a sophisticated gravity model of the Moon that captures tiny variations in its gravitational field as it orbits Earth. These fluctuations, caused by the planet's tidal forces, reveal that the Moon undergoes a slight flexing motion known as tidal deformation, providing crucial clues about its deep interior. Using data from NASA's GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) mission, which orbited the Moon from December 2011 to December 2012, the team created the most detailed lunar gravitational map to date, enhancing navigation and timing for future lunar missions.

The second study, appearing in Nature Astronomy on April 23, examined the interior of Vesta, an asteroid in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter. Researchers utilized radiometric data from NASA's Deep Space Network and imaging from the Dawn spacecraft, which orbited Vesta from July 2011 to September 2012, to assess its internal structure. Contrary to earlier theories suggesting a layered composition, the data indicate that Vesta may have a more uniform interior, potentially lacking a distinct iron core.

Lead author Ryan Park, head of the Solar System Dynamics Group at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, emphasized the importance of gravity studies in revealing planetary interiors. "Gravity is a unique and fundamental property of a planetary body that can be used to explore its deep interior," he said. "Our technique doesn't need data from the surface; we just need to track the motion of the spacecraft very precisely to get a global view of what's inside."

The lunar study also provided fresh evidence supporting the theory that the Moon's near side is more geologically active than its far side. This side, marked by vast, flat plains of solidified lava known as mare, likely contains heat-generating radioactive elements that influence its internal structure. This finding aligns with the hypothesis that the Moon's near side experienced significant volcanic activity billions of years ago, concentrating these elements deep within its mantle.

Meanwhile, the Vesta analysis revealed surprising findings about the asteroid's formation. Unlike Earth, which developed a dense iron core through gravitational settling, Vesta's interior appears more homogeneous, suggesting it either never fully differentiated or re-formed after a catastrophic impact.

Park's team plans to extend this approach to other planetary bodies, including Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, as they refine their understanding of how these worlds evolved over billions of years.

Research Report:Thermal asymmetry in the Moon's mantle inferred from monthly tidal response

Research Report:A small core in Vesta inferred from Dawn's observations

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Boston MA (SPX) May 21, 2025 - One of the most profound open questions in modern physics is: "Is gravity quantum?"

The other fundamental forces - electromagnetic, weak, and strong - have all been successfully described, but no complete and consistent quantum theory of gravity yet exists.

"Theoretical physicists have proposed many possible scenarios, from gravity being inherently classical to fully quantum, but the debate remains unresolved because we've never had a clear way to test gravity's quantum nature in the lab," says Dongchel Shin, a PhD candidate in the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE). "The key to answering this lies in preparing mechanical systems that are massive enough to feel gravity, yet quiet enough - quantum enough - to reveal how gravity interacts with them."

Shin, who is also a MathWorks Fellow, researches quantum and precision metrology platforms that probe fundamental physics and are designed to pave the way for future industrial technology. He is the lead author of a new paper that demonstrates laser cooling of a centimeter-long torsional oscillator. The open-access paper, "Active laser cooling of a centimeter-scale torsional oscillator," was recently published in the journal Optica.

Lasers have been routinely employed to cool down atomic gases since the 1980s, and have been used in the linear motion of nanoscale mechanical oscillators since around 2010. The new paper presents the first time this technique has been extended to torsional oscillators, which are key to a worldwide effort to study gravity using these systems.

"Torsion pendulums have been classical tools for gravity research since [Henry] Cavendish's famous experiment in 1798. They've been used to measure Newton's gravitational constant, G, test the inverse-square law, and search for new gravitational phenomena," explains Shin.

By using lasers to remove nearly all thermal motion from atoms, in recent decades scientists have created ultracold atomic gases at micro- and nanokelvin temperatures. These systems now power the world's most precise clocks - optical lattice clocks - with timekeeping precision so high that they would gain or lose less than a second over the age of the universe.

"Historically, these two technologies developed separately - one in gravitational physics, the other in atomic and optical physics," says Shin. "In our work, we bring them together. By applying laser cooling techniques originally developed for atoms to a centimeter-scale torsional oscillator, we try to bridge the classical and quantum worlds. This hybrid platform enables a new class of experiments - ones that could finally let us test whether gravity needs to be described by quantum theory."

The new paper demonstrates laser cooling of a centimeter-scale torsional oscillator from room temperature to a temperature of 10 millikelvins (1/1,000th of a kelvin) using a mirrored optical lever.

"An optical lever is a simple but powerful measurement technique: You shine a laser onto a mirror, and even a tiny tilt of the mirror causes the reflected beam to shift noticeably on a detector. This magnifies small angular motions into easily measurable signals," explains Shin, noting that while the premise is simple, the team faced challenges in practice. "The laser beam itself can jitter slightly due to air currents, vibrations, or imperfections in the optics. These jitters can falsely appear as motion of the mirror, limiting our ability to measure true physical signals."

To overcome this, the team used the mirrored optical lever approach, which employs a second, mirrored version of the laser beam to cancel out the unwanted jitter.

"One beam interacts with the torsional oscillator, while the other reflects off a corner-cube mirror, reversing any jitter without picking up the oscillator's motion," Shin says. "When the two beams are combined at the detector, the real signal from the oscillator is preserved, and the false motion from [the] laser jitter is canceled."

This approach reduced noise by a factor of a thousand, which allowed the researchers to detect motion with extreme precision, nearly 10 times better than the oscillator's own quantum zero-point fluctuations. "That level of sensitivity made it possible for us to cool the system down to just 10 milli-kelvins using laser light," Shin says.

Shin says this work is just the beginning. "While we've achieved quantum-limited precision below the zero-point motion of the oscillator, reaching the actual quantum ground state remains our next goal," he says. "To do that, we'll need to further strengthen the optical interaction - using an optical cavity that amplifies angular signals, or optical trapping strategies. These improvements could open the door to experiments where two such oscillators interact only through gravity, allowing us to directly test whether gravity is quantum or not."

The paper's other authors from the Department of Mechanical Engineering include Vivishek Sudhir, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and the Class of 1957 Career Development Professor, and PhD candidate Dylan Fife. Additional authors are Tina Heyward and Rajesh Menon of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Utah. Shin and Fife are both members of Sudhir's lab, the Quantum and Precision Measurements Group.

Shin says one thing he's come to appreciate through this work is the breadth of the challenge the team is tackling. "Studying quantum aspects of gravity experimentally doesn't just require deep understanding of physics - relativity, quantum mechanics - but also demands hands-on expertise in system design, nanofabrication, optics, control, and electronics," he says.

"Having a background in mechanical engineering, which spans both the theoretical and practical aspects of physical systems, gave me the right perspective to navigate and contribute meaningfully across these diverse domains," says Shin. "It's been incredibly rewarding to see how this broad training can help tackle one of the most fundamental questions in science."

Research Report:"Active laser cooling of a centimeter-scale torsional oscillator"

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Boulder CO (SPX) May 13, 2025 - University of Colorado Boulder astrophysicist Jeremy Darling is pursuing a new way of measuring the universe's gravitational wave background-the constant flow of waves that churn through the cosmos, warping the very fabric of space and time.

The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, could one day help to unlock some of the universe's deepest mysteries, including how gravity works at its most fundamental level.

"There is a lot we can learn from getting these precise measurements of gravitational waves," said Darling, professor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences. "Different flavors of gravity could lead to lots of different kinds of gravitational waves."

To understand how such waves work, it helps to picture Earth as a small buoy bobbing in a stormy ocean.

Darling explained that, throughout the history of the universe, countless supermassive black holes have engaged in a volatile dance: These behemoths spiral around each other faster and faster until they crash together. Scientists suspect that the resulting collisions are so powerful they, literally, generate ripples that spread out into the universe.

This background noise washes over our planet all the time, although you'd never know it. The kinds of gravitational waves that Darling seeks to measure tend to be very slow, passing our planet over the course of years to decades.

In 2023, a team of scientists belonging to the NANOGrav collaboration achieved a coup by measuring that cosmic wave pool. The group recorded how the universe's gravitational wave background stretched and squeezed spacetime, affecting the light coming to Earth from celestial objects known as pulsars, which act somewhat like cosmic clocks.

But those detailed measurements only captured how gravitational waves move in a single direction-akin to waves flowing directly toward and away from a shoreline. Darling, in contrast, wants to see how gravitational waves also move from side-to-side and up and down compared to Earth.

In his latest study, the astrophysicist got help from another class of celestial objects: quasars, or unusually bright, supermassive black holes sitting at the centers of galaxies. Darling searches for signals from gravitational waves by precisely measuring how quasars move compared to each other in the sky. He hasn't spotted those signals yet, but that could change as more data become available.

"Gravitational waves operate in three dimensions," Darling said. "They stretch and squeeze spacetime along our line of sight, but they also cause objects to appear to move back and forth in the sky."

Galaxies in motion

Darling explained that quasars rest millions of light-years or more from Earth. As the glow from these objects speeds toward Earth, it doesn't necessarily proceed in a straight line. Instead, passing gravitational waves will deflect that light, almost like a baseball pitcher throwing a curve ball.

Those quasars aren't actually moving in space, but from Earth, they might look like they are-a sort of cosmic wiggling happening all around us.

"If you lived for millions of years, and you could actually observe these incredibly tiny motions, you'd see these quasars wiggling back and forth," Darling said.

Or that's the theory. In practice, scientists have struggled to observe those wiggles. In part, that's because these motions are hard to observe, requiring a precision 10 times greater than it would take to watch a human fingernail growing on the moon from Earth. But our planet is also moving through space. Our planet orbits the sun at a speed of roughly 67,000 miles per hour, and the sun itself is hurtling through space at a blistering 850,000 miles per hour.

Detecting the signal from gravitational waves, in other words, requires disentangling Earth's own motion from the apparent motion of quasars. To begin that process, Darling drew on data from the European Space Agency's Gaia satellite. Since Gaia's launch in 2013, its science team has released observations of more than a million quasars over about three years.

Darling took those observations, split the quasars into pairs, then carefully measured how those pairs moved relative to each other.

His findings aren't detailed enough yet to prove that gravitational waves are making quasars wiggle. But, Darling said, it's an important search-unraveling the physics of gravitational waves, for example, could help scientists understand how galaxies evolve in our universe and help them test fundamental assumptions about gravity.

The astrophysicist could get some help in that pursuit soon. In 2026, the Gaia team plans to release five-and-a-half more years of quasar observations, providing a new trove of data that might just reveal the secrets of the universe's gravitational wave background.

"If we can see millions of quasars, then maybe we can find these signals buried in that very large dataset," he said.

Research Report:A New Approach to the Low-frequency Stochastic Gravitational-wave Background: Constraints from Quasars and the Astrometric Hellings-Downs Curve

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Berlin, Germany (SPX) May 06, 2025 - At long last, physicists may be nearing a breakthrough that unifies gravity with electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces. For decades, the challenge has been reconciling quantum field theory with Einstein's general relativity-a task that generations of scientists have pursued without success.

Now, researchers at Aalto University have proposed a new quantum theory of gravity that aligns with the Standard Model of particle physics. The advance could lead to deeper insights into the origins of the universe. While these findings are theoretical, history has shown that similar work often drives practical innovation-for instance, GPS technology relies on Einstein's theory of gravity.

In their recent publication in Reports on Progress in Physics, Mikko Partanen and Jukka Tulkki describe a framework that could eventually yield a comprehensive quantum field theory of gravity. "If this turns out to lead to a complete quantum field theory of gravity, then eventually it will give answers to the very difficult problems of understanding singularities in black holes and the Big Bang," said lead author Partanen.

Partanen noted that such a complete theory is sometimes called the Theory of Everything, although he prefers to avoid the term. "Some fundamental questions of physics still remain unanswered. For example, the present theories do not yet explain why there is more matter than antimatter in the observable universe," he added.

The duo's approach centers on formulating gravity as a gauge theory-a theoretical structure in which particles interact through fields, like the electromagnetic field for electrically charged particles. "So when we have particles which have energy, the interactions they have just because they have energy would happen through the gravitational field," explained Tulkki.

Creating a gravity gauge theory compatible with those describing the electromagnetic, weak, and strong nuclear forces required aligning with the symmetries found in the Standard Model. "The main idea is to have a gravity gauge theory with a symmetry that is similar to the Standard Model symmetries, instead of basing the theory on the very different kind of spacetime symmetry of general relativity," said Partanen.

Without this compatibility, general relativity and quantum mechanics remain fundamentally at odds. Gravity, which is exceedingly weak compared to other forces, has made it especially difficult to observe quantum effects. Yet understanding these effects is essential in extreme environments such as black holes and the early universe.

Inspired by big-picture questions in physics, Partanen developed a new symmetry-based theory of gravity, later refined in collaboration with Tulkki. Their model, if confirmed, could spark a transformative era in physics, akin to the revolutionary insights that followed the development of relativity.

While promising, their work remains incomplete. They have employed renormalization-a method for handling problematic infinities in calculations-and shown that it holds at the first order. Still, full proof requires verifying that the approach holds for higher order terms as well.

"If renormalization doesn't work for higher order terms, you'll get infinite results. So it's vital to show that this renormalization continues to work," said Tulkki. Partanen is optimistic that with time, they can overcome this challenge. "I can't say when, but I can say we'll know much more about that in a few years."

In the meantime, they have published their findings to engage the broader scientific community. "Like quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity before it, we hope our theory will open countless avenues for scientists to explore," Partanen said.

Research Report:Gravity generated by four one-dimensional unitary gauge symmetries and the Standard Model

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 10, 2025 - In a major step forward for quantum sensing and Earth science, NASA is preparing to fly the first quantum gravity sensor in space. Developed in partnership with academic institutions and private industry, the instrument is designed to measure variations in Earth's gravity with unprecedented precision. The effort is funded by NASA's Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) and could revolutionize how we monitor underground water, natural resources, and geological activity.

Earth's gravitational field constantly changes due to shifting mass caused by tectonic activity, water flow, and other dynamic processes. Although these changes are imperceptible in daily life, scientists rely on gravity gradiometers to map subtle variations and link them to features like aquifers or mineral reserves. These maps support everything from resource management to military navigation.

"We could determine the mass of the Himalayas using atoms," said Jason Hyon, chief technologist for Earth Science at JPL and director of the Quantum Space Innovation Center. Hyon is among the scientists behind the Quantum Gravity Gradiometer Pathfinder (QGGPf), outlined in a recent EPJ Quantum Technology paper.

Gravity gradiometers work by comparing the free-fall acceleration of two closely spaced test masses. Any difference in how fast they fall reveals underlying gravitational variations. In the QGGPf system, these test masses are clouds of rubidium atoms cooled to near absolute zero. At such low temperatures, atoms exhibit quantum behavior, behaving like waves. Measuring the difference in how these waves accelerate allows researchers to detect minute gravitational anomalies.

Using atomic clouds as test masses offers long-term measurement stability, noted JPL experimental physicist Sheng-wey Chiow. "With atoms, I can guarantee that every measurement will be the same. We are less sensitive to environmental effects."

This stability, combined with compact design, makes the QGGPf system ideal for space missions. The sensor will occupy just 0.25 cubic meters and weigh about 125 kilograms, significantly smaller than conventional satellite gravity instruments. Quantum-based sensors may also achieve up to 10 times greater sensitivity than traditional systems.

The upcoming technology demonstration, set for launch later this decade, will test key components that manipulate light-matter interactions at atomic scales. "No one has tried to fly one of these instruments yet," said JPL postdoctoral researcher Ben Stray. "We need to fly it so that we can figure out how well it will operate, and that will allow us to not only advance the quantum gravity gradiometer, but also quantum technology in general."

The initiative is a collaborative effort between NASA and commercial partners. JPL is working with AOSense and Infleqtion to develop the sensor head, while NASA Goddard teams with Vector Atomic to refine the laser optical systems.

Beyond Earth science, the QGGPf's success could influence planetary exploration and fundamental physics, expanding our ability to investigate how gravity shapes celestial bodies and the universe at large. "The QGGPf instrument will lead to planetary science applications and fundamental physics applications," Hyon emphasized.

Research Report:Quantum gravity gradiometry for future mass change science

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Rome, Italy (SPX) Mar 24, 2025 - Quantum gravity, the elusive framework that would merge general relativity with quantum mechanics, remains one of modern physics' greatest unsolved puzzles. One of the most promising candidates for shedding light on this conundrum is the neutrino-a ghost-like particle that carries no electric charge and almost never interacts with matter, passing through the Earth undisturbed.

Because of their weak interaction with other matter, detecting neutrinos is exceptionally challenging. On rare occasions, however, a neutrino will collide with a water molecule, creating a cascade of particles that emits a blue light known as Cerenkov radiation. Instruments such as KM3NeT are designed to detect this faint glow deep underwater.

The KM3NeT (Kilometer Cube Neutrino Telescope) is a vast neutrino observatory situated beneath the Mediterranean Sea. Its detection capabilities rely on spotting neutrino interactions in the water. One component of this array, known as ORCA (Oscillation Research with Cosmics in the Abyss), played a central role in the latest research. Located near Toulon, France, ORCA operates at a depth of approximately 2,450 meters.

However, merely tracking neutrinos is not sufficient to explore the nuances of quantum gravity. Researchers are also on the lookout for a subtle signature known as "decoherence."

Neutrinos are known to undergo flavor oscillations as they travel, a process in which they switch between different types, or "flavors." This behavior is driven by quantum superposition, where a neutrino exists simultaneously in a mix of three mass states. Coherence maintains the stability of this superposition, allowing oscillations to proceed predictably. Theories of quantum gravity suggest that interactions with the environment might disturb this coherence, leading to a phenomenon termed decoherence, which could dampen or halt these oscillations.

"There are several theories of quantum gravity which somehow predict this effect because they say that the neutrino is not an isolated system. It can interact with the environment," explains Nadja Lessing, a physicist at the Instituto de Fisica Corpuscular of the University of Valencia and the corresponding author of the study, conducted by a global consortium of scientists.

"From the experimental point of view, we know the signal of this would be seeing neutrino oscillations suppressed." This suppression would indicate that during their journey through space-and to the KM3NeT sensors in the Mediterranean depths-neutrinos might have interacted with their surroundings in a way that disrupted their oscillations.

In the analysis conducted by Lessing and her team, no evidence of decoherence was observed in the neutrinos detected by KM3NeT/ORCA. Nonetheless, this outcome holds significance for the field.

"This," explains Nadja Lessing, "means that if quantum gravity alters neutrino oscillations, it does so with an intensity below the current sensitivity limits." The study succeeded in establishing tighter upper bounds on potential decoherence effects, surpassing constraints from prior atmospheric neutrino observations. It also points to promising paths for future investigations.

"Finding neutrino decoherence would be a big thing," says Lessing. To date, no direct observation of quantum gravity has been made, prompting heightened focus on neutrino experiments as a potential gateway. "There has been a growing interest in this topic. People researching quantum gravity are just very interested in this because you probably couldn't explain decoherence with something else."

Research Report:Search for quantum decoherence in neutrino oscillations with six detection units of KM3NeT/ORCA

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Rome, Italy (SPX) Feb 18, 2025 - "The cosmological principle is like an ultimate kind of statement of humility," says James Adam, an astrophysicist at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa, and lead author of a new study. The Cosmological Principle posits that no specific location in the Universe is unique or central, and that on the largest scales, the cosmos exhibits uniformity in all directions. This assumption forms the foundation of the Standard Model of Cosmology, which describes the Universe's evolution and structure. While widely accepted and supported by extensive observations, the model is not without its challenges.

Some recent findings indicate that the Universe may exhibit anisotropies-variations in structure that contradict the assumed isotropy. These deviations have been observed through different means, such as inconsistencies in measurements of the Universe's expansion rate, analyses of the cosmic microwave background radiation, and other cosmological data discrepancies. However, these results remain inconclusive, and verifying them requires additional independent data. If multiple observational techniques detect the same anomalies, they would become difficult to dismiss as mere measurement errors.

In a new study published in JCAP, Adam and his team developed an innovative approach to test isotropy using gravitational lensing observations, particularly from ESA's Euclid space telescope. Launched in 2023, Euclid has recently begun capturing high-resolution images of the cosmos, offering an unprecedented level of detail.

"We explored an alternative way to constrain anisotropy by analyzing weak gravitational lensing," Adam explains. Weak lensing occurs when matter between a distant galaxy and an observer subtly bends the galaxy's light, distorting its apparent shape. This effect provides clues about the Universe's structure. In an isotropic Universe, weak lensing data should predominantly show E-mode shear, which is associated with matter distribution. Conversely, B-mode shear, which is generally weak, should not manifest on large scales if isotropy holds.

Detecting B-modes alone would not confirm anisotropies, as these signals could result from measurement inaccuracies or secondary effects. However, if an anisotropy truly exists, it would influence both E-modes and B-modes in a correlated manner. The key test is whether Euclid's data reveal a significant correlation between these signals-such a finding would suggest the Universe expands anisotropically.

Next Steps and Potential Impact

With Euclid already delivering early observations, Adam's team plans to apply their methodology to real data. "Once you've kind of quadruple-checked your work, then you have to seriously consider whether this fundamental assumption is actually true or not, particularly in the late Universe. Or perhaps it just was never true," Adam reflects.

If verified, these anomalies could reshape cosmology. However, any theoretical revisions would depend on the magnitude of the detected anisotropies. Some alternative cosmological models predict such variations, but none match the predictive power and observational support of the Standard Model. The extent of any necessary modifications remains uncertain. "It could be a serious revision," Adam concludes, "or just adding a little term here or there. Who knows?"

Research Report:Probing the Cosmological Principle with weak lensing shear

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Paris, France (SPX) Feb 12, 2025 - Euclid embarked on its ambitious six-year mission to probe the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy when it launched on July 1, 2023. Before it could commence full-scale observations, scientists and engineers conducted critical instrument tests. During this commissioning phase in September 2023, the spacecraft transmitted a set of preliminary images back to Earth. Though intentionally blurred, one image caught the attention of Euclid Archive Scientist Bruno Altieri, who noticed an intriguing feature worth investigating.

"I review Euclid's incoming data as it arrives," said Altieri. "Even in that first image, I spotted something intriguing. As Euclid conducted further observations of the region, we identified a perfect Einstein ring. For someone with a deep fascination for gravitational lensing, this was an incredible discovery."

The phenomenon, known as an Einstein Ring, is exceedingly rare and had been hidden in plain sight within a nearby galaxy. This galaxy, designated NGC 6505, is approximately 590 million light-years from Earth-relatively close in cosmic terms. Thanks to Euclid's high-resolution capabilities, this is the first time the ring of light encircling its center has been observed.

The ring consists of light from a background galaxy located 4.42 billion light-years away. As the light traveled towards Earth, the immense gravitational field of NGC 6505 warped and magnified it, forming the striking ring-like structure. The distant galaxy itself remains unnamed and had never been recorded before.

"An Einstein ring is a prime example of strong gravitational lensing," explained Conor O'Riordan of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Germany, and lead author of the first scientific paper analyzing the discovery. "All strong lenses are remarkable due to their rarity and scientific value. This particular lens is especially notable because of its proximity to Earth and its nearly perfect alignment, making it visually stunning."

Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity predicts that massive celestial bodies can bend light around them, similar to a lens. This effect is most pronounced in massive galaxies and galaxy clusters, sometimes revealing distant celestial objects that would otherwise remain unseen. When the alignment between a background galaxy, a foreground lensing galaxy, and Earth is just right, the result is a magnificent Einstein ring. Such formations provide scientists with valuable opportunities to explore the structure of the Universe, examine the effects of dark matter and dark energy, and refine our understanding of cosmic expansion.

"It is remarkable that this ring was found within NGC 6505, a galaxy first cataloged in 1884," noted Valeria Pettorino, ESA Euclid Project Scientist. "This galaxy has been studied for well over a century, yet this Einstein ring remained unnoticed. This discovery underscores the power of Euclid, which is unveiling new phenomena even in familiar regions of the sky. It bodes well for the mission's future and highlights its exceptional capabilities."

Euclid's broader mission is to map over a third of the sky, charting billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light-years away. By analyzing how the Universe has expanded and evolved, Euclid will provide fresh insights into gravity and the enigmatic forces of dark matter and dark energy. Scientists anticipate the telescope will identify approximately 100,000 strong gravitational lenses-far surpassing the fewer than 1,000 currently known. Finding such an extraordinary Einstein ring so early in the mission is an encouraging sign of the groundbreaking discoveries to come.

"Euclid is set to transform our understanding of the cosmos," added O'Riordan. "The wealth of data it is collecting is unprecedented."

Although this Einstein ring is an exceptional find, Euclid's primary objective is to detect the more subtle effects of weak gravitational lensing, where distant galaxies appear slightly distorted due to intervening mass. To achieve this, scientists must analyze vast datasets comprising billions of galaxies. Euclid officially began its detailed sky survey on February 14, 2024, and is progressively assembling the most comprehensive three-dimensional map of the Universe to date. This early discovery hints at the wealth of hidden cosmic structures Euclid is poised to unveil.

Research Report:Euclid: A complete Einstein ring in NGC 6505

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Washington DC (UPI) Feb 10, 2025 - The European Space Agency on Monday said its Euclid telescope discovered its first "extremely rare" Einstein ring in a galaxy "not too far away" nearly 600 million light years from Earth.

Euclid, the ESA spacecraft launched in July 2023 designed to observe deep space in the hope of unlocking the mysteries of the universe, spotted its first strong gravitational lens as it set about to construct the most precise 3D map ever created of the known universe.

"Even from that first observation, I could see it, but after Euclid made more observations of the area, we could see a perfect Einstein ring," Bruno Altieri, the ESA's Euclid archive scientist. "For me, with a lifelong interest in gravitational lensing, that was amazing."

The Einstein Ring, according to the Paris-based European Space Agency, is an "extremely rare phenomenon."

However, this new ring discovered by Euclid has "unique characteristics," Massimo Meneghetti, team member and National Institute for Astrophysics researcher, wrote in a statement.

This new discovery, however, "turned out to be hiding in plain sight in a galaxy not far away" called NGC 6505 some 590 million light-years from Earth which, ESA officials continued, was "a stone's throw away in cosmic terms."

"It is truly rare to find a galaxy relatively close to us, like this one found in the NGC catalog (New Galaxy Catalog), one of the catalogs of nearby galaxies that acts as a strong gravitational lens," Meneghetti says.

Due to Euclid's high-resolution instruments, officials said this was the first time that the ring of light surrounding its center was detected.

Its background galaxy was measured at 4.42 billion light-years away, but its light has "been distorted by gravity" on its way to Earth.

Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity predicts that light will bend around objects in space. But this find was described as "particularly special" due to it's close proximity to Earth.

"An Einstein ring is an example of strong gravitational lensing," explained Conor O'Riordan, of Germany's Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics.

It was located in a "well-known" galaxy first discovered in 1884.

"All strong lenses are special, because they're so rare, and they're incredibly useful scientifically," added O'Riordan, also lead author of the first scientific paper to analyzing the ring.

The ESA released a first set of five images from its Euclid space telescope November 2023 some four months after its launch. Its expected map out more than a third of the sky and will observe billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light years away.

"Euclid is going to revolutionize the field, with all this data we've never had before," according to O'Riordan.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST London, UK (SPX) Feb 06, 2025 - An international team of scientists has successfully modeled the formation and evolution of some of the most powerful magnetic fields in the Universe. Led by researchers from Newcastle University, the University of Leeds, and institutions in France, the study was recently published in Nature Astronomy.

The findings reveal that the Tayler-Spruit dynamo, activated by fallback material from supernovae, is responsible for generating low-field magnetars. This discovery helps clarify a long-standing puzzle surrounding the existence of these peculiar neutron stars, which have been known since 2010.

Using state-of-the-art numerical simulations, the researchers examined the magneto-thermal evolution of neutron stars. They determined that a specific dynamo process occurring within the proto-neutron star phase is capable of producing the relatively weaker magnetic fields associated with low-field magnetars.

"Neutron stars emerge from the explosive deaths of massive stars," explained Dr. Andrei Igoshev, Research Fellow at Newcastle University's School of Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics. "While most of the outer layers of the progenitor star are ejected during the supernova, some material falls back onto the neutron star, accelerating its rotation.

"Our research demonstrates that this fallback plays a crucial role in the development of the magnetic field via the Tayler-Spruit dynamo. This theoretical mechanism was first proposed nearly 25 years ago but has only recently been verified through computer simulations. The resulting magnetic field is complex, with the internal field inside the star being significantly stronger than the external one."

Magnetars possess immense magnetic fields, often hundreds of trillions of times stronger than Earth's. These fields make them exceptionally bright and highly variable sources of X-ray radiation. However, some neutron stars with weaker magnetic fields also exhibit similar X-ray emissions and are classified as low-field magnetars. The dynamo process responsible for generating these fields converts the motion of plasma into magnetic energy.

Dr. Igoshev is now establishing a new research group at Newcastle University to further explore the intricate magnetic field structures of neutron stars.

Research Report:A connection between proto-neutron-star Tayler-Spruit dynamos and low-field magnetars

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:09:17 AEST Subscribe to our daily selection of space, military, environment and energy newsletters responseText http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=0016gbbKsaiGSpQFojVO8ZoHw%3D%3D