DAMPE Collaboration finds cosmic ray spectral softening at 15 TV rigidity
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · May 5
DAMPE Collaboration finds cosmic ray spectral softening at 15 TV rigidity
11 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · May 5
Published in Nature, the study found the same feature from protons to iron, with University of Geneva researchers contributing AI reconstruction and detector work.
The data support rigidity-based models of cosmic ray acceleration and propagation, while challenging energy-per-nucleon explanations with 99.999% confidence.
Launched in 2015, the Dark Matter Particle Explorer aims to probe cosmic ray origins and dark matter, and the result narrows theories on particle acceleration and galactic transport.
Does the newfound cosmic ray pattern point to a hidden nearby source or a universal speed limit for the galaxy?
An AI helped find a cosmic secret. Is this a true discovery, or a phantom pattern created by the algorithm?
DAMPE found a new cosmic ray threat. How will this discovery impact the safety of astronauts on the Artemis missions?
The 15 Teravolt Rigidity Break: A Paradigm Shift in Understanding Galactic Cosmic Rays
Overview
Between 2025 and 2026, the DAMPE satellite made a groundbreaking discovery of a universal spectral softening in cosmic rays at 15 Teravolts rigidity, observed consistently across protons, helium, carbon, oxygen, and iron nuclei. This finding challenged traditional models based on charge or mass dependence and provided strong evidence confirming the Peters cycle, establishing rigidity as the key parameter governing cosmic ray acceleration and propagation. Enabled by advanced instrumentation and AI techniques developed through international collaboration, DAMPE's high-precision measurements reshaped cosmic ray propagation models to include rigidity-dependent diffusion effects. Building on this, future efforts will focus on identifying cosmic ray sources and developing next-generation detectors for even greater precision.