The Oh My God Particle

dafydd · 9th September 2011, 11:24 AM

Is there anything in this?
http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/ohmygodpart.html/

It's from 1994.

ben m · 9th September 2011, 11:33 AM

Yes, it's a real observation. These ultra-high-energy particles are indeed out there, and detectors continue to see them.

http://arxiv.org/abs/1002.1975v1

The evidence is that Fly's Eye and AGASA are a little miscalibrated, and they tend to report slightly higher energies than the bigger Pierre Auger experiment. Either way, though, it appears to be true that something out there can accelerate particles to 10^20 eV.

RecoveringYuppy · 9th September 2011, 11:38 AM

Do you mean "is it true"? Yes, it's as well supported as any single observation can be. Don't see anything suspect in the article. It might be worth pointing out that the Star Trek warp drive analogy can't be taken any further then they actually took it.

9th September 2011, 11:24 AM	#1
dafydd Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Belgium (Flatland) Posts: 31,478	The Oh My God Particle Is there anything in this? http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/ohmygodpart.html/ It's from 1994.
	Last edited by dafydd; 9th September 2011 at 11:26 AM.

9th September 2011, 11:33 AM	#2
ben m Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,651	Yes, it's a real observation. These ultra-high-energy particles are indeed out there, and detectors continue to see them. http://arxiv.org/abs/1002.1975v1 The evidence is that Fly's Eye and AGASA are a little miscalibrated, and they tend to report slightly higher energies than the bigger Pierre Auger experiment. Either way, though, it appears to be true that something out there can accelerate particles to 10^20 eV.
ben m Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,651

9th September 2011, 11:38 AM	#3
RecoveringYuppy Illuminator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,851	Do you mean "is it true"? Yes, it's as well supported as any single observation can be. Don't see anything suspect in the article. It might be worth pointing out that the Star Trek warp drive analogy can't be taken any further then they actually took it.
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