Neutrinos are subatomic particles that rarely interact with matter, making them difficult to detect. They are produced by nuclear reactions in stars, supernovas, black holes and other cosmic phenomena.
A team of scientists has used data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica to create the first map of the Milky Way galaxy based on neutrinos. The map reveals the galactic origin of thousands of neutrinos that were detected by IceCube between 2010 and 2020.
The map shows that most of the neutrinos come from the galactic plane, where most of the stars and gas are located. Some of them also come from the galactic center, where a supermassive black hole lurks. The map also reveals some regions with higher or lower neutrino intensity than expected, which could indicate unknown sources or sinks of neutrinos in the galaxy.
The researchers say that the neutrino map could help them understand the structure and dynamics of the Milky Way, as well as the origin and acceleration of cosmic rays, which are high-energy particles that bombard Earth from space.
The study was published in the journal Nature Astronomy on June 29, 2023.