NASA's Fermi Telescope Finds No Gamma Rays in Recent Supernova, Challenging Cosmic Ray Theories

The unexpected absence of gamma rays from supernova SN 2023ixf prompts a reevaluation of cosmic ray production models.

NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope did not detect expected gamma rays from the supernova SN 2023ixf, indicating lower than anticipated cosmic ray production.
The observation challenges the long-held belief that supernovae are major producers of cosmic rays, which are thought to be accelerated by such explosions.
Astrophysicists had estimated that supernovae convert about 10% of their energy into cosmic rays, but recent findings suggest the figure is closer to 1%.
The absence of gamma rays from SN 2023ixf, located in the Pinwheel galaxy, suggests that current models of cosmic ray origins may need significant adjustments.
Further research and observations of other young supernovae are needed to better understand cosmic ray production and verify existing theories.