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Radio Surveys Find Solar System’s Motion 3.7 Times Higher Than Expected

A Bielefeld-led analysis of distant radio galaxies reports a >5σ dipole using LOFAR data with a new method.

Overview

  • The measured anisotropy in radio‑galaxy counts is 3.7 times the standard‑model expectation, with a reported significance of 5.4σ.
  • The study merges multiple radio surveys, including LOFAR, and accounts for multi‑component sources to produce more realistic uncertainties.
  • The inferred motion aligns in direction with the cosmic microwave background dipole that implies about 369.8 km/s, but its amplitude is far larger.
  • Independent quasar and infrared catalogs have shown a comparable dipole anomaly, which the authors cite as supporting evidence.
  • The findings are published in Physical Review Letters, and the team urges independent replications and systematic audits before drawing theoretical conclusions.