Chinese researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery in the Milky Way, uncovering a massive ultra-high-energy gamma-ray bubble structure. This finding, announced by the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), sheds light on the origin of cosmic rays with energies surpassing 10 Peta-Electronvolts (PeV) for the first time.

By delving into the interior of this bubble-like structure, scientists have inferred the presence of a cosmic ray accelerator within, serving as the source of these high-energy particles. This accelerator continually generates cosmic ray particles with energies exceeding 10 PeV. Through their investigations, researchers propose that the massive star cluster situated near the center of this bubble-like formation, known as the “O-star association” and “B-star association,” may be responsible for producing the cosmic rays observed.

This discovery marks the identification of the first super cosmic ray accelerator to date, according to the Institute. With ongoing observations by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), researchers anticipate detecting more super cosmic ray accelerators, offering further insights into the enigmatic origins of cosmic rays within the Milky Way.