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Discovery of a new Feature in Cosmic Ray Spectrum

Dr. Fahim Varsi, doctoral student in Physics department working under supervision of Prof. Pankaj Jain (SPASE department) discovers a kink in the cosmic ray spectrum. It is generally expected that cosmic rays originate from a supernova explosion and display a simple power law spectrum up to energies of order of a million GeV. The presence of a kink challenges this understanding and indicates the presence of another source. The discovery may provide some important clues which may help in unravelling the mystery of the origin of cosmic rays.

The corresponding paper is published in Physical Review Letters:
Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 051002 (2024) - Evidence of a Hardening in the Cosmic Ray Proton Spectrum at around 166 TeV Observed by the GRAPES-3 Experiment (aps.org) [1]

Some popular articles on the discovery:
A new kink in proton spectrum to enhance our knowledge of cosmic ray origin (phys.org) [2]
A new kink in proton spectrum will enhance ou | EurekAlert! [3]
A new kink in proton spectrum will enhance our knowledge of cosmic ray (scienmag.com) [4]
A new kink in proton spectrum to enhance our knowledge of cosmic ray origin - Tech and Science Post [5]
Proton Spectrum Kink Boosts Understanding of Cosmic Ray Origin | Mirage News [6]
Dr. Prashant Pathak, faculty member in the Department of SPASE, discovers a new giant planet named Epsilon Indi Ab orbiting a nearby star similar to Sun. The corresponding paper in Nature, titled "A temperate super-Jupiter imaged with JWST in the mid-infrared" is available at:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07837-8. A newspaper article on the paper is available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/iit-kanpur-assistant-professor-part-of-team-that-discovered-exoplanet/articleshow/112030744.cms
Department of SPASE, along with the Department of Aerospace, has signed an MoU with Manastu Space, an emerging space tech company based in Mumbai. This partnership offers exciting opportunities for IIT Kanpur, especially in expanding our research into space-based services and technologies. Collaborating with a space-tech company like Manastu Space allows us to explore cutting-edge areas such as space robotics and propulsion systems. Additionally, our students will gain invaluable experience through internships and placements in a fast-growing sector. The collaboration will also enhance the skills of our researchers and faculty through exchange programs, making this a mutually beneficial relationship.
Manastu webpage: https://www.manastuspace.com/about
The outreach project from Dept of SPASE has been selected for the International Astronomical Union - Office for Astronomy Development (IAU-OAD) has been selected for a grant of 7000 Euros (P.I. Dr. Tejpreet Kaur & Amitesh Omar).