The IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica has detected high-energy neutrinos originating from the distant Squid Galaxy (NGC 1068), a discovery that challenges existing theories about neutrino production in cosmic jets. Unlike typical neutrino sources, NGC 1068 emits a surprisingly low amount of gamma-ray radiation alongside the neutrinos.
Researchers propose a novel mechanism to explain this phenomenon. According to their model, the neutrinos are produced when helium nuclei, accelerated within the galaxy's powerful jets near its central supermassive black hole, collide with ultraviolet photons. These collisions cause the helium nuclei to break apart, releasing neutrons that subsequently decay into neutrinos without generating significant gamma rays. This research was published on April 18 in *Physical Review Letters*.
This finding offers new insights into the extreme environments surrounding supermassive black holes and enhances our understanding of the relationships between radiation and elementary particles. It also suggests the existence of other galaxies with similar hidden environments that may be producing neutrinos that have so far gone undetected.