A H atom can lose its electron and become ionized when it gets heated to temperature of over 10,000 ° C ( 18,032 ° F ) . Now , researchers have discover a cloud of ionized H towards the effect of the Milky Way with an unexpectedly low temperature : -230 ° C ( -382 ° F ) .
This is the first time that such cold ionized H has been unambiguously observed . As reported in theMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , the team conducted a serial of observations and encounter sign stand for to this cold hydrogen plasma deep inside gasoline clouds .
The ionized hydrogen is potential to form after atoms are hit by in high spirits - muscularity particles speed by supernovae and disastrous hole . visible light from monolithic hotshot alone ca n’t cut it . These particles are likely to come home through the clouds , which can have galactic consequence . The team mistrust that this bombardment is halting star formation .
" The possible existence of cold ionize gas had been hint at in previous work , but this is the first time we clearly see it , " lead author Dr Raymond Oonk , from the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy , said in astatement .
" This discovery shows that the energy needed to ionize hydrogen atoms can fall into place late into stale cloud . Such inhuman clouds are believe to be the fuel from which new stars are born . However , in our Galaxy we know that the astral birth rate is very downcast , much crushed than naively expected . Perhaps the zip observed here acts as a stabilizer for cold clouds , thereby preclude them from collapsing on to themselves and forming young stars . "
The observations were conducted with theEngineering Development Array(EDA ) , a precursor to what will be the next state - of - the - graphics tuner observatory , the Square Kilometer Array . The EDA focuses on low - frequency emissions from the sky . This approach is primal to contemplate radio recombination seam , the emission of ionise atoms that have managed to nobble back the electrons they have lost .
TheSquare Kilometer Arraywill be built in both South Africa and Australia and constitute multiple feeler in unlike research stations . The first building contracts are await to be awarded in late 2020 . Once complete , researchers expect it to be 50 time more sensitive than any other wireless musical instrument .
