New Constraints on Lorentz Invariance Violation from GRB 221009A Observations
The Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) has reported significant findings related to the gamma-ray burst (GRB) 221009A, which is noted as the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded. This observation included the detection of the very early TeV afterglow, achieving the highest photon statistics in the TeV band from a gamma-ray burst to date.
The research team utilized this unique observation to establish stringent constraints on the energy dependence of the speed of light in a vacuum, a phenomenon associated with Lorentz invariance violation (LIV). This violation is predicted by certain theories of quantum gravity (QG).
The results indicate that at a 95% confidence level, the lower limits on the QG energy scales are as follows:
- For linear LIV effects, the limit is greater than 10 times the Planck energy (EPl).
- For quadratic LIV effects, the limit is greater than 6 x 10-8 EPl.
These findings represent a significant improvement over previous measurements, enhancing the bounds on quadratic LIV effects by factors ranging from 5 to 7. This research contributes to the ongoing investigation into the fundamental principles of physics, particularly in the context of high-energy astrophysical phenomena and the nature of light in extreme conditions.
For further details, the full paper titled "Stringent Tests of Lorentz Invariance Violation from LHAASO Observations of GRB 221009A" can be accessed here.