The dusty starburst galaxy JCMT0402-0424, situated roughly 11 billion light-years away, is identified as a potential source of the high-energy neutrino event IC 210922A by a team led by renowned astronomer Yuji Urata from MITOS Science Co.
Despite extensive investigations, the origin of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos remains unresolved, with reliable electromagnetic counterparts being rare. The compact-core dusty star-forming galaxy JCMT0402-0424, located in the IceCube event localization area, represents a significant finding. This quadruple-lensed galaxy, with a redshift of z = 2.988, falls within the 90% containment region of IceCube event IC 210922A. Image credits: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / ALMA / ESO / NAOJ / NRAO / University of Alaska Anchorage, TA Chancellor, and NSF’s NOIRLab / D. de Martin and M. Zamani, NSF’s NOIRLab / Yuji Urata, Mythos Science, Inc.
In 2021, the NSF’s IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica detected a high-energy neutrino event known as IC 210922A from the constellation Eridanus.
This alert prompted rapid follow-up observations across the electromagnetic spectrum to pinpoint the neutrino’s source.
Multiple research teams utilized various telescopes to investigate, but failed to find conclusive gamma-ray emissions.
Days following the initial alert, Dr. Urata and team employed the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) and the Submillimeter Array (SMA) to identify the star-forming galaxy JCMT0402-0424, which appeared promising due to its brightness.
Subsequent observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) revealed that this galaxy, dubbed Shadow Blaster, is positioned behind a powerful gravitational lens.
This lensing effect provides an opportunity to analyze the internal structure of distant galaxies, which are otherwise too faint and distant for detailed observation.
To comprehend the lens’s role in amplifying the neutrino signal, researchers first needed to ascertain the distance, nature, and mass distribution of the foreground galaxy.
The Gemini North telescope’s Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) and Gemini Near-Infrared Spectrometer (GNIRS) were employed to refine these details.
“By combining GMOS and GNIRS data, we successfully measured the distance to the lens galaxy, identifying it as a giant elliptical galaxy,” stated Dr. Urata.
“This data was essential for estimating the mass distribution of the lens and comprehending the gravitational lensing model.”
Approximately 10 billion years ago, galaxies similar to JCMT0402-0424 were actively forming stars and generating significant cosmic rays, which can lead to neutrino production.
However, due to their vast distances and dust-enshrouded nature, obtaining observational evidence linking individual neutrino events to these galaxies has been challenging.
JCMT0402-0424’s advantageous position behind a gravitational lens enhances the likelihood of discovering such evidence.
“Shadow Blaster’s dense, gas-rich environment aligns with theoretical predictions that suggest efficient high-energy neutrino production,” remarked Dr. Urata.
“Given the lack of a more definitive counterpart despite thorough follow-up research, Shadow Blaster is the leading candidate for the source of IC 210922A.”
If validated, Shadow Blaster will be the first individual dusty star-forming galaxy directly linked to a high-energy neutrino event.
Compact star-forming galaxies like Shadow Blaster are likely plentiful throughout the universe, potentially contributing to a significant portion of the high-energy neutrino background.
“Our analysis indicates that this population may account for up to 20% of the diffuse neutrino background observed by IceCube,” concluded Dr. Urata.
For more information, refer to the study published in Nature Astronomy.
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Yuya Urata et al., “The compact, dusty starbursts that occur at cosmic noon are associated with high-energy neutrinos,” Nat Astron, published online June 17, 2026. doi: 10.1038/s41550-026-02884-9
Source: www.sci.news
