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Local Interstellar Cloud Structure Imprinted in Antarctic Ice by Supernova Fe60

Dominik Koll1,2,3,*, Annabel Rolofs1,4, Florian Adolphi5,6, Sebastian Fichter1, Maria Hoerhold5, Johannes Lachner1, Stefan Pavetich2, Georg Rugel1, Stephen Tims2 et al.

Frank Wilhelms5,7, Sebastian Zwickel1,3, and Anton Wallner1,2,3

  • *Contact author: d.koll@hzdr.de, dominik.koll@anu.edu.au
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 192701 – Published 13 May, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/nxjq-jwgp

Abstract

The solar system currently traverses the Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC), one of several warm cloudlets of the Complex of Local Interstellar Clouds (CLIC) in the solar neighborhood. The origin of these cloudlets is unknown and could be related to supernova shock wave dynamics. If supernovae are the source of these cloudlets or influence their properties, the CLIC may act as a cosmic archive for the supernova-produced radionuclide Fe60. We detected minuscule traces of interstellar Fe60 in 295 kg of the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica Dronning Maud Land ice core, covering the time period 40–81 kyr ago. We find an Fe60/Mn53 ratio of (8±5)×10−4, slightly above the expected cosmogenic production, corresponding to an interstellar deposition rate of (0.22−0.12+0.14) Fe60 at/cm2/yr. This influx is significantly lower than that observed in recent Antarctic snow and marine sediment records during the last 40 kyr. These results suggest that the LIC is a cosmic archive for supernova-produced Fe60. The imprinted Fe60 time profile is evidence for a changing local interstellar environment over the last 80 kyr.

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synopsis

Finding Stardust in the Ice

Published 13 May, 2026

Iron-60 buried in Antarctica reveals changes in the local interstellar environment.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 192701– Published 13 May, 2026
  • Received 8 December 2025
  • Revised 27 February 2026
  • Accepted 13 March 2026
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