Mechanism of the Propagation Paradox for 300 TeV Gamma-Ray Photons

Based on the hypothesis of the Big Bang and cosmic microwave background radiation, existing high-energy astrophysics argues that ultra-high-energy gamma-ray photons will undergo two-photon annihilation upon encountering low-energy background photons during their billions-of-light-years interstellar travel, producing electron-positron pairs and preventing ultra-high-energy photons from reaching Earth over long distances. However, for the same gamma-ray burst source GRB 221009A, observational facilities in China and Russia detected 18 TeV and 300 TeV ultra-high-energy photons respectively. This observation of homologous photons with different residual energies directly contradicts the mainstream annihilation model. Unable to self-consistently explain the observed discrepancy, mainstream theories introduce the hypothetical axion particle as an artificial remedial patch. This paper reconstructs the underlying mechanism for long-distance photon propagation based on the photon-origin theory. Interstellar space is filled with diffuse low-energy photons and matter particles originating from celestial bodies, while cosmic microwave background radiation and the Big Bang remain unconfirmed hypotheses. There exist two completely distinct collision mechanisms: photon-photon interactions only redistribute energy, leading to energy rise or energy loss, and the products remain photons. Under ultra-high-energy impacts, self-locked material structures disintegrate directly back into photons, and stable electron-positron pairs cannot form. No photon can travel collision-free across a 2-billion-light-year path. All photons experience random, repeated and gradual energy loss during propagation. The wide energy range from 18 TeV to 300 TeV measured for homologous photons arriving at Earth represents a cosmic survivor bias effect. Photons with frequent collisions suffer heavy energy loss, while those with fewer collisions retain high residual energy. If we adopt the mainstream assumption of lossless propagation or annihilation upon collision, ultra-high-energy gamma radiation reaching Earth without attenuation would destroy our planet, which conflicts with objective reality. This study demonstrates that the so-called propagation paradox of ultra-high-energy photons is a pseudo-paradox arising from mechanically extrapolating low-energy formulas. The axion hypothesis contains severe logical flaws. No hypothetical particles are required; the observed phenomena can be fully explained by the rules of gradual photon energy dissipation and selective survival.