Particles from space Flashcards
What are cosmic rays composed of?
Protons (89%)
Alpha particles (9%)
Carbon, Nitrogen and oxygen (1%)
Electrons (less than 1%)
Gamma radiation (less than 0.1%)
What is a cosmic ray? (generally accepted description)
High energy particles arriving at the Earth which have originated elsewhere
What do cosmic rays interact with?
The magnetic field surrounding the Earth
More cosmic rays are detected at higher?
Latitudes
Cosmic rays range in?
Energy
What is the most energetic particle?
The OMG particle and it has an energy of 3x10^20eJ or approximately 50J
The lowest energy cosmic rays come from?
The Sun
Intermediate energy cosmic rays come from?
Thought to be created in our galaxy often in connection with supernovae
What is thought to be the origin for ultra high energy cosmic rays UHECRs?
Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)
What happens when cosmic rays reach earth?
They interact with earth’s atmosphere producing a chain of reactions resulting in the production of a large number of particle known a a cosmic air shower
When cosmic rays from space strike particles in the atmosphere what is produced?
Secondary particles, these then go onto produce more collisions and particles resulting in a shower of particles at ground level.
Primary cosmic rays can only be detected?
Directly in space e.g. By detectors on satellites
Very high energy cosmic rays can penetrate…
Directly to ground level
How do protons split up? (From primary cosmic rays)
they split into positive and negative pions. These then split into gamma particles, neutrinos and muons. The gamma particles then split into electrons.
What do the 2 types of detectors for cosmic rays detect?
Atmospheric fluorescence and Cherenkov radiation.
