Cosmic Rays

Cosmic Rays

Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCRs) is the spontaneous discharge of penetrating radiation entering the Earth from the atmosphere. It produces high-energy particles containing 89% Protons, 10% helium, and 1% Uranium. When these magnetically charged particles contact already existent earthly elements, it creates Pions.

Pions are highly unstable, so they decay within milliseconds into Muons (also unstable) until they reach the final elements – Protons and Neutrons.

During its transition to Earth, the particles lose their electrons, turning them to ionized elements upon arrival. The magnetic field’s force influences the number of cosmic rays and, by extension, cosmogenic radionuclides that hit the Earth.

Discovery and Origin

Although Robert Millikan coined the term “Cosmic Ray” in 1920, Austrian Physicist Victor Hess made the material discovery eight years before. In August 1912, Hess mounted his air balloon on a historic adventure to calculate the ionization rate in the atmosphere at 17,388 feet high-altitude.

He noticed the ionization rate increased three times more than expected at sea level prompting him to investigate the trigger. Hess considered the Sun’s radiation as the culprit but soon ruled that out with a second experiment – he traveled once more during an eclipse, and the result was the same.

Hess’ second expedition led to the discovery of this electromagnetic energy traveling at nearly the speed of light. In 1936, he won a Nobel Prize in Physics for his contribution to history.

By 1932, other scientists made more discoveries relating to cosmic rays, including its by-products like Positron – an antimatter antielectron. In 1950, the first particle accelerator for calculating cosmic rays saw the light of day.

What are Cosmic Accelerators?

Cosmic Accelerators are propellers that transport cosmic energy (particles) across the galaxy to Earth at nearly the speed of light. Whereas the lowest natural accelerator is Solar Wind from the Sun, the highest is yet unidentified due to the interaction with the magnetic field in space.

Scientists traced the origin of Cosmic Rays from alternate galaxies with the electromagnetic radiation footprint they left. In 2017, Pierre Auger Observatory concluded the arrival frequency of the GCRs varied depending on your focal point.

The magnetic field around the Earth modulates the impact of cosmic rays based on longitude and latitude. Supernovas also have the strength to produce cosmic accelerating particles.

A supernova is the result of a giant star’s death causing an explosion into space within milliseconds. That singular event generates energy to propel cosmic rays at nearly a speed of light.

Other Cosmic accelerators form interstellar events include stellar mergers, birth of new stars, tidal disruptions, and deposit rings around black holes.

Understanding Electromagnetic Radiation

Electromagnetic Radiation is an energy form that exists in the universe manifesting through various sources including Gamma Rays, X-rays, Radio Frequency Waves, Microwaves, and Sunlight. However, sunlight’s electromagnetic radiation is a speck in a large spectrum thanks to the protective ozone layer.

Electromagnetism is a result of magnetic fields in the universe interacting with electrically charged atoms. It involves four elements based on attraction and repulsion such as “Like Poles and Electric Charges Repel each other.”

The theory of electromagnetism is more complex than that. Electric charges attract or repel each other based on the inversely proportional interaction of their square distance.

Calculating Cosmic Rays

Cosmic energy is one giga-electron volt (GeV) to 108 Tera-electron volts (TeV). It falls about 10,000 square meters per second (sq. m./sec.) at 1GeV to less than 1 square kilometer (sq. km) per century. In essence, high energy generates about ten billion showers at nearly the speed of light.

Before the invention of the particle accelerator, scientists calculated cosmic rays by converting other Gamma Rays from outer space. 1051 ergs of Supernova equal the intensity of a Cosmic ray over a million years because its energy is equivalent to magnetic fields in the galaxy.

Effects of Cosmic Rays on Earth

The result of a cosmic ray colliding with natural earthly elements triggers a chain reaction scientifically called Cosmic Ray Cascade. The Cosmic Ray Cascade starts from the highly-charged atoms interacting with existent nuclei in the upper atmosphere causing a Spallation – release of multi atoms.

Each of the split particles interacts with each other causing more split atoms to interact with each other until it all gets lost in the resultant increased atmospheric radiation. This cascade falls into three primary component groups – Mesonic, Electromagnetic, and Hadronic.

Mesonic

The first stage in the Cosmic Ray Cascade is called the Mesonic component. This is where the first interaction occurs between Kaons and Pions, which form Muons. The highly unstable by-product Muon is approximately 2/3 of a regular Proton or Neutron particle.

Electromagnetic

Stage two is the electromagnetic component involving muon’s degradation from its secondary interaction with Photons. The resulting elements from this decay are Positrons and Electrons.

Hadronic

The final step in the cascade effect is the interaction between Protons and Neutrons – Hadronic components. Unlike the initial stage, this transition is stable, making it possible to compute Cosmogenic Nuclide Dating.

Other Effects of Cosmic Rays and Its Management

Cosmic rays have far-reaching consequences beyond astronomy, like the one which reportedly caused a void in the Great Pyramid of Gaza around 2560 B.C. Scientists also say that it’s a major trigger of Global Warming. How does that work?

The burst of energy from cosmic rays flips the Earth’s geomagnetic field then forms a cloud cover called an Umbrella Effect. The GCR’s interaction with the clouds strips the lower layer and exposes the Earth to direct radiation hence a warmer atmosphere.

No Cause for Alarm

Scientists say humans risk experience about 3.5 millisieverts of radiation exposure yearly. Half of those come from artificial sources including home appliances like microwaves, while only 10% comes from Cosmic Radiation.

Astronauts on outer space expeditions experience first-hand the risks of cosmic ray exposure. Daily exposure for them is about ½ millisieverts meaning Astronauts get an aircrew’s one year dosage in 12 days. Studies also prove that six months exposure is equivalent to 25 surface lifetimes poisoning.

Cosmic radiation also affects people on airplanes because being at a higher altitude puts them in proximity with electromagnetic forces.

Gamma Rays operate at a frequency higher than 1018 Hertz with a radiation that decays living tissue making it the go-to for Cancer Radiation treatments by licensed medical practitioners. Using Gamma Rays indiscriminately is counterproductive because it becomes dangerous to other healthy tissues.

Products of Cosmic Rays

The travel speed of the Cosmic-ray across the Galactic Milky Way causes it to split into a billion pieces when it lands on Earth. By then, it’s impossible to trace its origin because it’ll have shed its galactic footprint on its journey rendering it useless.

There was almost a breakthrough in 2017 when the Pierre Auger Observatory identified trajectory differences of various cosmic rays hitting at the same time.

Protons

A Proton is a stable positively charged subatomic particle with 1,836 times more mass than an electron. It contains another element called a Quark – particles that come in pairs (negative and positive charge.)Combined with Neutrons – neutral electrical particles – they form the atomic nuclei excluding Hydrogen.

A speeding Proton within a Supernova can create a cosmic ray.

Pions

When a Proton sticks in a Supernova shockwave’s magnetic field, causing a collision, it forms a Pion. Pions have 270 times more mass than Protons and Electrons because they’re a combination of up and down equal quarks and antiquarks.

A Quark is an elementary particle that consists of up and down pairs of a single mass – One part would have +2/3 while the other -1/3 charge. Pions aren’t restrictive elements, so they can be neutral, negative, or positive.

This element is the by-product of Hadrons.

Muons

Muons are subatomic particles containing negatively charged electrons and are denser than primary atoms. It’s an unstable lepton with approximately 207 times more mass than the average electron.

Muon forms during the first stage of a Cosmic Ray Cascade when atoms collide and decay in the atmosphere.

Thanks to the invention of apparatuses that probe 10-15 scale matter like muons, scientists began studying subatomic particles.

Photons

Photons are by-products of Gamma Rays with similar scientific signatures to Pions. They’re never static and travel at the speed of light, although they mimic particles and waves. Photons have no mass nor rest energy because they’re always on the move putting them at risk of destruction from radiation.