Posted on 03/19/2016 9:24:38 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Mysterious high-energy particles known as cosmic rays zip through space at a wide range of energies, some millions of times greater than those produced in the worlds most powerful atom smasher. Scientists have long thought cosmic rays from inside our galaxy come from supernova explosions, but a new study has fingered a second source: the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. With this new result, the search for cosmic ray origins, which has frustrated scientists for more than 100 years, has taken an unexpected new twist.
Its very exciting, says astrophysicist Andrew Taylor of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. This has probably shaken the field quite a lot. People will need to reassess their models.
Cosmic rays pose a mystery for astronomers because they dont follow a straight path through space. They get tugged and pushed by magnetic fields, so it is almost impossible to figure out where particular particles have come from. So instead, researchers have looked at gamma rays, high-energy photons that are thought to be produced at or near the source of the cosmic rays. Find out where the gamma rays come from, and youve probably found the source of cosmic rays.
Although many of the cosmic rays from within our galaxy appear to be blasted out from supernova explosions at blistering speeds, such explosions cant explain the highest energy cosmic rays: those with energies measured in peta-electronvolts (PeV, or 1015 eV). (Here on Earth, 1 PeV is the total energy that the Large Hadron Collider can achieve when slamming together lead ions.)
We dont really know whats going on, says Werner Hofmann of the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany.
The difficulty in studying both cosmic rays and their accompanying gamma rays, however, is that they get destroyed by colliding with atoms high in the atmosphere and never reach Earths surface. These collisions do, however, send showers of other particles raining down toward the surface. Astronomers can measure the spread of those particles with detectors on the ground, or capture flashes of light called Cherenkov radiation, which the particles give off as they decelerate in the atmosphere.
These cosmic rays damage electronics in satellites and limit their lifetime.
Quit calling Glenn Beck, Milky Way.. He looks to be a Snickers. But he does spew out a lot of bad, bad, stuff.
Groovy...
I propose sending 0bama and the rest of the democRATs into the black hole where they cannot escape and bother us any more. We would just get hit with cosmic rays from the nucleus of Sh*t atoms that would be spewed out in vast amounts when they get sucked in.
Must resist.......
I got them old kosmic ray blues.
The emperor of Zeta Reticuli Bb, Serpo, says he will pay no tax imposed by Darth Obama, Death Star III not withstanding.
*ping*
In that case, Serpo should be expecting an audit from the Interplanetary Revenue service (IRS). Plus, I'm pretty sure that any defiance of Darth Obama qualifies as hate speech.
We dont really know whats going on, That says it all. Why waste our time beyond that?
I propose sending the greaseballs who blocked Hwy 87 in Arizona this morning into the black hole where they cannot escape and bother us any more. We would just get hit with the Sh*t atoms from corn cobs that would be spewed out in vast amounts when they get sucked in.
I can’t drink but if I could ...I’d have a Mia T
Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.
I thought the theory was that nothing could escape the gravity of a black hole?
Wouldn’t it be weird if it did not spew cosmic rays?
Thanks fieldmarshaldj.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.