It is this feature that has made finding their origins so difficult, for they end up taking twisty paths to arrive to us, but if the theory was true then scientists only needed the refined equipment to search for the energy signature that would hint at the accelerated particles (Kruesi “Link”, Olinto 33, Cendes 29-30, Berman 23). The net charge of the cosmic ray is either positive or negative and thus can have their path deflected by magnetic fields, as previously mentioned. Additionally, scientists were able to find that cosmic rays were roughly 90% proton in nature, about 9% alpha particles (helium nuclei) and the rest electrons. In fact, cosmic ray collisions with matter led to the discoveries of the position, the muon, and the pion. But when they do collide with an atom, particle showers can result with muons, electrons, and other goodies raining outward. A majority are found to be near the speed of light and most pass through matter harmlessly.
Cosmic ray sources get mapped out free#
Some will cross it more than once and thus receive additional bounces in energy until they break free as a cosmic ray. As a proton crosses over the boundary, its energy level increases by 1%. He thought about the big shockwave that flows outward from a supernova and the magnetic field associated with it. Ennico Fermi expanded upon that theory in 1949 to help explain those mysterious cosmic rays. If magnetic fields deflect the path of cosmic rays, then how can we possibly hope to find out where they originate from? (32-33)īaade and Zwicky postulated that supernova may be the source, according to work they did in 1934. But this raised a troubling fact that would be seen in the years to come. Yes, they still had photonic elements to them but also had some charged ones as well, hinting at both photons and baryonic matter. Compton heard about this and he along with other scientists determine that the magnetic fields around the Earth deflect the path of cosmic rays, which would only happen if they were charged. As he moved through different latitudes, he saw that the flux was not constant but actually varied. In 1927, Jacob Clay went from Java, Indonesia to Genoa, Italy and measured cosmic rays along the way. It would take 15 years before one of them was proven right (Olinto 32).Īs it turns out, both were-sort of. But Compton countered with the fact that the cosmic rays were charged, something that photons as gamma rays could not do, and so he pointed to electrons or even ions. Gamma rays do have high energy levels and could knock electrons loose easily. Millikan felt that cosmic rays were in fact gamma rays originating from hydrogen fusion in space. Map displaying the average exposure of cosmic rays in the U.S.īut what causes cosmic rays to form? Robert Millikan and Arthur Compton famously clashed over this in The New York Times issue from December 31, 1912.
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