Space-borne cosmic rays hold a variety of applications, ranging from astronomy to examining the depths of historical pyramids...
Cosmic Ray Whizz-bangs and the ECRS Update
Zip around in the vastness of space, cosmic rays are stupendous subatomic particles. These babies are turbo-charged by space hooligans like solar flares and stellar explosions.
When one of these galactic speedsters collides with our humble Earth, it smashes into an atmosphere atom, creating a burst of particles that continue to collide and create more chaos until an airborne particle cascade of various types forms – a massive, cone-shaped mess.
This cosmic radiation poses risks not just for astronauts but also for high flyers who zip through the atmosphere, particularly those cruising over the poles where Earth's magnetic field provides the least protection. Dubious particles like muons, neutrons, electrons, and gamma rays make it through the atmosphere and reach our surface.
So, understanding how these cosmic rays sail through the atmosphere is crucial. Over the years, several computer models have been concocted, but Olesya Sarajlic and Xiaochun He, researchers from Georgia State University, have released a new simulation package they claim is more flexible than the rest.
The Earth Cosmic Ray Shower (ECRS) software is a brainchild born from Geant4, a particle-physics modeling platform developed at CERN. ECRS simulates the transformation of the radiation environment at various altitudes, across latitudes, and even considering variations in Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field.
In 2007, Sarajlic and He developed an earlier version of the ECRS. Their latest model is a massive leap forward. Coincidently, in that same year, I was fiddling with my own Geant4-powered computer model, studying the cosmic rays burrowing into Mars' topsoil to glean insight into how long any nifty Martian microbes might survive the radiation.
But what truly caught my eye was how their updated model could up the ante on all cosmic ray applications.
Mostly troublemakers, cosmic rays can also offer some sweet uses. One bold field relying on these high-energy particles is the application of muons for scanning large structures in the same way X-rays are used to peek inside the human body. X-rays can't penetrate a few centimeters of metal or rock, but muons can zip through several meters of solid matter.
This technique was used in 2017 to X-ray the innards of the Great Pyramid of Giza, unveiling a colossal, previously unknown cavity nestled above the Grand Gallery. This sneaky approach could also end the cat-and-mouse game of detector operators who might be trying to smuggle dangerous goodies like nuclear materials inside shipping containers or investigate damaged nuclear reactors like the one at the Fukushima plant in Japan.
Sarajlic and He's updated cosmic-ray model could boost these nifty applications.
- Supernovae, like solar flares and stellar explosions, are responsible for the turbo-charged cosmic rays that zip through the universe.
- In the field of environmental-science and space-and-astronomy, understanding cosmic radiation is crucial, as it poses risks not only for astronauts but also for high flyers.
- The Earth Cosmic Ray Shower (ECRS) software, a new simulation package developed by Olesya Sarajlic and Xiaochun He, promises to offer more flexibility in simulating the transformation of the radiation environment at various altitudes and latitudes.
- Technology-driven applications, such as using muons for scanning large structures, can benefit significantly from advancements in cosmic ray models like the updated ECRS, potentially revolutionizing investigations of damaged nuclear reactors or smuggling prevention in shipping containers.
