2007-06-04 02:14:59 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Cosmic rays are highly ionized atoms, mostly hydrogen and helium, that are traveling near the speed of light. Because they are fast and charge particles they give one hell of a radiation dose.
One of the biggest reasons we don't go to Mars is because we can't shield real well against them. Lets say you have a helium atoms around .9c (90% of the speed of light). While helium atoms are small, because of Einstein's Special Relativity the mass has roughly doubled.
An alpha (helium nucleus ) from uranium is around 5 Mega electron Volts (MeV), which is the amount of energy in to move an electron across 1 volt. The one I described about I roughly figure 10,000 MeV.
2007-06-04 03:56:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our sun does not produce cosmic rays. They are extremely very high energy particles beyond the (nuclear) gamma ray spectrum that originate from deep space. No compact source is capable of producing such energies. Their origin is subject to debate, but a leading theory is that they are accelerated by time dependent galactic magnetic fields.
2007-06-04 10:00:07 · answer #2 · answered by Dr. R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cosmic rays are radiation fron the sun and other systems like neutrinos. Cosmic rays also contain CMBR (cosmic microwave background radiation). This radiation is the residue of the big bang radiaton.
2007-06-04 09:46:19 · answer #3 · answered by lilmaninbigpants 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are high energy rays or particles such as neutrinos which stars emit (including our sun.)
They can travel enormous distances due to their high speed and energies.
Read here.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_rays
2007-06-04 09:43:16 · answer #4 · answered by Doctor Q 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋