i have 2 questions, if a gamma ray burst occured 500 light years away ( 500 light years in enough for it to wipe humans of the planet) why would we be worried today, if it was headed towards earth why the hell be worried wont it just hit in 500 years that plenty of time.
2007-06-13 04:56:01 · 4 answers · asked by OMFG 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It is kind of like a tsunamis. If we did not have the early warning system of buoys spread accross the Pacific Ocean we would have no warning that the earthquake the occured in say the middle of the Pacific caused a wave.
For a gamma ray burst we would need a simular system but the failing of any system is the speed with which it communicates. In the case of a gamma ray burst the dector warning system would have to have intantanious communication from the event to us. And that would have to happen in nanoseconds of detection because the detector would be destroyied upon impact of the burst.
So even if you could detect it and send a message and prepare, How would you out run it? You can't.
So just sit back and wait. If it is going to happen it will and oh well. I just hope that our replacements are just a little smarter than we are when it comes to keeping the world clean and safe for mankind.
2007-06-13 05:26:14 · answer #1 · answered by .*. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, there's no real way of knowing if or when a burst is coming, and we wouldn't know until just when it hit. A GBR can strip a planet of its ozone layer, and will fry anything in its range like ant under a magnifying glass.
A gamma ray burst occurs during the death of a massive star (at least 10 times as massive as the sun). As it collapses into a black hole, a cataclysmic burst of energy is released. Like a loaded spring being released, the energy rushes outward at the speed of light.
Don't worry about it too much however. GMB's are rare events, and the odds of one direct blast hitting the earth are extremely remote. If you had an early warning, it would be wise to head to the side opposite of the strike zone (8,000 miles of rock, metal and water make a good shield). Otherwise, find a very deep tunnel or mineshaft to hunker down in for about 10 seconds or so. And make sure you wear LOTS of sunscreen (or a full body sunsuit and shades) to deal with the ozone depletion!
2007-06-13 05:49:03 · answer #2 · answered by swilliamrex 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The worry is that we don't detect them until the radiation reaches us. We don't get a warning. They're seen because the radiation has reached Earth. A gamma ray burst 500 light years away may have happened 499 years ago for all we know.
2007-06-13 05:11:27 · answer #3 · answered by Jason T 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
1) Gamma rays and light waves travel at the same speed. The gamma rays would arrive at the same time as we would "see" the burst, regardless of how far away.
2007-06-13 05:14:41 · answer #4 · answered by neutrinonest 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋