Comic Rays

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Cosmic Rays
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• most cosmic rays are deflected (pushed aside) by the Earth’s magnetic field or collide with particles in our Earth’s atmosphere long before they reach the ground.
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• the study of cosmic rays provided scientists with most of their early knowledge about high-energy particles -these particle can only be made on Earth in huge machines (cosmic rays detection and arrays of detectors) called particle accelerators.

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ooooEnergy Cosmic Rays level

• lowest-energy cosmic rays come from the Sun or Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) from outside the Solar System.
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• medium-energy cosmic rays come from sources within the Milky-Way, including powerful supernovae explosions.
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• highest-energy cosmic rays – may come from outside the Milky-Way.

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Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs)

• neutrinos – so small that they pass almost straight through our Earth without stopping.

• around 90% are nuclei of hydrogen atoms stripped of their electrons. (see atom)

• most other CGRs are helium and heavier nuclei – there are also tiny positrons, electrons and neutrinos.