Concept information
Preferred term
cosmic ray
Definition
- Cosmic rays are subatomic particles and nuclei that move through space close to the speed of light. Their origin is one of the major unsolved mysteries of astrophysics, although researchers are moving closer to a solution. Cosmic rays consist of about 85% protons, 14% alpha particles (helium nuclei), about 1% electrons and other elementary particles, and a tiny smattering of nuclei heavier than helium. Their energies range from 10 million eV to one million trillion eV – equivalent, at the high end, to the punch of a major league baseball pitch. (Encyclopedia of Science, by David Darling, https://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/C/cosmicrays.html)
Broader concept
Narrower concepts
Entry terms
- cosmic particle
- cosmic radiation
In other languages
-
French
-
particule cosmique
URI
http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/MDL-BXM80FPF-4
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