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What produces cosmic rays?

Updated: 8/10/2023
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9y ago

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No one knows where cosmic rays come from otherwise they would not be given a generic term. They would be identified according to a particular star or galaxy. That said, cosmic rays come in a variety of energies and a variety of directions. As a result, it is suspected they have a number of different sources. They can come from galaxies all over the universe.

Every now and then, the temperature inside of a large star ceases to be hot enough to hold the atoms apart against the force of gravity. The inside of the star collapses creating a black hole. Once the collapse reaches a certain point as determined by the mass of the star and section 4 of the Theory of Relativity, the rest of the star explodes and the matter is sent flying into space at slightly less than the speed of light.

The black hole is now spinning at tremendous speed. If a star is close, materials will be ripped from its surface. Some atoms will fall into the black hole. They will give some of their energy to other atoms which will be thrown into space at almost the speed of light. They provide another source of Cosmic rays.

Some stars lose material to neutron stars. When the material falls on the surface of a neutron star, some of it takes part in a nuclear explosion. Other is simply blown off into space.

Stars, like the sun, rotate on their axis. They constantly lose material off into space in their polar regions. That becomes cosmic rays.

Thus, cosmic rays come from all over the universe and from a variety of sources.

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13y ago
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9y ago

The origin of cosmic rays continues to be somewhat mysterious, but leading theories indicate they are created during supernova events, and that they can be created by active galactic nuclei.

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Q: What produces cosmic rays?
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Because the cosmic rays consist of charged particles like gamma rays and x-rays


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What has the author V S Murzin written?

V. S. Murzin has written: 'Cosmic rays and their interactions' -- subject(s): Cosmic rays