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Particles split in the hot belly of a lightning bolt. Radioactive particles decay in the afterglow. Gamma rays rain down to Earth. Teruaki Enoto, a physicist at Kyoto University in Japan, proved for the first time, in a paper published Nov. 23, that lightning bolts work as natural particle accelerators. Enoto and his co-authors' results confirm for the first time speculation dating back to 1925 about this phenomenon. Back then, scientists suggested that energized, radioactive particles might zip through the booms and flashes of a thunderstorm. Those particles emit energy at precise wavelengths, which Enoto and colleagues are the first to detect.
When lighting strikes, electrons shoot screamingly fast between clouds and Earth's surface (or between two clouds). But the particles don't travel through empty space. Along the way, they crash again and again into atmospheric gas molecules. All those collisions heat the gas into a state called plasma, which glows with blackbody radiation (a type of electromagnetic radiation given off by some opaque objects).
Some of that glow, people can see, in the characteristic bright flash of lightning. But some of the emission takes place at frequencies, including X-rays and gamma-rays, far above what the human eye can detect. Enoto's results show that those beams of invisible energy — especially the gamma-rays — excite ambient nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere, knocking out neutrons from the molecules the gamma rays encounter. In other words, the process results in nuclear fission.
Now, things get really exciting. Nitrogen nuclei with 14 neutrons are stable. But take one of those neutrons away, and you're left with nitrogen-13, an unstable, radioactive isotope. Similarly, oxygen-16 is stable, but -15 … not so much. Soon, all of those N-13 and O-15 molecules decay. Each unstable isotope fires off an additional neutrino and positron (the antimatter partner of the electron); both are elementary particles with exotic properties. The neutrinos stream away, nearly undetectable. But the positrons, or anti-electrons, go on to collide with their twins: ambient electrons in the atmosphere. And when matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate in a signature flash of energy. In this case, the signature is a gamma ray with an energy of 0.511 megaelectron volts.
Very interesting and even i understood how this works. Does this discovery make particle weapons a reality now? I admit i can't contribute much knowledge on the topic but like reading other's opinions.
originally posted by: galadofwarthethird
a reply to: EchoesInTime
Well that's cool. But they should stop calling it antimatter, its all matter after all. Not that any of it matters.
Very interesting and even i understood how this works. Does this discovery make particle weapons a reality now? I admit i can't contribute much knowledge on the topic but like reading other's opinions.
Who needs a particle weapon which is essentially a lightning gun, when you have a railgun capable of going over a 100 miles and through foot thick steel like a hot knife through butter. But ya, you could be right maybe its time for a particle gun as well.
originally posted by: rickymouse
It has always been doing that even though science did not recognize it is happening. How many times did scientists deny anything other than they thought was happening.
I just think it looks cool, don't really care what is happening. I am sure they want to know so they can sell weapon technology based off of it.
originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
a reply to: EchoesInTime
Uh oh. Looks like LHC might have to compete with mother nature for funding.
originally posted by: rickymouse
originally posted by: galadofwarthethird
a reply to: EchoesInTime
Well that's cool. But they should stop calling it antimatter, its all matter after all. Not that any of it matters.
Very interesting and even i understood how this works. Does this discovery make particle weapons a reality now? I admit i can't contribute much knowledge on the topic but like reading other's opinions.
Who needs a particle weapon which is essentially a lightning gun, when you have a railgun capable of going over a 100 miles and through foot thick steel like a hot knife through butter. But ya, you could be right maybe its time for a particle gun as well.
Matter of fact, it doesn't really matter what we call it. Sprite goop sounds like a better name.
originally posted by: GBP/JPY
this is my chance to throw out a request for anyone else notice when lightning hits...the rain reacts in intensity...seemingly instantly
I see it always....always have....readin that paragraph made me ask
originally posted by: badw0lf
originally posted by: rickymouse
originally posted by: galadofwarthethird
a reply to: EchoesInTime
Well that's cool. But they should stop calling it antimatter, its all matter after all. Not that any of it matters.
Very interesting and even i understood how this works. Does this discovery make particle weapons a reality now? I admit i can't contribute much knowledge on the topic but like reading other's opinions.
Who needs a particle weapon which is essentially a lightning gun, when you have a railgun capable of going over a 100 miles and through foot thick steel like a hot knife through butter. But ya, you could be right maybe its time for a particle gun as well.
Matter of fact, it doesn't really matter what we call it. Sprite goop sounds like a better name.
Sprites are notoriously difficult to give sprite collision detection to,l on the Z80 processor. You have to set an interrupt in the main loop and scan the edges every screen raster scan to see if another sprite has crossed paths. Only then can you jump to the subroutine that causes the actual collision... the 6502 processor was much better at it, dedicate even, but don't start me on sprites in the border. That's pure magick.
bool detectCollision(Sprite obj)[
foreach(Sprite sprite; level.sprites)[
if(sprite.x == obj.x && sprite.y == obj.y)[
return true;
]
return false;
]
]