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What if gamma rays hit Earth?
With the gamma-rays beamed directly at Earth, the radiation would destroy a significant portion of our atmosphere, specifically the ozone layer. The photons streaming from the burst would cause chemical reactions leading to photochemical smog. This would further deplete our protection from cosmic rays.
What happens after a gamma-ray burst?
They are the brightest and most energetic electromagnetic events known to occur in the universe. Bursts can last from ten milliseconds to several hours. After an initial flash of gamma rays, a longer-lived “afterglow” is usually emitted at longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, microwave and radio).
What would happen if the Earth was hit by a gamma-ray burst?
A nearby gamma ray burst could also trigger smog formation that’s capable of blocking out a percentage of our sunlight, potentially cooling the planet down exponentially. In this scenario, gamma rays would break apart nitrogen molecules in our air and transform them into nitrogen dioxide, which has a reddish-brown hue.
What are gamma rays and how dangerous are they?
Our planet is bombarded with gamma rays on a regular basis, but the danger lies in bursts of them. Gamma-ray bursts are the biggest explosions in the universe, producing light that can be detected billions of light-years away.
How do gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) affect the biosphere?
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) directed at Earth from within a few kiloparsecs may have damaged the biosphere, primarily through changes in atmospheric chemistry that admit greatly increased solar UV. However, GRBs are highly variable in spectrum and duration.
How do astronomers determine where a beam of gamma radiation is aiming?
The best way to determine where a beam of a gamma radiation is aiming toward is by studying signs in the system of symmetry. In this case, astronomers can study the beautiful rotating spiral of gas that has became entangled from the two stars in the binary system.