Difference between revisions of "Cosmic rays"

Revision as of 17:10, February 23, 2010

Cosmic rays are particles that bombard the Earth from outer space, such as:

Galactic Cosmic Rays -- coming from outside the solar system
Anomalous Cosmic Rays -- coming from the interstellar space at the edge of the heliopause
Solar Energetic Particles -- associated with solar flares and other energetic solar events

NASA says that, "... cosmic rays go up when solar activity goes down." [1]

The NPICC says that, "GCR intensity is modulated by the strength of the solar wind and its magnetic field." [2]

Cosmic rays vary the earth’s temperatures by creating more or fewer of the low, wet clouds that cool the earth.
Cosmic rays amplify small changes in the sun’s irradiance fourfold, creating 1-2 degree C cycles in earth’s temperatures. [3]

The term "cosmic rays" used to include X-rays and gamma rays.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Cosmic rays''' are particles that bombard the Earth from [[outer space]], such as::
+'''Cosmic rays''' are particles that bombard the Earth from [[outer space]], such as:
 * Galactic Cosmic Rays -- coming from outside the solar system
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 * Solar Energetic Particles -- associated with solar flares and other energetic solar events
+NASA says that, "... cosmic rays go up when [[solar activity]] goes down." [http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/ray_surge.html]
-NASA says that, "... cosmic rays go up when [[solar activity]] goes down." [http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/ray_surge.html]
+The NPICC says that, "GCR intensity is modulated by the strength of the [[solar wind]] and its [[magnetic field]]." [http://www.sepp.org/publications/NIPCC_final.pdf]
 ==Effects on the earth's weather==