Naked Universe of Ana
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What is the piece of shit this "Rigidity" I always try to calculate....
🕑 Added 2025-01-22 19:43:21 +0000 UTCRigidity of a particle is its ability to "punch through" magnetic fields(Yes, in space we have sooo fucking big magnetic field. Galactic one)
Rigidity is the ratio of the particle’s momentum(kinda speed*mass, except photon ofc) to its charge. The greater the particle’s energy (momentum) and the smaller its charge, the harder it is to deflect its trajectory.
In other words, the particle doesn’t care about the magnetic field: it keeps flying as if nothing can stop it. Rigidity is the parameter that determines whether a cosmic ray particle can penetrate magnetic fields and, for example, reach Earth.
Earth's magnetic field acts like a huge protective screen, deflecting charged particles. Its strength is most noticeable at the equator, where the field lines are nearly horizontal, and weakest near the poles. This means that particles with low rigidity are deflected and don’t reach Earth, especially in equatorial regions. High-energy particles with greater rigidity, however, overcome the magnetic field and reach the planet’s surface. This is why polar regions are more frequently exposed to cosmic rays, leading to phenomena like auroras(I wrote about here already, just scroll below...long scroll...).
For astronauts and satellites, the picture is much less pleasant🥲
High-energy cosmic rays pose a serious threat: they can penetrate spacecraft walls, damage equipment through radiation, and expose crews to harmful radiation.
Earth’s magnetic field protects us, but in open space, this "shield" is absent, and cosmic radiation becomes a significant challenge for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
You might ask:
"But doesn’t the magnetic field fail to protect us from super high-energy particles?"
And I will say "there’s no real need for protection in those cases, because such particles are incredibly rare: about one particle per km² per year. It’s the low-energy(even auroras particles are low energetic) are abundant and far more problematic, but we are protected(unlike astronauts).
Next time, I’ll tell you more about this.
Comments
Brian
it is an honor to be featured as a guest commentator on your IG reel ;)
John
Okay! 😉
Ana
Pure true. ICECUBE neutrino observatory is just right there!
The Leo
🫠
Ana
Maybe your particles just too weak?😏😏😏
Ana
The question is not stupid at all! No, but they are trying hard.... It's not that's easy to create something better then Earth's magnetic field;)
Ana
Tell me later, mb you will learn something more than I know;)
John
Rigidity (electromagnetism) Very interesting information which I will look into later. You make us curious about scientific terms when we’ve never thought about, until you bring it to our attention. Fascinating enough, causing us to delve deeper and we are the wiser for it! Wisdom and beauty: a nice pairing worth viewing indeed! 😍😘
Sam Jesso
Here’s a silly question: has anyone engineered a protective shield for spacecraft/stations that encompasses them in a magnetic field? Or are the requirements to produce such a magnetic field infeasible? Follow up: how strong IS the Earth’s magnetic field?
The Leo
Your magnetic fields are quite powerful. Rigidity calculations show zero ability to punch through 👀
Brian
I've heard that Antarctica is good for gathering samples of various radiation particles
