What Are Gamma Rays?

What we call “light” is in fact just a small fraction of the broad variety of radiation on the electromagnetic radiation spectrum. The whole span stretches from very-low-energy radio waves through microwaves, infrared light, noticeable light, ultraviolet light, X rays, and lastly to very-high-energy gamma rays. The procedures producing photons (single particles of electro-magnetic radiation) of each type of radiation differ, as do their energy, but all of the different types of radiation are still just part of the electromagnetic spectrum’s household. The only real distinction between a gamma-ray photon and a visible-light photon is the energy. Gamma rays can have over a billion times the energy of the kind of light visible to our eyes. They are produced by the hottest and most energetic objects in the universe, such as neutron stars and pulsars, supernova explosions, and areas around black holes. On Earth, gamma rays are created by nuclear surges, lightning, and the less dramatic activity of radioactive decay.

Gamma rays are so energetic that they are hazardous to life on Earth. Fortunately, Earth’s environment takes in gamma rays, avoiding them from impacting life on the ground.

The high energy of gamma rays positions another issue: they can pass right through any lens or mirror, making it extremely difficult to focus them in a telescope. Astronomical observations, for that reason, need to depend on a different innovation to view the gamma-ray universe. Researchers must use approaches established by particle physicists, who have actually long comprehended methods for measuring high-energy particles. The Fermi Gamma-ray Area Telescope’s specialized astronomical instruments use detectors used and refined by physicists thinking about the interactions of subatomic particles.

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