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Goddess Particles

25 November 2023
Astronomy, cosmology, Electromagnetism

At https://www.livescience.com/space/cosmology/earth-slammed-by-ultra-powerful-goddess-particle-cosmic-ray-and-we-have-no-idea-where-it-came-from …. researchers detected an ‘ultra high energy’ cosmic ray recently – the most powerful one since the ‘Oh My God’ cosmic ray of 1991. Its origin is unknown. The first one involved  God. The second one is described as a ‘goddess particle’ – ?

Cosmic rays  are energetic particles mostly consisting of protons or helium nuclei. They continually rain down throughout the universe – but a small proporion of them can arrive at an accelerated speed. A million times more energetic than the fastest particle from human made particle accelerators. See also https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03677-0

Meanwhile, there are things afoot inside the Earth. At https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/geology/water-leaking-into-earths-core-may-have-birthed-a-mysterious-layer-that-churns-out-crystals … the elephant in the room here is the use of the word may – as in a theory, or unproven idea. Experiments seem to show a layer surrounding the earth’s outer core created by water leaking into the earth’s interior. It forms crystals that surround the outer core – 1800 miles beneath the surface. The study, in Nature Geoscience, is interesting but is based on the idea that is is caused by water leaking into the Mantle, a region of molten rock, or magma, from the subducting process central to Plate Tectonics. If this idea is correct it means the water has created silica crystals – from silica with an origin in the outer core. No doubt the Mantle also has its fair share of silica – as well as hydrogen and oxygen [the components of water when in a liquid form]. Plate Tectonics is itself a theory – although currently barely contested. The research is based on modeling and computer simulation – involving significant subducted material. I suppose it will  take another modeling exercise to produce a contrary view.

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