cosmic rays

British  

plural noun

1. Also called: cosmic radiation.  radiation consisting of particles, esp protons, of very high energy that reach the earth from outer space

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cosmic rays Cultural  

1. Elementary particles, mainly protons, that are produced by the sun and other stars and then strike the upper atmosphere of the Earth. Some of these particles are absorbed, some help form the Van Allen belt, and some reach the Earth's surface, where they form a part of the background radiation that constantly surrounds us.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cosmic rays

Dr Sharman said during the mission she was affected by radiation from outside the solar system, called galactic cosmic rays.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

The darker streaks contain surface dust and rocks that have been altered over long periods by solar wind, galactic cosmic rays, and impacts from micrometeorites.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

New research led by scientists at Penn State and published in Physical Review Letters suggests that some of the highest-energy cosmic rays may be atomic nuclei heavier than iron.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 9, 2026

Additional theoretical work on cosmic explosions involving black holes and strongly magnetized neutron stars may also help reveal where ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays are born.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 9, 2026

Weaver warned that some might question whether it was necessary to build a new cyclotron at all, since cosmic rays carried energies equivalent to those to be expected from the new cyclotron.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik