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Cosmic Rays Reach Modern Era High

January 5th, 2010 by Rob | Posted under Cosmic Rays, sun.

cosmicrays Cosmic Rays Reach Modern Era High

Within the “Space Age” (since the 1950s) this year marks the greatest intensity of cosmic rays reaching planet Earth. Not coincidentally, this year is also the lowest solar minimum of the period. Basically more solar activity means more solar wind which enhances the heliosphere, the Sun’s magnetic field that helps protect us.
It’s a double-edged sword; at one end of the scale we get more cosmic rays, which means greater levels of mutation (cosmic rays are responsible for roughly 50% of random genetic damage), and at the other end we get an increase in solar flares, which can cause us harm when aimed in our direction.
If we could choose, we’d like the sun to be average, always.

Related posts:

  1. AGNs – source of high-energy cosmic rays
  2. Cosmic Rays come from AGNs: Confirmed
  3. Mysterious Cosmic Rays from Nearby – More Evidence
  4. Excess Cosmic Rays from the Cygnus constellation
  5. Ultrahigh-Energy Cosmic Rays – Local Origin?

Comments

One Response to “Cosmic Rays Reach Modern Era High”
  1. Daz says:
    January 8, 2010 at 6:00 pm

    This correlates well with the lowest level ever recorded for the solar geomagnetic index (since late 1800s).
    http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/01/07/suns-magnetic-index-reaches-unprecedent-low-only-zero-could-be-lower-in-a-month-when-sunspots-became-more-active/

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