[ RadSafe ] 10 rem from lightning?? (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Jaro Franta]

Thanks Michael,

Your comment about the nuclear origin of the electrons jibes well with the
observation of neutrons in the lightning events.

The folks who observed the neutrons proposed a mechanism for their
production:
Thermal ablation of the surface of hail stones induces a powerful
spherically-converging shockwave inside the ice, much like in laser fusion
experiments, only more evenly distributed over the surface (better!).
Conditions at the very tiny center of shockwave convergence reach those
required for some types of fusion reactions.
Since the "fuel" contains little deuterium, the fusion yield is very small
-- but enough to generate a shower of neutrons, that are recorded by
instruments.

Nice to have a confirmation from the Bremsstrahlung x-rays produced by
relativistic electrons !


 Jaro
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^






-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Borisky, Michael
(Civ, ARL/ADLO)
Sent: March-30-10 3:20 PM
To: Baumbaugh, Joel T CIV SPAWARSYSCEN-PACIFIC, 55430; Ted de Castro;
radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] 10 rem from lightning?? (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

That is true.  But the situation is different because the electrons are
of nuclear origin and come out with relativistic speeds, and then strike
material and produce brem.  That is different than trying to create
relativistic speeds with a voltage gradient but having the electrons
striking gas or other materials and being slowed or stopped before
reaching relativisitic speeds, or having the material conduct the
current without electrons ever having to reach relativistic speeds.  

-----Original Message-----
From: Baumbaugh, Joel T CIV SPAWARSYSCEN-PACIFIC, 55430
[mailto:joel.baumbaugh at navy.mil] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 11:30 AM
To: Borisky, Michael (Civ, ARL/ADLO); Ted de Castro;
radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] 10 rem from lightning?? (UNCLASSIFIED)

Mike,

 

Go to any university laboratory with your trusty Pancake-GM and/or low
energy Scintillation Probe and stand next to their P-32 waste (using
P-32 betas for an example).  Even using plexi-glass for a
shielding/container(a low-Z material) you're going to measure a
"plethora" of bremsstralung x-rays on the outside of the container.
Google it, here's an example:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bremsstrahlung and
http://dept.kent.edu/ORS/ORSContent/ORSBulletins/Rad/SB_P32.pdf

 

 

...Joel

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Borisky, Michael (Civ, ARL/ADLO)
[mailto:michael.borisky at us.army.mil] 



 

I thought that the only way electrons could reach relativistic speeds
was in

the presence of a vacuum.  And I thought that relativistic speeds are

necessary to generate brem.

 

Mike Borisky

ARL Radiation Safety

 

-----Original Message-----

From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu

[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Baumbaugh,
Joel T

CIV SPAWARSYSCEN-PACIFIC,55430

Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 9:04 AM

To: Ted de Castro; radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu

Subject: [ RadSafe ] 10 rem from lightning??

 

Of course you don't need a vacuum for Bremsstrahlung x-rays Ted...

Whether its generated from the plasma or (I'm guessing) mostly Compton

collisions w/air (elastic scattering w/molecular nitrogen)...

 

 

 

Joel Baumbaugh

 

SSC-Pacific

 

San Diego, CA

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE


Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE


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