Earthquakes seem more intense after cosmic ray strikes. Scientists say this is why.

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

The surprising study by a team of Polish researchers analyzed 50 years worth of data and found that the intensity of global seismic activity correlated with the average variation in the intensity of secondary particles created by cosmic radiation with a time lag of around two weeks. Secondary cosmic radiation is produced by the interactions of cosmic rays and Earth's atmosphere, which suggests that the link between the two phenomena may have nothing to do with the intensity of the arriving cosmic rays but rather with their ability to breach Earth's defenses.

(snip)

CREDO is an international virtual cosmic ray observatory that collects and processes data from a range of detectors, from sophisticated scientific instruments down to the ordinary smartphones of volunteers. Its primary aim is to monitor global changes in the flux of secondary cosmic radiation reaching the surface of our planet that is created in the stratosphere when particles of cosmic radiation collide with the gas molecules and trigger cascades of secondary particles.

Scientists think that the strange correlation between cosmic radiation and seismic activity could be explained by the behavior of eddy currents in the liquid core of our planet which drive the generation of Earth's magnetic field. This field, also known as the magnetosphere, is responsible for deflecting charged particles which make up cosmic radiation.

The team reasons that large earthquakes may be associated with disturbances in the flow of matter that drives Earth's dynamo, which also affects the magnetosphere. This would, in turn, affect the ability of primary charged particles to penetrate the planet's atmosphere, which would then have an impact on the amount of secondary cosmic radiation particles detected on the planet's surface.

(snip)

https://www.space.com/earthquakes-cosmic-radiation-link-found

[GenXer47]

1. fascinating! the cart was before the horse

I love science!
Thanks for this.