Secondary radiation
In physics and astronomy, secondary radiation is electromagnetic or particle radiation that is created by the interaction of radiation of high particle or quantum energy with matter. The causing particles or quanta are called primary radiation . If the secondary radiation is electrons, one speaks of delta electrons or delta radiation.
High energy secondary radiation
The main types of secondary radiation include:
- the electromagnetic and particle radiation caused by cosmic rays in the earth's atmosphere
- the bremsstrahlung charged by the deceleration particles in matter
- the spallation (shattering) of atomic nuclei through collisions with energies in the GeV range. It creates showers of particles of different composition as parts of the secondary cosmic rays. The spallation of light elements mainly generates protons , while those heavy elements generate new, medium-weight atomic nuclei that can cause further showers
- in radiation protection, the radiation emanating from irradiated and thereby activated material
Lower energy secondary radiation
Weak secondary radiation (although not always so called) can result from other processes, especially
- by photoionization of atoms or molecules by photons of relatively low energy; see also photoelectric effect and binding energy of electrons
- with recombination lighting , u. a. when shooting stars . Very bright meteors (fireballs) even show a long afterglow trail in the sky
- with fluorescence - it will u. a. in the X-ray fluorescence analysis and the determination of rocks under UV light used
- with phosphorescence - the "cold", longer afterglow luminescence.