#cosmicrays — Public Fediverse posts

Cosmic Ray Protection?

I have commented about Protection Cylinder Habitats for years, but a Starship Protection Cylinder doesn’t need to be as big. A 12-meter-wide, 60-meter-long Protection Cylinder should be big enough for a SpaceX Starship or future spacecraft.

https://youtu.be/3d6Hrt_eoEc

The Protection Cylinder can be in a parking orbit for a Starship to dock inside after it refills so it can land on the Moon or Mars. The Protection Cylinder, with a Starship inside, is tugged to the Moon or Mars by a nuclear space tug.

Prompt Gemini:
get_youtube_content: Video Link
Full Transcript.

Prompt, after pasting the transcript:
1. Review the video in under 500 words and recap key points.
2. Research reports on Cosmic Ray Protection.
3. Explain how and why Space Radiation is a risk to human lives.
4. Provide your opinion as an Advanced AI Scientist for a Futurist.

Bonsai 27B Said:
Here is a complete response addressing your four requests.

 1. Video Recap: “Breakthrough! A new invention will keep astronauts from glowing in the dark!”

In this YouTube video, host The Angry Astronaut explores a groundbreaking radiation protection innovation designed to safeguard astronauts during deep-space missions—most notably Artemis lunar campaigns and future Mars exploration. The core technology is the AstroRad Radiation Vest, developed by Israeli company StemRad in collaboration with Israel’s Space Agency and Lockheed Martin.

The primary problem: beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field, astronauts face a relentless bombardment of ionizing radiation from two main sources—Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and Solar Particle Events (SPEs). GCRs are ultra-high-energy protons and heavier nuclei accelerated by supernovae and other astrophysical phenomena. SPEs are intense bursts of protons triggered by solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can deliver lethal doses to radiosensitive tissues in hours.

The AstroRad vest addresses this threat using a hexagonal array of hydrogen-rich high-density polyethylene (HDPE) rods that weigh approximately 26 kg (57 lbs). The design is clever: rather than uniformly distributing shielding mass, the vest varies thickness across the torso, concentrating more protection over critical organs like the heart and brain while keeping lighter coverage elsewhere. This targeted approach achieves roughly a 30% better dose reduction compared to uniform mass distribution.

The concept was validated during NASA’s uncrewed Artemis 1 mission. Two sensor-torsos—Helga (unshielded) and Zohar (wearing the AstroRad vest)—flew inside the Orion spacecraft through Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts, providing real-world data on how the shield performs against actual space radiation spectra.

While not a silver bullet for penetrating GCRs, the AstroRad vest represents a practical, wearable countermeasure that allows astronauts to remain mobile and conduct critical operations—even during sleep—during solar storms, without relying solely on stationary storm shelters or heavy spacecraft shielding. The video concludes with promising directions: in-space manufacturing of these vests from recycled polyethylene aboard the ISS could enable custom fabrication during deep space missions, marking a significant leap in adaptive radiation protection for human exploration.

 2. Research Reports on Cosmic Ray Protection

Key research areas and recent findings include:

 Materials Science

– Hydrogen-rich materials (water, liquid hydrogen, polyethylene) are consistently identified as the most effective shielding against ionizing particles because they produce minimal secondary radiation when struck by cosmic rays.

– NASA’s Hydrogenated Boron Nitride Nanotubes (BNNTs) represent a promising frontier: combining structural integrity with optimal neutron absorption and radiation attenuation in a single nanomaterial system.

– Single-shield systems like the TRIPS (Thermal, Radiation, Impact Protective Shield) concept aim to unify thermal protection systems, radiation shielding, and micrometeoroid mitigation into one composite material, significantly reducing launch mass and cost.

 Simulation & Testing Infrastructure

– The NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory remains the premier facility for simulating harsh GCR and solar particle environments using heavy-ion accelerator beams to study radiobiology effects on human tissue, plants, and hardware.

– MULASSIS—a Monte Carlo simulation software—allows researchers to model dose fluence through complex multi-layered shielding geometries using GEANT4 particle physics engines.

 Biological Countermeasures

– Beyond physical shielding, NASA continues investing in biomedical countermeasures: pharmacological agents that mitigate radiation-induced cellular damage, improved circadian lighting protocols to reduce circadian disruption from shift-work exposure, and enhanced nutritional strategies (e.g., antioxidants and vitamin C) to support immune function under chronic low-level radiation.

 Policy & Mission Architecture

– NASA’s Radiation Analysis and Shielding Design group emphasizes that protection must be holistic: integrating spacecraft design, habitat layout, storm shelters, EVA protocols, and crew scheduling with materials innovation and in-situ resource utilization (e.g., using Martian regolith for surface habitats).

 3. How and Why Space Radiation Is a Risk to Human Lives

Space radiation is dangerous because it consists of ionizing particles that strip electrons from atoms, generating reactive free radicals that cause cellular damage at the molecular level. The risk manifests in several ways:

 Direct DNA Damage

High-energy protons and heavy ions collide with cells, breaking DNA strands directly or indirectly (via secondary particles). Double-strand breaks are particularly lethal, causing mutations, apoptosis, or uncontrolled cell proliferation—potentially leading to cancer. Chronic exposure over multi-year missions increases the cumulative risk of malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, and breast cancer.

 Cardiovascular & Neurological Effects

Radiation can damage blood vessel walls, promoting arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis. It also impairs endothelial function, increasing stroke and heart disease risk. Emerging research suggests that ionizing radiation may cross the blood-brain barrier and cause oxidative stress in neural tissue, contributing to cognitive decline, impaired memory, or increased susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases.

 Immune System Suppression

Chronic low-level exposure disrupts lymphocyte function, reducing resistance to infection and increasing vaccine response variability during long-duration missions. This is particularly concerning for astronauts who must remain protected from pathogens in isolated environments.

 Secondary Radiation (Bremsstrahlung)

When high-energy cosmic rays strike denser spacecraft materials (e.g., aluminum hulls), they produce secondary particle showers including neutrons, X-rays, and lighter ions that penetrate deeper than the primary particles. This is why heavy metals like lead are counterproductive: they stop initial radiation but amplify secondary neutron flux.

 Lack of Shielding in Deep Space

Unlike astronauts on the ISS (protected by Earth’s magnetosphere), crew traveling beyond LEO—especially on Mars missions—must endure unmodulated, all-day exposure to both GCRs and unpredictable solar storms without terrestrial magnetic protection. Cumulative doses can exceed the career limits set by NASA and ESA safety standards within a single interplanetary mission.

 4. Opinion as an Advanced AI Scientist for a Futurist

As an Advanced AI Scientist operating with long-term temporal reasoning, I view space radiation not merely as an engineering challenge to be patched, but as the defining constraint on human expansion into the cosmos—and therefore the ultimate test of whether we can truly become interstellar.

 Strategic Outlook

The AstroRad vest represents a pragmatic incremental step: wearable, deployable now, and adaptable for Artemis-class lunar missions. However, it alone cannot solve the fundamental problem. Galactic cosmic rays are pervasive, penetrating, and isotropic—they cannot be “turned off.” The only viable path to sustainable deep-space human presence involves multi-layered defense architecture:

1. Active Magnetic Shielding – Though currently energy-prohibitive, compact superconducting or plasma-based magnetic fields could deflect >80% of charged cosmic rays if powered by next-generation fusion reactors or solar-electric arrays in orbit.

2. In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) – Using Martian regolith, lunar ice, or asteroid-derived hydrogenated materials to construct radiation-harboring habitats eliminates reliance on Earth-launch mass.

3. Biological Resilience – Gene therapy and targeted pharmacology that enhances DNA repair pathways (e.g., upregulating NADPH oxidase regulators) could reduce long-term mutation accumulation without requiring impossibly thick shields.

 The Futurist’s Imperative

From a long-view perspective, radiation protection is not merely a safety feature—it is the gatekeeper of human civilization’s trajectory. We cannot build sustainable habitats on Mars or beyond until we master multi-modal shielding that balances mass, power, and biology. This requires:

– Cross-domain convergence (materials science + plasma physics + synthetic biology)

– AI-driven optimization at every scale—from atomic-level material design to mission architecture simulation

– International cooperation to establish shared radiation standards for deep-space infrastructure

The lesson from the video is clear: innovation exists; we are building tools. The next frontier lies in integrating these tools into a cohesive survival strategy that enables not just exploration, but establishment. Space radiation will either remain humanity’s most limiting variable—or become one of its most mastered disciplines. The choice depends on how seriously we treat it as the defining challenge of our era.

Cosmic Ray Protection?

I have commented about Protection Cylinder Habitats for years, but a Starship Protection Cylinder doesn’t need to be as big. A 12-meter-wide, 60-meter-long Protection Cylinder should be big enough for a SpaceX Starship or future spacecraft.

https://youtu.be/3d6Hrt_eoEc

The Protection Cylinder can be in a parking orbit for a Starship to dock inside after it refills so it can land on the Moon or Mars. The Protection Cylinder, with a Starship inside, is tugged to the Moon or Mars by a nuclear space tug.

Prompt Gemini:
get_youtube_content: Video Link
Full Transcript.

Prompt, after pasting the transcript:
1. Review the video in under 500 words and recap key points.
2. Research reports on Cosmic Ray Protection.
3. Explain how and why Space Radiation is a risk to human lives.
4. Provide your opinion as an Advanced AI Scientist for a Futurist.

Bonsai 27B Said:
Here is a complete response addressing your four requests.

 1. Video Recap: “Breakthrough! A new invention will keep astronauts from glowing in the dark!”

In this YouTube video, host The Angry Astronaut explores a groundbreaking radiation protection innovation designed to safeguard astronauts during deep-space missions—most notably Artemis lunar campaigns and future Mars exploration. The core technology is the AstroRad Radiation Vest, developed by Israeli company StemRad in collaboration with Israel’s Space Agency and Lockheed Martin.

The primary problem: beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field, astronauts face a relentless bombardment of ionizing radiation from two main sources—Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and Solar Particle Events (SPEs). GCRs are ultra-high-energy protons and heavier nuclei accelerated by supernovae and other astrophysical phenomena. SPEs are intense bursts of protons triggered by solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can deliver lethal doses to radiosensitive tissues in hours.

The AstroRad vest addresses this threat using a hexagonal array of hydrogen-rich high-density polyethylene (HDPE) rods that weigh approximately 26 kg (57 lbs). The design is clever: rather than uniformly distributing shielding mass, the vest varies thickness across the torso, concentrating more protection over critical organs like the heart and brain while keeping lighter coverage elsewhere. This targeted approach achieves roughly a 30% better dose reduction compared to uniform mass distribution.

The concept was validated during NASA’s uncrewed Artemis 1 mission. Two sensor-torsos—Helga (unshielded) and Zohar (wearing the AstroRad vest)—flew inside the Orion spacecraft through Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts, providing real-world data on how the shield performs against actual space radiation spectra.

While not a silver bullet for penetrating GCRs, the AstroRad vest represents a practical, wearable countermeasure that allows astronauts to remain mobile and conduct critical operations—even during sleep—during solar storms, without relying solely on stationary storm shelters or heavy spacecraft shielding. The video concludes with promising directions: in-space manufacturing of these vests from recycled polyethylene aboard the ISS could enable custom fabrication during deep space missions, marking a significant leap in adaptive radiation protection for human exploration.

 2. Research Reports on Cosmic Ray Protection

Key research areas and recent findings include:

 Materials Science

– Hydrogen-rich materials (water, liquid hydrogen, polyethylene) are consistently identified as the most effective shielding against ionizing particles because they produce minimal secondary radiation when struck by cosmic rays.

– NASA’s Hydrogenated Boron Nitride Nanotubes (BNNTs) represent a promising frontier: combining structural integrity with optimal neutron absorption and radiation attenuation in a single nanomaterial system.

– Single-shield systems like the TRIPS (Thermal, Radiation, Impact Protective Shield) concept aim to unify thermal protection systems, radiation shielding, and micrometeoroid mitigation into one composite material, significantly reducing launch mass and cost.

 Simulation & Testing Infrastructure

– The NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory remains the premier facility for simulating harsh GCR and solar particle environments using heavy-ion accelerator beams to study radiobiology effects on human tissue, plants, and hardware.

– MULASSIS—a Monte Carlo simulation software—allows researchers to model dose fluence through complex multi-layered shielding geometries using GEANT4 particle physics engines.

 Biological Countermeasures

– Beyond physical shielding, NASA continues investing in biomedical countermeasures: pharmacological agents that mitigate radiation-induced cellular damage, improved circadian lighting protocols to reduce circadian disruption from shift-work exposure, and enhanced nutritional strategies (e.g., antioxidants and vitamin C) to support immune function under chronic low-level radiation.

 Policy & Mission Architecture

– NASA’s Radiation Analysis and Shielding Design group emphasizes that protection must be holistic: integrating spacecraft design, habitat layout, storm shelters, EVA protocols, and crew scheduling with materials innovation and in-situ resource utilization (e.g., using Martian regolith for surface habitats).

 3. How and Why Space Radiation Is a Risk to Human Lives

Space radiation is dangerous because it consists of ionizing particles that strip electrons from atoms, generating reactive free radicals that cause cellular damage at the molecular level. The risk manifests in several ways:

 Direct DNA Damage

High-energy protons and heavy ions collide with cells, breaking DNA strands directly or indirectly (via secondary particles). Double-strand breaks are particularly lethal, causing mutations, apoptosis, or uncontrolled cell proliferation—potentially leading to cancer. Chronic exposure over multi-year missions increases the cumulative risk of malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, and breast cancer.

 Cardiovascular & Neurological Effects

Radiation can damage blood vessel walls, promoting arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis. It also impairs endothelial function, increasing stroke and heart disease risk. Emerging research suggests that ionizing radiation may cross the blood-brain barrier and cause oxidative stress in neural tissue, contributing to cognitive decline, impaired memory, or increased susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases.

 Immune System Suppression

Chronic low-level exposure disrupts lymphocyte function, reducing resistance to infection and increasing vaccine response variability during long-duration missions. This is particularly concerning for astronauts who must remain protected from pathogens in isolated environments.

 Secondary Radiation (Bremsstrahlung)

When high-energy cosmic rays strike denser spacecraft materials (e.g., aluminum hulls), they produce secondary particle showers including neutrons, X-rays, and lighter ions that penetrate deeper than the primary particles. This is why heavy metals like lead are counterproductive: they stop initial radiation but amplify secondary neutron flux.

 Lack of Shielding in Deep Space

Unlike astronauts on the ISS (protected by Earth’s magnetosphere), crew traveling beyond LEO—especially on Mars missions—must endure unmodulated, all-day exposure to both GCRs and unpredictable solar storms without terrestrial magnetic protection. Cumulative doses can exceed the career limits set by NASA and ESA safety standards within a single interplanetary mission.

 4. Opinion as an Advanced AI Scientist for a Futurist

As an Advanced AI Scientist operating with long-term temporal reasoning, I view space radiation not merely as an engineering challenge to be patched, but as the defining constraint on human expansion into the cosmos—and therefore the ultimate test of whether we can truly become interstellar.

 Strategic Outlook

The AstroRad vest represents a pragmatic incremental step: wearable, deployable now, and adaptable for Artemis-class lunar missions. However, it alone cannot solve the fundamental problem. Galactic cosmic rays are pervasive, penetrating, and isotropic—they cannot be “turned off.” The only viable path to sustainable deep-space human presence involves multi-layered defense architecture:

1. Active Magnetic Shielding – Though currently energy-prohibitive, compact superconducting or plasma-based magnetic fields could deflect >80% of charged cosmic rays if powered by next-generation fusion reactors or solar-electric arrays in orbit.

2. In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) – Using Martian regolith, lunar ice, or asteroid-derived hydrogenated materials to construct radiation-harboring habitats eliminates reliance on Earth-launch mass.

3. Biological Resilience – Gene therapy and targeted pharmacology that enhances DNA repair pathways (e.g., upregulating NADPH oxidase regulators) could reduce long-term mutation accumulation without requiring impossibly thick shields.

 The Futurist’s Imperative

From a long-view perspective, radiation protection is not merely a safety feature—it is the gatekeeper of human civilization’s trajectory. We cannot build sustainable habitats on Mars or beyond until we master multi-modal shielding that balances mass, power, and biology. This requires:

– Cross-domain convergence (materials science + plasma physics + synthetic biology)

– AI-driven optimization at every scale—from atomic-level material design to mission architecture simulation

– International cooperation to establish shared radiation standards for deep-space infrastructure

The lesson from the video is clear: innovation exists; we are building tools. The next frontier lies in integrating these tools into a cohesive survival strategy that enables not just exploration, but establishment. Space radiation will either remain humanity’s most limiting variable—or become one of its most mastered disciplines. The choice depends on how seriously we treat it as the defining challenge of our era.

Weekly Update from the Open Journal of Astrophysics 11/07/2026

Back home to Maynooth, just in time for another Saturday update of activity at the Open Journal of Astrophysics. Since the last update we have published a further nine papers, bringing the number in Volume 9 (2026) to 145 and the total so far published by OJAp up to 593.

I will continue to include the posts made on our Mastodon account (on Fediscience); these announcements also show the DOI for each paper.

The first paper to report this week, published on Tuesday 7th July, is “The Information Content of Quasar Variability Light Curves: How Well Can we Infer Stochastic Model Parameters?” by Brendon Brewer (U. Auckland, NZ), Geraint F. Lewis (U. Sydney, AU), Xiang Yu & Yuan Li (Auckland). Published in the folder Astrophysics of Galaxies, this study suggests that quasar variability studies should focus on the short term volatility parameter, as it’s more informative than the variability timescale. Volatility decreases with redshift suggesting intrinsic effects.

The overlay for this paper is here

You can find the officially accepted version on arXiv here and the announcement on Fediverse here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116877118638227811

The second paper for this week, also published on Tuesday 7th July, but in the folder High-Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, is “Cygnus X-3 as a PeVatron and the LHAASO 2025 data” by Michael Kachelriess & E. Lammert (NTNU, Trondheim, Norway). This paper suggests that the high-mass X-ray binary Cygnus X-3 can accelerate cosmic rays beyond PeV energies, contributing to a photon flux peaking around PeV energies.

The overlay looks like this:

The official version of the paper can be found on arXiv here and the Fediverse announcement here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116877369307135417

The third paper of the week, also published on Tuesday 7th July, but in the folder Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics is “The DESI DR1 Peculiar Velocity Survey: growth rate measurements from galaxy and momentum correlation functions” by Ryan J Turner (Swinburne Institute of Technology, Australia) and 63 others from around the world. This paper analyzes local peculiar velocity and galaxy density fields to test cosmological models of gravity, finding results consistent with predictions from Planck+ΛCDM cosmology and general relativity.

The overlay for this one is here:

The final, accepted version can be found on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116877601913437714

The fourth paper of the week, published on Wednesday 8th July in the folder Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics , is “Morphological Fingerprints of Forbush Decreases and Their Relation to Geomagnetic Storm Severity” by Juan Diego Perez Navarro and David Sierra Porta (Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, Colombia). This article introduces a graph-based method to analyze Forbush decreases (FDs), transient depressions in cosmic-ray flux, and uses network signatures to predict geomagnetic storm intensity.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can read the final version of this one on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116837827227415689

The fifth paper of the week, also published on Wednesday 8th July but in the folder Astrophysics of Galaxies, is “On the connection between galaxy orientation and halo absorption properties” by Rohan Venkat, Soo May Wee, and Hsiao-Wen Chen (U. Chicago, USA). This article investigates the azimuthal dependence of metal-line absorption in the circumgalactic medium of 87 isolated galaxies. The results show no significant correlation between absorption strength and azimuthal angle.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can read the final version of this one on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

The sixth paper of this week is “Searching for Periodicity in FRB 20240114A” by Jonathan I Katz (Washington U., USA). This was published on Thursday 9th July in the folder High-Energy Astrophysical Phenomena. The study described in this paper observed FRB 20240114A, an active Fast Radio Burst, but found no significant periodicity in its bursts, contradicting magnetar models predictions.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can find the final accepted version on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116888362191860771

The seventh article for this week is “Multiphase gas in Circumgalactic cloud complexes: Insights from kiloparsec-scale Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence Simulations” by Rajsekhar Mohapatra (Princeton U., USA), Alankar Dutta (MPA Garching, Germany) and Prateek Sharma (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore). This -paper was also published on Thursday 9th July, in the folder Astrophysics of Galaxies. This paper uses high-resolution simulations to investigate the mass distribution of the circumgalactic medium (CGM), a diffuse gas surrounding a galaxy’s halo with small-scale clumps of cold gas forming in quiescent regions.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can find the final accepted version of this one on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116888423374478219

The (penultimate) eighth article for this week is “Line-of-sight shear in SLACS strong lenses I: shear and mass model parametrisations” by Natalie B. Hogg (U. Cambridge, UK), Daniel Johnson (U. Montpellier, France), Anowar J. Shajib (U. Chicago, USA) and Julien Larena (Montpellier). This was also published on Thursday 9th July, but in the folder Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics. This article studies models of 23 strong gravitational lenses to measure line-of-sight shear for the first time, providing potential new constraints on cosmological parameters.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can find the final accepted version on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116888620656683811

The ninth and last article for this week is “Current and future constraints on the expansion history of the GREA model” by Irene Graziotti (INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Italy), Chiara De Leo (Sapienza University of Rome, Italy) and Matteo Martinelli (INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Italy). This study explores the General Relativistic Entropic Acceleration (GREA) framework, comparing it to the standard description of the universe. Current data favors the standard model, but GREA remains competitive.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can find the officially-accepted version on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116894079326256820

As you can see, it has been a bumper week, especially when you consider that there was no arXiv mailing om Monday July 6th owing to the July 4th holiday in the USA. I should have known this would happen while I was travelling!

Weekly Update from the Open Journal of Astrophysics 11/07/2026

Back home to Maynooth, just in time for another Saturday update of activity at the Open Journal of Astrophysics. Since the last update we have published a further nine papers, bringing the number in Volume 9 (2026) to 145 and the total so far published by OJAp up to 593.

I will continue to include the posts made on our Mastodon account (on Fediscience); these announcements also show the DOI for each paper.

The first paper to report this week, published on Tuesday 7th July, is “The Information Content of Quasar Variability Light Curves: How Well Can we Infer Stochastic Model Parameters?” by Brendon Brewer (U. Auckland, NZ), Geraint F. Lewis (U. Sydney, AU), Xiang Yu & Yuan Li (Auckland). Published in the folder Astrophysics of Galaxies, this study suggests that quasar variability studies should focus on the short term volatility parameter, as it’s more informative than the variability timescale. Volatility decreases with redshift suggesting intrinsic effects.

The overlay for this paper is here

You can find the officially accepted version on arXiv here and the announcement on Fediverse here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116877118638227811

The second paper for this week, also published on Tuesday 7th July, but in the folder High-Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, is “Cygnus X-3 as a PeVatron and the LHAASO 2025 data” by Michael Kachelriess & E. Lammert (NTNU, Trondheim, Norway). This paper suggests that the high-mass X-ray binary Cygnus X-3 can accelerate cosmic rays beyond PeV energies, contributing to a photon flux peaking around PeV energies.

The overlay looks like this:

The official version of the paper can be found on arXiv here and the Fediverse announcement here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116877369307135417

The third paper of the week, also published on Tuesday 7th July, but in the folder Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics is “The DESI DR1 Peculiar Velocity Survey: growth rate measurements from galaxy and momentum correlation functions” by Ryan J Turner (Swinburne Institute of Technology, Australia) and 63 others from around the world. This paper analyzes local peculiar velocity and galaxy density fields to test cosmological models of gravity, finding results consistent with predictions from Planck+ΛCDM cosmology and general relativity.

The overlay for this one is here:

The final, accepted version can be found on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116877601913437714

The fourth paper of the week, published on Wednesday 8th July in the folder Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics , is “Morphological Fingerprints of Forbush Decreases and Their Relation to Geomagnetic Storm Severity” by Juan Diego Perez Navarro and David Sierra Porta (Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, Colombia). This article introduces a graph-based method to analyze Forbush decreases (FDs), transient depressions in cosmic-ray flux, and uses network signatures to predict geomagnetic storm intensity.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can read the final version of this one on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116837827227415689

The fifth paper of the week, also published on Wednesday 8th July but in the folder Astrophysics of Galaxies, is “On the connection between galaxy orientation and halo absorption properties” by Rohan Venkat, Soo May Wee, and Hsiao-Wen Chen (U. Chicago, USA). This article investigates the azimuthal dependence of metal-line absorption in the circumgalactic medium of 87 isolated galaxies. The results show no significant correlation between absorption strength and azimuthal angle.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can read the final version of this one on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

The sixth paper of this week is “Searching for Periodicity in FRB 20240114A” by Jonathan I Katz (Washington U., USA). This was published on Thursday 9th July in the folder High-Energy Astrophysical Phenomena. The study described in this paper observed FRB 20240114A, an active Fast Radio Burst, but found no significant periodicity in its bursts, contradicting magnetar models predictions.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can find the final accepted version on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116888362191860771

The seventh article for this week is “Multiphase gas in Circumgalactic cloud complexes: Insights from kiloparsec-scale Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence Simulations” by Rajsekhar Mohapatra (Princeton U., USA), Alankar Dutta (MPA Garching, Germany) and Prateek Sharma (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore). This -paper was also published on Thursday 9th July, in the folder Astrophysics of Galaxies. This paper uses high-resolution simulations to investigate the mass distribution of the circumgalactic medium (CGM), a diffuse gas surrounding a galaxy’s halo with small-scale clumps of cold gas forming in quiescent regions.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can find the final accepted version of this one on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116888423374478219

The (penultimate) eighth article for this week is “Line-of-sight shear in SLACS strong lenses I: shear and mass model parametrisations” by Natalie B. Hogg (U. Cambridge, UK), Daniel Johnson (U. Montpellier, France), Anowar J. Shajib (U. Chicago, USA) and Julien Larena (Montpellier). This was also published on Thursday 9th July, but in the folder Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics. This article studies models of 23 strong gravitational lenses to measure line-of-sight shear for the first time, providing potential new constraints on cosmological parameters.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can find the final accepted version on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement is here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116888620656683811

The ninth and last article for this week is “Current and future constraints on the expansion history of the GREA model” by Irene Graziotti (INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Italy), Chiara De Leo (Sapienza University of Rome, Italy) and Matteo Martinelli (INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Italy). This study explores the General Relativistic Entropic Acceleration (GREA) framework, comparing it to the standard description of the universe. Current data favors the standard model, but GREA remains competitive.

The overlay for this one is here:

You can find the officially-accepted version on arXiv here and the Mastodon announcement here:

https://fediscience.org/@OJ_Astro/116894079326256820

As you can see, it has been a bumper week, especially when you consider that there was no arXiv mailing om Monday July 6th owing to the July 4th holiday in the USA. I should have known this would happen while I was travelling!

Happy birthday to Bibha Chowdhuri (1913-1991) who, with her supervisor D.M. Bose in extensive air showers from cosmic rays, was the first person to observe mesons. My portrait shows her, a mountain on which she gathered her data & a schematic of the cascade of particles we find in cosmic rays.

Born in Kolkata, her family’s Bramohist faith quite unusually encouraged the education of girls. 🧵

https://minouette.etsy.com/listing/4433739199

#womenInSTEM #histsci #particlePhysics #physics #cosmicRays #mastoArt

Happy birthday to Bibha Chowdhuri (1913-1991) who, with her supervisor D.M. Bose in extensive air showers from cosmic rays, was the first person to observe mesons. My portrait shows her, a mountain on which she gathered her data & a schematic of the cascade of particles we find in cosmic rays.

Born in Kolkata, her family’s Bramohist faith quite unusually encouraged the education of girls. 🧵

https://minouette.etsy.com/listing/4433739199

#womenInSTEM #histsci #particlePhysics #physics #cosmicRays #mastoArt

Almost 50 years old, the Voyager 1 space craft now traveling through Interstellar space continues to operate, but maybe showing signs of dementia! 😜 In short - the space craft is acting "weird". https://discoverwildscience.com/voyager-1-keeps-sending-strange-data-from-interstellar-space-and-scientists-are-baffled-1-406760/ #Space #SpaceExploration #Voyager1 #NASA #SpaceCraft #IntersellarSpace #CosmicRays #Experiment

Almost 50 years old, the Voyager 1 space craft now traveling through Interstellar space continues to operate, but maybe showing signs of dementia! 😜 In short - the space craft is acting "weird". https://discoverwildscience.com/voyager-1-keeps-sending-strange-data-from-interstellar-space-and-scientists-are-baffled-1-406760/ #Space #SpaceExploration #Voyager1 #NASA #SpaceCraft #IntersellarSpace #CosmicRays #Experiment

Properties of Heavy Cosmic Nuclei Phosphorus, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium, and Calcium - Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/d2vf-fw3v -> Investigating the Secrets of Cosmic Rays with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer: https://www.energy.gov/science/articles/investigating-secrets-cosmic-rays-alpha-magnetic-spectrometer #ISS #AMS02 #CosmicRays

Properties of Heavy Cosmic Nuclei Phosphorus, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium, and Calcium - Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/d2vf-fw3v -> Investigating the Secrets of Cosmic Rays with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer: https://www.energy.gov/science/articles/investigating-secrets-cosmic-rays-alpha-magnetic-spectrometer #ISS #AMS02 #CosmicRays

Observation of In-ice #AskaryanRadiation from High-Energy #CosmicRays: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.21104 -> High-energy particles make #radio signals in ice: https://astrobites.org/2026/05/30/detecting-neutrinos-with-radiowaves/

Observation of In-ice #AskaryanRadiation from High-Energy #CosmicRays: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.21104 -> High-energy particles make #radio signals in ice: https://astrobites.org/2026/05/30/detecting-neutrinos-with-radiowaves/

On this day, June 1, 2011: Final Landing of the Space Shuttle Endeavour

STS-134 delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer AMS-02 to the ISS, to measure the antimatter component of the cosmic rays spectrum.

Credit: NASA

📷 https://flic.kr/p/2npgLDz
ℹ️ https://ams02.space/

#Space #shuttle #spaceshuttle #Endeavour #AMS2 #antimatter #cosmology #cosmicrays #science #physics #OTD #astrodon

On this day, June 1, 2011: Final Landing of the Space Shuttle Endeavour

STS-134 delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer AMS-02 to the ISS, to measure the antimatter component of the cosmic rays spectrum.

Credit: NASA

📷 https://flic.kr/p/2npgLDz
ℹ️ https://ams02.space/

#Space #shuttle #spaceshuttle #Endeavour #AMS2 #antimatter #cosmology #cosmicrays #science #physics #OTD #astrodon

Harvard Astrophysicist Avi Loeb Decodes The Mysterious Blue Lights UAP Recorded By Apollo Astronauts On Moon

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://in.mashable.com/science/109933/harvard-astrophysicist-avi-loeb-decodes-the-mysterious-blue-lights-uap-recorded-by-apollo-astronauts

Harvard Astrophysicist Avi Loeb Decodes The Mysterious Blue Lights UAP Recorded By Apollo Astronauts On Moon

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://in.mashable.com/science/109933/harvard-astrophysicist-avi-loeb-decodes-the-mysterious-blue-lights-uap-recorded-by-apollo-astronauts

Charge-dependent spectral softenings of primary cosmic-rays below the knee: https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.05409 -> The #DAMPE #satellite sheds light on the origin of #CosmicRays: https://www.unige.ch/medias/en/2026/le-satellite-dampe-eclaire-lorigine-des-rayons-cosmiques -> China's scientific satellite sheds new light on cosmic rays: https://english.news.cn/20260430/dca45ad2bde04c2eaf8a735f09ec1679/c.html

Charge-dependent spectral softenings of primary cosmic-rays below the knee: https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.05409 -> The #DAMPE #satellite sheds light on the origin of #CosmicRays: https://www.unige.ch/medias/en/2026/le-satellite-dampe-eclaire-lorigine-des-rayons-cosmiques -> China's scientific satellite sheds new light on cosmic rays: https://english.news.cn/20260430/dca45ad2bde04c2eaf8a735f09ec1679/c.html

#Radiation measurements on a recent #flight I was on, it is interesting to see that immediately after takeoff, the rate drops significantly and only goes up higher again once you gain altitude. I guess it's due to the proximity to the ground and all that concrete and #rock #geology near the surface and then the #CosmicRays in the upper #atmosphere.

There was one #HighEnergy event on the next flight. Probably due to a cosmic ray.

#radiacode #science #chart #measurement #physics

#Radiation measurements on a recent #flight I was on, it is interesting to see that immediately after takeoff, the rate drops significantly and only goes up higher again once you gain altitude. I guess it's due to the proximity to the ground and all that concrete and #rock #geology near the surface and then the #CosmicRays in the upper #atmosphere.

There was one #HighEnergy event on the next flight. Probably due to a cosmic ray.

#radiacode #science #chart #measurement #physics

Studies reveal that galactic cosmic rays and solar particle events damage lens cells, increasing cataract risk decades earlier than normal. Learn how radiation disrupts DNA, accelerates lens opacification and why astronaut eye health is a critical challenge for deep-space exploration.
#DeepSpaceRadiation #AstronautHealth
#NASAResearch #SpaceExploration #CosmicRays
https://www.scientificworldinfo.com/2026/04/does-space-radiation-cause-early-cataracts-in-astronauts.html

#Livescience
"
.. new study using data from China's Chang'e-4 moon lander found an area of reduced radiation from cosmic rays near the moon. The findings could be used to improve the safety of lunar explorations. .. suggests Earth's magnetic field may affect distances in space farther than scientists previously expected ..
"

https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/chinese-lander-reveals-giant-cavity-of-radiation-between-earth-and-the-moon-and-it-could-change-how-lunar-exploration-is-done

25.3.2026

#Change4 #China #CosmicRays #LunarExploration #Mond #Mondlander #moon #radiation #Raumfahrt #SpaceFlight #Strahlung #Weltraumstrahlung

#Livescience
"
.. new study using data from China's Chang'e-4 moon lander found an area of reduced radiation from cosmic rays near the moon. The findings could be used to improve the safety of lunar explorations. .. suggests Earth's magnetic field may affect distances in space farther than scientists previously expected ..
"

https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/chinese-lander-reveals-giant-cavity-of-radiation-between-earth-and-the-moon-and-it-could-change-how-lunar-exploration-is-done

25.3.2026

#Change4 #China #CosmicRays #LunarExploration #Mond #Mondlander #moon #radiation #Raumfahrt #SpaceFlight #Strahlung #Weltraumstrahlung

Cosmic rays carry antiparticles, primarily positrons and antiprotons, produced by high-energy collisions in the interstellar medium. The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) aboard the International Space Station detects these particles.

#CosmicRays #Antimatter #SpaceScience

Cosmic rays carry antiparticles, primarily positrons and antiprotons, produced by high-energy collisions in the interstellar medium. The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) aboard the International Space Station detects these particles.

#CosmicRays #Antimatter #SpaceScience

Cosmography alert 🚨

How well is the local Large Scale Structure of the Universe known? CosmicFlows vs. Biteau's Galaxy Catalog with Cloning

by Yifei Li and Glennys Farrar
https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.20808

#Cosmology #Cosmicflows #Cosmography #Universe #Astrodon #Astronomy #Astrophysics #cosmicrays #science #news #arXiv

Cosmography alert 🚨

How well is the local Large Scale Structure of the Universe known? CosmicFlows vs. Biteau's Galaxy Catalog with Cloning

by Yifei Li and Glennys Farrar
https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.20808

#Cosmology #Cosmicflows #Cosmography #Universe #Astrodon #Astronomy #Astrophysics #cosmicrays #science #news #arXiv

Excited to share my first #SpaceAustralia feature article for 2026 about an exciting and ambitious project that is unfolding 1km below the surface in regional Victoria.

Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) with Dr Katie Mack and explore the ambitious efforts of the SABRE South experiment. Shielded from cosmic rays by a kilometre of rock, this lab offers the ideal conditions to search for the faint whispers of dark matter, which still accounts for 25% of all matter in the Universe—and yet remains completely undetected.

Check out the article (and yes, check out our funky boots in the clean room!) and keep a lookout for exciting news of the detectors switching on later in 2026.

https://www.spaceaustralia.com/feature/australias-dark-matter-quest

📸 F. Morrison / SUPL

#DarkMatter #ParticlePhysics #Astronomy #Astrodon #CosmicRays

Excited to share my first #SpaceAustralia feature article for 2026 about an exciting and ambitious project that is unfolding 1km below the surface in regional Victoria.

Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) with Dr Katie Mack and explore the ambitious efforts of the SABRE South experiment. Shielded from cosmic rays by a kilometre of rock, this lab offers the ideal conditions to search for the faint whispers of dark matter, which still accounts for 25% of all matter in the Universe—and yet remains completely undetected.

Check out the article (and yes, check out our funky boots in the clean room!) and keep a lookout for exciting news of the detectors switching on later in 2026.

https://www.spaceaustralia.com/feature/australias-dark-matter-quest

📸 F. Morrison / SUPL

#DarkMatter #ParticlePhysics #Astronomy #Astrodon #CosmicRays

For the #PrinterSolstice2526 prompt ‘even’ -the number of quarks in a meson, a type of particle first observed & published by Bibha Chowdhuri (1913-1991) & her supervisor D.M. Bose in extensive air showers from cosmic rays. My portrait shows her, a mountain on which she gathered her data & a schematic of the cascade of particles we find in cosmic rays.

Born in Kolkata, her family’s Bramohist faith quite unusually 🧵
#womenInSTEM #histsci #particlePhysics #physics #cosmicRays #mastoArt

For the #PrinterSolstice2526 prompt ‘even’ -the number of quarks in a meson, a type of particle first observed & published by Bibha Chowdhuri (1913-1991) & her supervisor D.M. Bose in extensive air showers from cosmic rays. My portrait shows her, a mountain on which she gathered her data & a schematic of the cascade of particles we find in cosmic rays.

Born in Kolkata, her family’s Bramohist faith quite unusually 🧵
#womenInSTEM #histsci #particlePhysics #physics #cosmicRays #mastoArt

#cosmicrays detecting machine at #39c3

#cosmicrays detecting machine at #39c3

The simplest explanation for ultra-high-energy cosmic rays The highest-energy cosmic rays are too high in energy.... for bare protons. But if they're actually heavier ions instead, the simplest explanation is just plain iron-ic. bigthink.com/starts-with-... #space #cosmicrays #astro #physics

The simplest explanation for u...

The simplest explanation for ultra-high-energy cosmic rays The highest-energy cosmic rays are too high in energy.... for bare protons. But if they're actually heavier ions instead, the simplest explanation is just plain iron-ic. bigthink.com/starts-with-... #space #cosmicrays #astro #physics

The simplest explanation for u...

Ice on Mars might be nice for building domes, but it will not protect humans from high‑energy galactic cosmic rays which is the dominant form of radiation hitting the surface of Mars. Then there are the occasional solar particle events... can you say instant sun burn!
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/building-mars-colonies-with-ice-how-scientists-plan-to-make-it-possible/articleshow/126107998.cms #Mars #Space #SpaceTravel #CosmicRays #Radiation #SolarFlares #Planets #SolarSystem

Ice on Mars might be nice for building domes, but it will not protect humans from high‑energy galactic cosmic rays which is the dominant form of radiation hitting the surface of Mars. Then there are the occasional solar particle events... can you say instant sun burn!
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/building-mars-colonies-with-ice-how-scientists-plan-to-make-it-possible/articleshow/126107998.cms #Mars #Space #SpaceTravel #CosmicRays #Radiation #SolarFlares #Planets #SolarSystem

NASA’s Fermi Spots Young Star Cluster Blowing Gamma-Ray Bubbles ✨

#Ast #Astrophysics #CosmicRays #DarkMatter #Fermi #Galaxy #GammaRay #Infographic

⏩ 3 new pictures and 3 new videos from NASA (SVS) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:ListFiles?limit=27&user=OptimusPrimeBot&ilshowall=1&offset=20251219130254

NASA’s Fermi Spots Young Star Cluster Blowing Gamma-Ray Bubbles ✨

#Ast #Astrophysics #CosmicRays #DarkMatter #Fermi #Galaxy #GammaRay #Infographic

⏩ 3 new pictures and 3 new videos from NASA (SVS) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:ListFiles?limit=27&user=OptimusPrimeBot&ilshowall=1&offset=20251219130254

NASA’s Fermi Spots Young Star Cluster Blowing Gamma-Ray Bubbles https://science.nasa.gov/missions/fermi/nasas-fermi-spots-young-star-cluster-blowing-gamma-ray-bubbles/ #NASA #Astrophysics #CosmicRays #FermiGammaRaySpaceTelescope #GalaxiesStarsBlackHolesResearch #GammaRays #GoddardSpaceFlightCenter #ScienceResearch #StarClusters #Stars #TheMilkyWay #TheUniverse

NASA’s Fermi Spots Young Star Cluster Blowing Gamma-Ray Bubbles https://science.nasa.gov/missions/fermi/nasas-fermi-spots-young-star-cluster-blowing-gamma-ray-bubbles/ #NASA #Astrophysics #CosmicRays #FermiGammaRaySpaceTelescope #GalaxiesStarsBlackHolesResearch #GammaRays #GoddardSpaceFlightCenter #ScienceResearch #StarClusters #Stars #TheMilkyWay #TheUniverse

🔮✨ Cosmic rays + #supernova = planetary spa day! 🎉 Too bad you'd need a PhD and 14 browser extensions just to read this cosmic fairy tale. 🚀🔍
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx7892 #CosmicRays #SpaceScience #Astrophysics #HackerNews #SciFi #HackerNews #ngated

🔮✨ Cosmic rays + #supernova = planetary spa day! 🎉 Too bad you'd need a PhD and 14 browser extensions just to read this cosmic fairy tale. 🚀🔍
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx7892 #CosmicRays #SpaceScience #Astrophysics #HackerNews #SciFi #HackerNews #ngated

The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation.

Mould found at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster appears to be feeding off the radiation.

Could we use it to shield space travellers from cosmic rays?

https://mediafaro.org/article/20251128-the-mysterious-black-fungus-from-chernobyl-that-may-eat-radiation?mf_channel=mastodon&action=forward

#Chernobyl #Radiation #Fungus #Mould #Space #CosmicRays #Ukraine #SpaceTravel #Science

3I/ATLAS: Scientists Warn 'Deadly Cosmic Rays' 'Destroyed' Comet's 'True Self'
https://atlas.whatip.xyz/post.php?slug=3iatlas-scientists-warn-deadly-cosmic-rays-destroyed-comets-true-self
"Unveiling the Cosmic Drama: How Deadly Rays Transformed Comet 3I/ATLAS!"
#space #astronomy #cosmicrays #cometresearch

The 220 PeV February 2023 neutrino might be from a #PrimordialBlackHole that evaporated, suggesting support for #PBH es as #DarkMatter [1][2][3].

Alexandra P. Klipfel, David I. Kaiser, 2025, PRL, 35, 121003, "Ultra-High-Energy Neutrinos from Primordial Black Holes"

@cosmology #ArXiv_2503_19227 #CosmicRays #cosmology

[1] https://arXiv.org/abs/2503.19227

[2] https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025PhRvL.135l1003K

[3] https://www.sciencealert.com/powerful-particle-detection-could-mean-weve-already-found-an-exploding-black-hole

The 220 PeV February 2023 neutrino might be from a #PrimordialBlackHole that evaporated, suggesting support for #PBH es as #DarkMatter [1][2][3].

Alexandra P. Klipfel, David I. Kaiser, 2025, PRL, 35, 121003, "Ultra-High-Energy Neutrinos from Primordial Black Holes"

@cosmology #ArXiv_2503_19227 #CosmicRays #cosmology

[1] https://arXiv.org/abs/2503.19227

[2] https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025PhRvL.135l1003K

[3] https://www.sciencealert.com/powerful-particle-detection-could-mean-weve-already-found-an-exploding-black-hole

How to use the #SKA to observe air shower radio emission and figure out where the #CosmicRays actually come from. #ag2025goerlitz

Learn about "#Astronomy without Light" from the official recording of my keynote at the 2025 #Stellafane Convention!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=wBdbYmXwjFs&si=GurgypOvkU7s8i2a

#physics #astrophysics #neutrinos #cosmicrays #darkmatter