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What could anyone hope to see pointing a gamma ray telescope at earth? I thought gamma rays were filtered out though the atmosphere.
by epiphanitus 6y ago
What could anyone hope to see pointing a gamma ray telescope at earth?
I thought gamma rays were filtered out though the atmosphere.
- TeMPOraL 6y agoDetecting nuclear detonations? Or perhaps even tracking nuclear material? AFAIR, it was thanks to such gamma ray detectors pointed down that we've accidentally discovered gamma ray bursts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vela_(satellite)#Role_of_Vela_in_discovering_gamma-ray_bursts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vela_(satellite)#Role_of_Vela_...
- gumby 6y agoNuclear weapons testing I have always assumed.
- xxpor 6y agoI assume not just testing, but the existence of a stockpile of fissile material in general, right? Obviously it'd need to be more sensitive but id have to assume if you observe a moving gamma ray source on earth that's really valuable information