The muon riddle
Mayamoto
This time The xx with Crystalised was chosen for the obligatory background song.
So far I've spoiled you, dear reader, with easy to understand. But today I've got something challenging for you. Here’s a little riddle, which might be heavy stuff for you:
When cosmic radiation hits our atmosphere, muons emerge about 10 km above the ground.
Those heavy leptons have a half-life of just 2.2 microseconds. So they exist for just a very short period of time.
They move with nearly speed of light. But due to their short lifetime, they aren’t able to move more than like 600 meters before they decay.
One should therefore assume that they cannot be detected on the earth's surface 10 km down below.
Nevertheless they are detected at sea level. How does that work?
Muons are pretty much like electrons, but with a 200 times bigger mass. There is no other natural source on earth than cosmic radiation, interacting with the top level atmosphere.
Do you manage to solve the riddle?
Please submit suggested solutions via PM. Best answers may receive a little bonus for the effort.
Everyone else will at least learn something new, maybe even fascinating. The solution to the riddle will be published in a week.
As always, I’d be happy if you vote and subscribe.
Your flying lizard Mayamoto.
Update: Here you'll find the solution.
Comments
first
Admit it was challenging, dear brother....! 😉
It was? so you solved it?
No I didnt, unfortunately. But now I will be awake, thinking of this, to night.........
Oh damn, I didn't mean to deprive you of your well-deserved sleep ... now i fell bad ...
But I'd be really impressed if you solve it. Pretty hard, if you're not a physician.
I`m not a physician (but did have physics on high school long time ago). I shall try to find out but if I dont solve it, I do hope for the answer... 🙂
Is 12 correct? I mean, 15! I say 15. Yes, I'm sure.
Coincidentally, 15 even has something to do with the correct answer. not bad so far! But i'm afraid this hint is only confusing ...
7!!!
So they get faster near earth? Maybe cause of the rotation of the earth?
I'm afraid it's a little bit more complicated than that ...
Mutons, right? You talkin bout Mutons?
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/xcom/images/8/89/2107993-xcom_look_ahead_muton.jpg/revision/latest/top-crop/width/300/height/300?cb=20121105043918
Of course t h a t guy would also make it in time! 😃
But okay, if you really want it ... next article will be about mutons 😛
https://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/Muton
mutons are detected in the particle zoo at the sea level.
Are you planning on recruiting astronauts? If yes, we are going to have a problem soon 😜
Sure we are! We need to strengthen the ASF (Austrian Space Force) for future expeditions, and therefor we need plenty of Austronauts! (Second degree in political science is beneficial.)
But since space is endless, I'm sure the mighty pakistani space agency isn't afraid about some fair competition ;P
Ok, I am looking forward to great eSci-Fi battles 💚
I only say: Malargüe.... 🤷♂️
you are talking about: -35.46339616509719, -69.5847867917575
right?
Yes, but more interest it's here:
-35.495849, -69.449781
Aaaaahhh, yeah much better 😃