An Introduction to

Gamma Rays
A group report by Group III of 10 - Love
 denoted
 Are

 typically

 Its
γ Gamma Rays
(Gamma Radiation)

by the lowercase Greek letter gamma (γ)

the shortest, highest energy waves/photons in the EM
Spectrum
have frequencies above 10 Exahertz (or >1019 Hz), and
therefore have energies above 100 keV
 wavelengths measures less than 10 picometers (10−11 m),
which is less than the diameter of an atom.
powerful energy makes it a form of Ionizing Radiation.
Discovery

Paul Villard – discovered gamma radiation in 1900 Ernest Rutherford, Henri Becquerel
and Paul Villard
while studying radiation emitted from Radium.
 His described radiation was more powerful than
previously described types of rays from Radium,
which included Henri Becquerel’s rays in 1896,
and Rutherford’s in 1899.
 The "rays" emitted by radioactive elements were named in order of their
power to penetrate various materials, using the first three letters of the
Greek alphabet: Alpha Rays as the least penetrating, followed by Beta Rays,
followed by Gamma Rays as the most penetrating.
Penetration
Sources
 Radioactive Decay (Gamma Decay)
― A radioactive process in which an atomic nucleus, in its Illustration of an emission of a
excited state loses energy, emitting a gamma ray/s. gamma ray
(γ) from an atomic nucleus

 Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flash

― It is a burst of gamma rays produced in Earth's atmosphere caused
by intense electric fields produced above or inside thunderstorms.
 Cosmic Rays
― Are high-energy particles with intrinsic mass, at first, wrongly
thought as an EM Radiation. Gamma rays are produced when these
rays collide on ordinary matter.
Pulsars
 and Magnetars
―A pulsar isa highly magnetized, rotating neutron star or white dwarf,
that emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation while a Magnetar is a
type of neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field. The
magnetic field decay powers the emission of high-energy
electromagnetic radiation, particularly X-rays and gamma rays.
 Quasars and Active Galaxies
― Quasars are thought of to be powered by matter under gravitation
of material into supermassive black holes in the nuclei of distant
galaxies, in which how they are formed, making these versions of
the general class of objects known as active galaxies. Gamma rays
are produced by their high-energy electrons.
 Gamma-Ray Bursts
― Are extremely energetic explosions (supernovae and
collisions of neutron stars) that have been observed in
distant galaxies. They are the brightest electromagnetic
events known to occur in the universe.
Uses
 Gamma rays provide information about some
of the most energetic phenomena in the
universe. The Fermi Gamma-ray Space
Telescope provides our only view of the
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space
universe in gamma rays. Telescope in space

 Gamma Ray Detectors in the US are

beginning to be used as part of the
Container Security Initiative (CSI). These
machines are advertised to be able to scan
Gamma-ray image of a truck with two
30 containers per hour. stowaways taken with a VACIS (vehicle
and container imaging system)
 Used to kill living organisms, in a process called
Irradiation. Applications of this include the sterilization of
medical equipment and the removal of decay-causing
bacteria from many foods.
 Despite their cancer-causing properties, gamma rays
are also used to treat some types of cancer, since the
rays also kill cancer cells in a procedure called
Radiotherapy.
Health Effects
 Gamma rays cause damage at a cellular level and are penetrating,
causing diffuse damage throughout the body.

 Low levels of gamma rays cause a stochastic health risk, which for
radiation dose assessment is defined as the probability of cancer
induction and genetic damage. High doses produce deterministic
effects, which is the severity of acute tissue damage that is certain to
happen.
 Penetration of Ionizing
Radiations to the human body
Thank you for listening!