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Neutron radiation is a form of ionizing radiation that presents as free neutrons.Typical phenomena are nuclear fission or nuclear fusion causing the release of free neutrons, which then react with nuclei of other atoms to form new nuclides—which, in turn, may trigger further neutron radiation.
When neutrons strike the hydrogen nuclei, proton radiation (fast protons) results. These protons are themselves ionizing because they are of high energy, are charged, and interact with electrons. Neutrons that strike other nuclei besides hydrogen, transfer less energy to the other particle if linear energy transfer does occur.
Nitrogen glow Oxygen glow Electrical discharge in air Particle beam from a cyclotron. Ionized-air glow is the luminescent emission of characteristic blue–purple–violet light, often of a color called electric blue, by air subjected to an energy flux either directly or indirectly from solar radiation.
Free neutrons do not directly ionize atoms, but they do indirectly cause ionizing radiation, so they can be a biological hazard, depending on dose. A small natural "neutron background" flux of free neutrons exists on Earth, caused by cosmic ray showers , and by the natural radioactivity of spontaneously fissionable elements in the Earth's crust .
Hence, neutrons are said to be "indirectly ionizing". Even neutrons without significant kinetic energy are indirectly ionizing, and are thus a significant radiation hazard. Not all materials are capable of neutron activation; in water, for example, the most common isotopes of both types atoms present (hydrogen and oxygen) capture neutrons and ...
It is a cascade reaction involving electrons in a region with a sufficiently high electric field in a gaseous medium that can be ionized, such as air. Following an original ionization event, due to such as ionizing radiation, the positive ion drifts towards the cathode, while the free electron drifts towards the anode of the device. If the ...
Decay: Outside the nucleus, free neutrons are unstable and have a mean lifetime of 885.7 ± 0.8 s (about 14 minutes, 46 seconds). [1] Free neutrons decay by emission of an electron and an electron antineutrino to become a proton, a process known as beta decay: [2] n 0 → p + + e − + ν e. Although the p + and e −
A novel detection technique for extensive air showers was proposed by Greisen in 1965. He suggested to directly observe Cherenkov radiation of the shower particles, and fluorescence light produced by excited nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere. In this way, one would be able to measure the longitudinal development of a shower in the atmosphere.