gammahadron

Gammahadron refers to a cosmic ray shower initiated by a high-energy gamma ray photon interacting with the Earth's atmosphere. When a gamma ray with energy typically above 10^14 eV strikes atmospheric molecules, it produces a cascade of secondary particles, including electrons, positrons, and photons. This shower of particles then propagates through the atmosphere, spreading out and losing energy as it travels. Observing these gammahadron showers allows astrophysicists to study the origins of extremely energetic cosmic rays and the astrophysical phenomena that produce them, such as active galactic nuclei and pulsars. Detectors designed to observe these showers are often located at high altitudes to minimize atmospheric absorption. The study of gammahadron showers is a key area in astroparticle physics, providing insights into the most energetic processes in the universe.