SLAS Regular Meeting
Friday, February 19, 2010
McDonnell Hall, Washington University

Cosmic Rays: What Are They and Where Do They Come From?

by

Dr. Michael Friedlander

Professor of Physics
Washington University

            Cosmic rays are high energy particles that rain down on Earth from all directions. For some time after their discovery in 1911, their origin and nature remained unknown. Dr. Friedlander will talk about their birth in colossal supernova explosions, and their multibillion year journey through space to reach our detectors and telescopes. He will explain how they guide research by gigantic particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, and also describe their connection with OB associations of young hot stars.
            Michael Friedlander is a Professor of Physics at Washington University. His research has been in cosmic rays. In addition to numerous technical publications, he has authored several books for general readers. His most recent book is 'A Thin Cosmic Rain' (Harvard University Press, 2000).