The Compton effect in astrophysics

No matter how we try to be encouraged by ufologists and science fiction writers, the cosmos is a sphere of colossal distances, and the paths in it are thousands of years old. The personality factor in comparison with these ways is colossally small. The will of one person in front of these distances does not mean anything. And with bitterness, perhaps we have to admit: the cosmos is not for man. But this does not prevent us from searching for ways to understand what is happening in the universe, using the discoveries made on Earth. Such, for example, as the Compton effect.

Language of light and mathematics

Astrophysics explains the world only through light and mathematics, there are almost no other instruments of work at hand for scientists of this specialty. In most cases, the astrophysicist is unable to take a sample or be a direct witness of the process. And only on the discrepancies in the theoretical calculation the scientist establishes the truth. Well, relative truth, at the appropriate moment of the development of science. Still inconsistencies? Hence, there is work for a fellow researcher or a student of this scientist.

The essence of the phenomenon

The Compton effect occurs when a photon with a high energy collides with an atom (more often with a molecule, because most of the substances on the earth's surface are still molecular). So, the photon collides with the atom. At the same time, the "affected" side part with the electrons of the outer shells. Only this is not limited to - the wave of radiation scattered as a result of the collision changes the frequency, and the classical theory of waves can not understand this phenomenon, Compton effect.

Historical reference

The events taking place prove Einstein's views on the photon as a particle. The discovery of the effect took a long time, and for him Compton received the Nobel Prize (namely, in 1927). The discovery of the effect contributed to the understanding of the nature of light, even the very term "photon" was created in 1926. That is why colleagues highly appreciated Compton's result.

Constants are everywhere

Compton's formula includes trigonometric functions, because the only value that is a variable in this formula is the angle of the photon's fall. Accordingly, the entire equation can be reduced to a single constant 2, 42, which is multiplied by 10 in the minus twelfth. The unit of measure is meters, that is, it is an abstract expression of the length of the shift. In fact, it was created simply for convenience.

Understand the monsters

In astrophysics, it is not the Compton effect that is used, but the effect opposite to it. With the knowledge of this physical phenomenon, it became possible to study the so-called black holes. The reverse Compton effect consists in the fact that electrons moving at light speed in the corona of a black hole collide with low-energy photons and change their frequency. So scientists can establish the characteristics of a black hole, approximately estimate the quantitative processes occurring in a pair of merging black holes.

Black holes are not the only "patient" whose features can be studied by an astrophysicist using the Compton effect. Even on this phenomenon, they judge the cluster of galaxies, since particles passing by the sources of photons change the frequency. Also, the effect of the described effect is subjected to background radiation - the ancient voice of the universe. Perhaps you can understand this world better if you are keen on astrophysics?