cosmic ray
noun
: a stream of atomic nuclei of extremely penetrating character that enter the earth's atmosphere from outer space at speeds approaching that of light
Examples of cosmic ray in a Sentence
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The result of billions of years of micrometeorite impacts on the lunar surface and lack of water on the Moon has left this dust with jagged, razor-sharp shapes and the constant bombardment by cosmic rays has given each particle an electrostatic charge.
—
David Szondy, New Atlas, 1 Apr. 2025
Various studies have linked this flux to the depletion of Earth's ozone layer, caused by cosmic rays showered onto our planet by the stars' explosive deaths.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Mar. 2025
They also can be produced by interactions between high-energy cosmic rays and the universe's background radiation.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
They can be produced when high-energy cosmic rays strike the atmosphere, but muons don't survive long enough to get from the atmosphere to the ocean floor along a flat trajectory like this one traveled along.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2025
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David Szondy, New Atlas, 1 Apr. 2025
Various studies have linked this flux to the depletion of Earth's ozone layer, caused by cosmic rays showered onto our planet by the stars' explosive deaths.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Mar. 2025
They also can be produced by interactions between high-energy cosmic rays and the universe's background radiation.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
They can be produced when high-energy cosmic rays strike the atmosphere, but muons don't survive long enough to get from the atmosphere to the ocean floor along a flat trajectory like this one traveled along.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cosmic ray
Cite this Entry
“Cosmic ray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmic%20ray. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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