background radiation
Universe's faint afterglow
Background radiation is the low-level radiation constantly present in the environment.
It comes from cosmic rays, naturally occurring radioactive materials in soil and rock, and trace amounts in food and air.
The term also describes the cosmic microwave background—faint electromagnetic radiation left over from the early universe, detectable in all directions of space.
Radioactive inert gas
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- ionizingProducing charged particles
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
isotopes · uranium · thorium · potassium-40 · dosimeter · alpha particles · beta particles · cosmic rays
Energetic particles from beyond
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- interstellarBetween celestial bodies
- pulsarsRotating stars emitting radiation
- quasarsExtremely luminous galactic centers
black holes · neutron stars · galactic · extragalactic · synchrotron · radio waves · high-energy · magnetars
Exposure measurement device
- baselineStandard for comparison
- thresholdPoint of beginning
- shieldingProtecting from harm
- detectionAct of finding something
calibration · contamination · monitoring · safety standards · roentgen · millisieverts · spectral analysis
Present in all places
- pervasivePresent throughout, inescapable
- ambientOf the surroundings
- omnipresentExisting everywhere at once
- constantFixed, unvarying quantity
underlying · residual · remnant · relic · echo · fossil · vestige · permeating
Lingering light or feeling
- redshiftWavelength stretch from recession
- decouplingRemoval of interdependence
- recombinationGenetic material exchange process
- primordialExisting from the start
Big Bang · inflation · nucleosynthesis · Planck · anisotropy · dark ages · thermal equilibrium
radon
Radioactive inert gas
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- ionizingProducing charged particles
- decayGradual organic breakdown
half-life · isotopes · uranium · thorium · potassium-40 · dosimeter · alpha particles · beta particles · cosmic rays · nuclear
cosmic rays
Energetic particles from beyond
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- interstellarBetween celestial bodies
- pulsarsRotating stars emitting radiation
quasars · black holes · neutron stars · galactic · extragalactic · synchrotron · radio waves · high-energy · magnetars
dosimeter
Exposure measurement device
detection · calibration · contamination · monitoring · safety standards · roentgen · millisieverts · spectral analysis
ubiquitous
Present in all places
- pervasivePresent throughout, inescapable
- ambientOf the surroundings
- omnipresentExisting everywhere at once
constant · underlying · residual · remnant · relic · echo · fossil · vestige · permeating · baseline
afterglow
Lingering light or feeling
- redshiftWavelength stretch from recession
- decouplingRemoval of interdependence
- recombinationGenetic material exchange process
primordial · Big Bang · inflation · nucleosynthesis · Planck · anisotropy · dark ages · thermal equilibrium
- radiation measurementdosimeter, Geiger counter, TLD, curie, gray
- nuclear radiationfallout, nuclear meltdown, nuclear accident, nuclear fallout, cesium-137
- radiobiologyradiobiology, DNA damage, mutations, cell damage, radiosensitivity
- Big Bang Evidenceredshift, temperature fluctuations, cosmic inflation
- radiation labsGeiger counter, half-life, alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays
- radiation safetydosimeter, lead apron, dosimeters, Geiger counter, lead aprons
background radiationsignal
Message-conveying cue
point source · data · radio signal · broadcast signal · pulse
background radiationradiation therapy
Ionizing beams treating malignancies
background, radiant, radiation, radium, radioactive, radioactivity, irradiate, irradiation, radians