Dual origins of light flashes seen in space

M. Casolino (), V. Bidoli, A. Morselli, L. Narici, M. P. De Pascale, P. Picozza, E. Reali, R. Sparvoli, G. Mazzenga, M. Ricci, P. Spillantini, M. Boezio, V. Bonvicini, A. Vacchi, N. Zampa, G. Castellini, W. G. Sannita, P. Carlson, A. Galper, M. Korotkov, A. Popov, N. Vavilov, S. Avdeev and C. Fuglesang
Additional contact information
M. Casolino: University of Tor Vergata
V. Bidoli: University of Tor Vergata
A. Morselli: University of Tor Vergata
L. Narici: University of Tor Vergata
M. P. De Pascale: University of Tor Vergata
P. Picozza: University of Tor Vergata
E. Reali: University of Tor Vergata
R. Sparvoli: University of Tor Vergata
G. Mazzenga: LNF-INFN, Frascati
M. Ricci: LNF-INFN, Frascati
P. Spillantini: University of Florence
M. Boezio: University of Trieste
V. Bonvicini: University of Trieste
A. Vacchi: University of Trieste
N. Zampa: University of Trieste
G. Castellini: IROE of CNR
W. G. Sannita: Neurophysiopathology-DISMR, University of Genova
P. Carlson: Royal Institute of Technology
A. Galper: Moscow State Engineering Physics Institute
M. Korotkov: Moscow State Engineering Physics Institute
A. Popov: Moscow State Engineering Physics Institute
N. Vavilov: Moscow State Engineering Physics Institute
S. Avdeev: Russian Space Corporation Energia Korolev
C. Fuglesang: European Astronaut Centre

Nature, 2003, vol. 422, issue 6933, 680-680

Abstract: Abstract Light flashes are unusual visual phenomena that are observed in space and are caused by the interaction of energetic cosmic-ray particles with the human visual system. Using data gathered on board the Mir space station during the Sileye-2 experiment1, we show here that there are two separate components of cosmic rays that cause these flashes: one due to heavy nuclei and one due to protons. This indicates that perception by an astronaut's visual apparatus could involve two complementary mechanisms.

Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1038/422680a

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