Do Extragalactic Cosmic Rays Induce Cycles in Fossil Diversity?

Medvedev, Mikhail V.; Melott, Adrian L.

doi:10.1086/518757

Cited by 62 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…The interactions of the Earth's biosphere with extraterrestrial energy fluxes have been explored extensively with regard to the solar electromagnetic spectrum (UV and visible domains) (e.g., Mahmoud et al 2008 and references therein; Godar et al 2001;Sliney 2000;Chaney and Sliney 2005), but only sporadically with the higher energies of solar and galactic cosmic ray particles (e.g., Durante and Manti 2008;Melott et al 2008;Medvedev and Melott 2007;Stoupel et al2005;Lim 2002;Heimers 1999;Juckett and Rosenberg 1997, and references therein). Studies exploring cosmic ray effects on humans have generally been population-based and correlative in nature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A 17-year oscillation in cancer mortality birth cohorts on three continents – synchrony to cosmic ray modulations one generation earlier

Juckett

2009

Int J Biometeorol

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Cross-generational effects (grandmother effects) associated with epigenetic imprinting, environmental exposures, and lifestyle choices are beginning to be explored by various investigators. The possibility that low-level background radiation can be a driver of such effects has been suggested previously and is explored further in this study. Age-period-cohort analysis was performed on United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), and Australian (AU) female breast cancer mortality of the twentieth century, as well as on UK female total cancer mortality, to extract the high-frequency oscillations in the birth cohort time series. US fetal and infant congenital mortality were examined to extend the birth cohorts to modern times. A approximately 17-year cycle was detected in all birth cohort series, which spanned approximately 180 years from 1820 to 2000. This suggests a global, environmental cause. To mimic previous work in examining a possible link to cosmic radiation, the 17- to 18-year cycles of the cosmogenic nuclide (14)C, the sunspot double-cycle, neutron monitors, and a compilation of ground-based magnetic field observations were examined in the birth cohort and germ cell cohort time frames. Evidence is presented that optimal alignments with extraterrestrial oscillations occur in the time frame of the germ-cell cohort, one generation before the birth cohorts. Furthermore, the alignment is optimized by accounting for the changes in the maternal age distribution over time. These findings have potential importance to the mechanisms of disease as well as species adaptation and evolution.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A 17-year oscillation in cancer mortality birth cohorts on three continents – synchrony to cosmic ray modulations one generation earlier

Juckett

2009

Int J Biometeorol

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“…for extinctions/ geological periods and G=2.85, P=0.091 for impacts). If the zone boundaries equate to galactic plane crossings then the zones are consistent with one side of the galactic plane experiencing higher levels of extinction (Figure 3; Medvedev & Melott (2007)). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 81%

The galactic cycle of extinction

Gillman¹,

Erenler²

2008

International Journal of Astrobiology

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: Global extinction and geological events have previously been linked with galactic events such as spiral arm crossings and galactic plane oscillation. The expectation that these are repeating predictable events has led to studies of periodicity in a wide set of biological, geological and climatic phenomena. Using data on carbon isotope excursions, large igneous provinces and impact craters, we identify three time zones of high geological activity which relate to the timings of the passage of the Solar System through the spiral arms. These zones are shown to include a significantly large proportion of high extinction periods. The mass extinction events at the ends of the Ordovician, Permian and Cretaceous occur in the first zone, which contains the predicted midpoints of the spiral arms. The start of the Cambrian, end of the Devonian and end of the Triassic occur in the second zone. The pattern of extinction timing in relation to spiral arm structure is supported by the positions of the superchrons and the predicted speed of the spiral arms. The passage times through an arm are simple multiples of published results on impact and fossil record periodicity and galactic plane half-periods. The total estimated passage time through four arms is 703.8 Myr. The repetition of extinction events at the same points in different spiral arm crossings suggests a common underlying galactic cause of mass extinctions, mediated through galactic effects on geological, solar and extra-solar processes. The two largest impact craters (Sudbury and Vredefort), predicted to have occurred during the early part of the first zone, extend the possible pattern to more than 2000 million years ago.

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“…It is interesting to point out that the crossing time (25 My ago) of the expanding Gould Belt with the Earth with a consequent increases in the concentration of CR can explain one event of the fossil diversity cycle that has a periodicity of 62 My. 51 The gamma-ray emissivity is different in the various regions of the galaxy, 52 and in order to explain this fact the theoretical map of gamma-ray from the Galactic plane has been produced. CR with energies greater than 10 18 eV, Ultra-High Energy, are thought to be of extragalactic origin 27,53-57 and therefore the diffusion from extragalactic sources through the intergalactic medium is demanded to a future investigation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Models of Diffusion of Galactic Cosmic Rays From Superbubbles

Zaninetti¹

2007

Int. J. Mod. Phys. A

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Superbubbles are shells in the interstellar medium produced by the simultaneous explosions of many supernova remnants. The solutions of the mathematical diffusion and of the Fourier expansion in 1D, 2D and 3D were deduced in order to describe the diffusion of nucleons from such structures. The mean number of visits in the the case of the Levy flights in 1D was computed with a Monte Carlo simulation. The diffusion of cosmic rays has its physical explanation in the relativistic Larmor gyro-radius which is energy dependent. The mathematical solution of the diffusion equation in 1D with variable diffusion coefficient was computed. Variable diffusion coefficient means magnetic field variable with the altitude from the Galactic plane. The analytical solutions allow us to calibrate the code that describes the Monte Carlo diffusion. The maximum energy that can be extracted from the superbubbles is deduced. The concentration of cosmic rays is a function of the distance from the nearest superbubble and the selected energy. The interaction of the cosmic rays on the target material allows us to trace the theoretical map of the diffuse Galactic continuum gamma-rays. The streaming of the cosmic rays from the Gould Belts that contains the sun at its internal was described by a Monte Carlo simulation. Ten new formulas are derived.

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Do Extragalactic Cosmic Rays Induce Cycles in Fossil Diversity?

Cited by 62 publications

References 65 publications

A 17-year oscillation in cancer mortality birth cohorts on three continents – synchrony to cosmic ray modulations one generation earlier

A 17-year oscillation in cancer mortality birth cohorts on three continents – synchrony to cosmic ray modulations one generation earlier

The galactic cycle of extinction

Models of Diffusion of Galactic Cosmic Rays From Superbubbles

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