Astronomy/Gamma Ray Burst

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Expert: - 1/12/2010


Question
Hi Mr. Stahl,
I'm curious about gamma ray bursts. Could one take us by surprise? That is, say one occuring 10k light years away and we don't know of it until it destroys us? I'm asking because this is the latest of the so called '2012' doomsday scenarios someone has shared with me today. Thanks!

Answer
Hello,

There have been some fear mongering articles-pieces about these GRBs, but none of them have been found to be credible. At a distance of 10,000 light years...with application of the inverse square law (for how intensity of radiation falls off), there is little chance of any significant negative outcome.

As for the 2012 doomsday scenario, it's all poppycock that I have knocked down several times. You should be able to find the responses by looking at the previous question and answer archives.

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Philip Stahl

Expertise

I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.

Experience

Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.

Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union

Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.

Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics

Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research

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