Gamma Rays ("Armed or not; you must realize; you are doomed")

[Forceman]

I have obtained information concerning a star that has reached critical density and is approaching supernova level. I'm sure a lot of you have heard of this. No matter what time-frame this occurs, the gamma burst will penetrate our atmosphere and render us all dead. Lead, of course is out of the question. Magnetic fields can't affect gamma-rays. Underground caverns would prove helpful, but wouldn't compensate for the huge population that is subject to the electromagnetic trajectory. Gravity is the only thing that would help in this situation. Any suggestions!!!!!!!

 

[D H]

Gamma ray bursts are highly collimated. The star's rotational axis has to be aimed right at where the Earth will be when the burst has traveled the distance between the former star and the Earth. You are probably talking about the binary system WR 104. From badastronomy.com:

To wrap up: WR 104 is an interesting system. Both stars are guaranteed to explode one day. If they are just regular old supernovae, then we are in no danger at all, because they are way way too far away to hurt us (a regular supernova has to be about 25 light years or closer to hurt us, and WR 104 is 300 times farther away than that). It is possible that one of the stars may explode as a GRB, and it’s possible it’s aimed at us, but we don’t know. And we don’t know exactly what effects it would have on us. So if it’s less than 10,000 years from exploding and if it blows up as a GRB and if it’s aimed at us and if there isn’t much junk between us and it, then yeah, we may have a problem. But that’s an awful lot of ifs.​

In short, we have a lot of other problems to worry about that are not nearly so iffy as destruction by GRB. Just to name a couple, AGW and peak oil.

 

[Forceman]

when is started this post i expected an answer to my question, "any suggestions?" if the gamma rays trajectory render us a dead-on target what can prevent total annihilation

 

[Avatar]

We won't know it before it's too late any way.
Any suggestions? Live a good life so there's nothing to regret.

OR build a big shield in space that's made from a 1m thick lead.

Oh, and one more time, it's not a particulary big risk.

 

[kmguru]

My understanding is that Gamma rays are absorbed by water. Depending on the duration of the radiation and the energy level, a ten foot thick water wall would sufice. However knowing when it would hit is the key. By the time we sense it, it may be too late. Has it happend in the last 750 million years? If not, do not lose sleep over it....

 

[spidergoat]

I've already accepted I'm doomed.

 

[Avatar]

My understanding is that Gamma rays are absorbed by water. Depending on the duration of the radiation and the energy level, a ten foot thick water wall would sufice. However knowing when it would hit is the key. By the time we sense it, it may be too late. Has it happend in the last 750 million years? If not, do not lose sleep over it....

And where would you place that wall? A gamma ray burst depending on strenght could completely change our atmosphere or maybe just destroy the ozone layer.
If it hits, whole life on Earth is screwed.

 

[cosmictraveler]

I have obtained information concerning a star that has reached critical density and is approaching supernova level. I'm sure a lot of you have heard of this. No matter what time-frame this occurs, the gamma burst will penetrate our atmosphere and render us all dead. Lead, of course is out of the question. Magnetic fields can't affect gamma-rays. Underground caverns would prove helpful, but wouldn't compensate for the huge population that is subject to the electromagnetic trajectory. Gravity is the only thing that would help in this situation. Any suggestions!!!!!!!

I eat a can of Spam daily to insure that Gamma rays cannot penetrate my Spam filled arteries so I'm set to survive!

 

[Forceman]

Like vs. Like

With the concept of transverse wave destructive interference in mind, which states that transverse waves of different wavelengths could cancel out, I can conclude that the most preferable method in saving eukaryotes and prokaryotes alike would be to send out gamma rays with the same frequency to counter and oppose the threat. Now, of course you might argue how do we know the frequency of the threat gamma ray [the gamma rays that are threating us(lol)]. the solution would be to provide analysis concerning the mass of the star, and then using the famous equation, e=mc^2, we could calculate the net potential energy distrubtion that would eventually be given off, ie. x-rays, infra-red, light, etc. How to aquire the amount of mass of the star would be the improbable (not the impossible). Ben the man, if you are out there somewhere, we need your help. "The dark side clouds everything."