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Gamma and X-Radiation

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Encyclopedia of Remote Sensing

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Synonyms

Gamma radiation; Gamma rays; High-energy photons; High-energy radiation; X-radiation; X-rays; γ-rays

Definition

X-radiation. Electromagnetic radiation with wavelength λ shorter than ultraviolet light but longer than γ-rays, 0.01 nm ≤ λ ≤ 10 nm.

Gamma radiation. Electromagnetic radiation with energy higher (or, equivalently, shorter wavelength/higher frequency) than X-radiation.

Introduction

X-rays and gamma rays are the shorter wavelength or, equivalently, the higher-energy side of the electromagnetic spectrum. The separation of these two bands is quite conventional: X-rays are considered to have an energy from that of ultraviolet light to the binding energy of inner electronic shells of atoms, whereas above this value there are gamma rays which, broadly speaking, are produced by nuclear activity. For the sake of simplicity, we name as X-radiation those electromagnetic waves with wavelength λ between 10 and 0.01 nm, while gamma rays are assumed to have a value of λbelow 0.01...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Japan

    Enrico Costa & Fabio Muleri

Authors
  1. Enrico Costa
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  2. Fabio Muleri
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Enrico Costa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA

    Eni G. Njoku

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Costa, E., Muleri, F. (2014). Gamma and X-Radiation. In: Njoku, E.G. (eds) Encyclopedia of Remote Sensing. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-36699-9_49

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