Supercell thunderstorms are known for their devastatingly gnarly tornadoes, but exactly how the twisters form is poorly understood. A new study suggests that scientists could glean hints with a little help from the cosmos.
Muons, subatomic particles that are like heavy versions of electrons, could reveal the atmospheric pressure within a thunderstorm and resulting tornado, researchers report in a paper accepted in Physical Review D. The particles are produced by cosmic rays, which are an assortment of high-energy particles from space, including protons. When cosmic rays careen into the atmosphere, they produce muons that rain down on Earth — including through tornadoes.
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