Related papers: A comet could not produce the carbon-14 spike in t…
The discovery of past spikes in atmospheric radiocarbon activity, caused by major solar energetic particle events, has opened up new possibilities for high-precision chronometry. The two spikes, or Miyake Events, have now been widely…
When analyzing the mean-year trend of the Earth's surface temperature for the past 140 years one can discern two sections of monotone linear increase of temperature during two last industrial centuries. The first one begins somewhere in the…
We suggest an explanation of a sharp increase in the abundance of cosmogenic radiocarbon found in tree rings dated AD 775. The increase could originate from high-energy irradiation of the atmosphere by a galactic gamma-ray burst. We argue…
Context. More than ten Centaurs are now known to have cometary activity at large heliocentric distance (i.e. $\simeq$ 5-13 AU). Among these objects, 174P/Echeclus which showed cometary activity at 13 AU from the Sun, is a unique case,…
Excursions in the carbon-14 record measured in tree rings are attributed to various high energy but short-lived cosmic effects. So far, rapid changes at 774-775 CE, 993-994 CE and 660 BCE have been convincingly interpreted as due to rapid…
New orbit for C/2014 W10 PANSTARRS is obtained. High original eccentricity of e = 1.65 might suggest an interstellar origin of this comet. The probable reasons for missing this possible important event is discussed and a call for searching…
After a thorough research on the circumstantial changes and the great evolution of life in the Cambrian period, the author propounds such a hypothesis: During the Late Precambrian, about 500-600Ma, a celestial body impacted the Earth. The…
In the last 3000 yr, one significant and rapid increase in the concentration of 14C in tree rings was observed; it corresponds to a gamma-ray energy input of 7x10^24 erg at Earth within up to one year in AD 774/5 (Miyake et al. 2012). A…
Pluto's icy surface has changed colour and its atmosphere has swelled since its last closest approach to the Sun in 1989. The thin atmosphere is produced by evaporating ices, and so can also change rapidly, and in particular carbon monoxide…
Since 1995, astronomers have discovered planets with masses comparable to that of Jupiter (318 times Earth's mass) in orbit around approximately 60 stars. Although unseen directly, the presence of these planets is inferred by the small…
We present further considerations regarding the strong 14C variation in AD 774/5. For its cause, either a solar super-flare or a short Gamma-Ray Burst were suggested. We show that all kinds of stellar or neutron star flares would be too…
There have been several reports of exotic nuclear fragments, with highly unusual charge to mass ratio, in cosmic ray experiments. Although there exist experimental uncertainties which make them, at best, only candidate "exotic" events, it…
The recent publication by Siraj & Loeb (2021; Nature Scientific Reports 11, 3803) attempts to revive the debate over whether the Chicxulub impactor was a comet or an asteroid. They calculate that ~20% of long-period comets impacting Earth…
Four significant events of rapid $^{14}$C increase have taken place within the past several thousand years. The physical origin of these rapid increases is still a mystery but must be associated with extremely energetic cosmic processes.…
The astronomical theory of Milankovitch relates the changes of Earth' past climate to variations in insolation caused by oscillations of the orbital parameters. However, this theory has problems to account for some major observed phenomena…
The primary ultrahigh energy particles which produce giant extensive air showers in the Earth's atmosphere present an intriguing mystery from two points of view: (1) How are these particles produced with such astounding energies, eight…
Several researchers have previously identified a severe climatic upheaval in tropical North Africa that began just over 4000 years ago and lasted for about three centuries. The upheaval is known to have occurred shortly after a volcanic…
We present the results of full new calculation of radiocarbon 14C production in the Earth atmosphere, using a numerical Monte-Carlo model. We provide, for the first time, a tabulated 14C yield function for the energy of primary cosmic ray…
This monograph presents a study of the nature and origin of meteorites, asteroids and comets; and of the consequences of encounters of these cosmic objects with the Earth. The purpose of this monograph is mainly of divulgation for…
Cosmic collisions on planets cause detectable optical flashes that range from terrestrial shooting stars to bright fireballs. On June 3, 2010 a bolide in Jupiter's atmosphere was simultaneously observed from the Earth by two amateur…