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RE: [OM] Digital camera downfalls

Subject: RE: [OM] Digital camera downfalls
From: "David Howells" <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 16:04:45 -0000
Chuck,
I think you misunderstand the various nuclear particles and radiation in
general.
X-rays are energy beams of very short wavelengths (0.1 to 1000 angstroms)
produced by high-velocity electrons that encroach on various materials,
particularly heavy metals. They are commonly created by passing a current of
high voltage through a Coolidge tube, they can penetrate most substances.
They are very different to alpha particles which are basically the nucleus
of helium atom of mass number four, consisting of two protons and two
neutrons and therefore having double positive charge and relatively little
penetrating power; they are NOT used in X-ray machines!

<snip>
Hmmm.  Do we actually know this to be true for current and future
(presumably more powerful) xray scanners?  If you throw enough alpha
particles at a DRAM (which is volatile memory) you can change its
state.  I don't know anything about the technologies used in our static
memories like Compact Flash and Smart Media.  Are these also susceptible
to having their data bits knocked about with enough radiation?

Chuck Norcutt
Woburn, Massachusetts, USA



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