Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin limit

English

Alternative forms

• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin Limit

Etymology

From the surnames of the three physicists who proposed this limitation on long distance travel of energetic particles. From Greisen+Zatsepin+Kuzmin. Named after American physicist Kenneth Greisen, and Soviet (now Russian) physicists Georgiy Zatsepin, and Vadim Kuzmin. The Soviet team and the American each discovered the limit separately in the 1960s, being independently computed in 1966.

Proper noun

the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin limit

1. (astronomy, physics) A theoretical upper limit on the energy of cosmic ray protons travelling from other galaxies through the intergalactic medium to our galaxy: it is 5×10¹⁹ eV, or about 8 joules (the energy of a proton travelling at ≈ 99.99999999999999999998% the speed of light).

Synonyms

abbreviated form

• GZK
• GZK Limit
• GZK limit

 

• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cutoff
• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin Cut-off
• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin Cut-Off
• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin Cutoff
• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cut-off
• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cut off
• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin Cut Off

 

short form

• GZK cutoff
• GZK Cut-off
• GZK Cut-Off
• GZK Cutoff
• GZK cut-off
• GZK cut off
• GZK Cut Off

 

Coordinate terms

• EECR (class of particles over this limit)
• OMG particle (the most energetic EECR discovered so far)
• zevatron (placeholder name for that which accelerates particles above this limit)

 

Related terms

• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin
• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin horizon
• Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin mechanism
• GZK
• GZK horizon
• GZK mechanism