Re: Quantum mystics

On 10/06/2024 22:24, john larkin wrote:

On Mon, 10 Jun 2024 23:15:51 +0200, Jeroen Belleman
<jeroen@nospam.please> wrote:

I do not expect the probability of a detection event in one spot to
be affected instantly by a detection event somewhere else. The
collapse of the wave function is an attempt to apply statistical
reasoning to a single event.
>
Jeroen Belleman

 Higher energy photons, like gamma rays, can be detected with 100%
probability. They pack a lot of energy.

No they can't. It isn't called penetrating radiation for nothing. Most of it goes straight through all but the densest of targets. The odd one gets lucky and hits something and then we see scintillation.
Some of the solid state NaI(Tl) detectors are getting pretty close to 100% for some energy ranges but the majority are around 50% at best. Big step up from the old GM tube counters 0.1-1% though.
Likewise higher energy X-rays goes straight through most matter like it wasn't there. You are always playing a numbers game of detections being a fraction of the flux passing through (unless the target is optically dense) which Earth's atmosphere is for most ionising radiation.
Ultra high energy cosmic ray particles generate an airshower of less energetic secondary particles most of which wouldn't reach the ground except for the effects of relativity. Some of them have been estimated from the total yield to be carrying as much energy as a cricket ball. Not bad for a single Fe56 nucleus!
Ground based detectors can measure the secondaries, timings and spatial distribution and make a reasonable guess about the energy it had.
--
Martin Brown