electromagnetic shower

An electromagnetic shower occurs when a high-energy photon or electron enters matter, like a detector or the atmosphere, and creates a cascade of particles. Initially, the photon can produce electron-positron pairs, and these particles, in turn, emit more photons through a process called bremsstrahlung. These new photons can generate additional pairs, leading to a rapidly multiplying cascade. This process continues until the particles lose most of their energy, forming a growing “shower” of many secondary particles. Electromagnetic showers help scientists study high-energy particles by amplifying their effects, making them easier to detect and analyze.