This weapon system is called the Strategic Defensive Initiative. In nature, X rays are produced deep in space when highly energetic electrons are accelerated as they move through magnetic fields. The fluorescent screen accepts the energy of the X rays and produces a visible image that is permanently recorded by the photographic film. There are a number of detection methods. Ionization counters exploit the tendency of X rays to ionize gases or solids.
X rays strip electrons from atoms and leave the electrons free to conduct electricity.
By measuring the conductance of a gas or solid with an ionization counter, scientists can determine the amount of ionization and thus the amount of X rays that created the ions. Someionization detectors use semiconductor materials across which a voltage is applied. These are termed solid-state detectors. A second category of detectors is based on the phenomenon of scintillation. When an atom is excited by an X ray, but emits radiation in the visible range, the process is called scintillation.