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Title: Non-Exponential Decay of Nuclei -- A Search for a Fundamental Quantum Effect in Nuclei

Abstract

Modern tests of grand unification theories have spent considerable experimental effort in pursuit of rare decays. A common feature of these experiments is that they involve extremely rare decay processes and probe regions of the systems' decay curves which are very short in time compared to their expected mean lifetimes. A potential complication to interpretation of such experiments is the approximate nature of the exponential decay law for quasi-stationary states. Using the decay of the isomeric nuclear state 207mPb in the short time limit, we search for predicted deviations from the exponential decay law. These experiments address the short-time electromagnetic decays of nuclei with half-lives on the order of a few seconds, and explore the as-yet untapped electromagnetic sector for short-time (t{sub min}/t{sub (1/2)} {approx_equal} 10{sup -5}) violations of the exponential decay law. Isomeric states are photo-populated via ({gamma}, n) reactions with bremsstrahlung beams.

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Idaho State University, Idaho Accelerator Center, Campus Box 8263, Pocatello, ID 83209 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20632586
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 680; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: 17. international conference on the application of accelerators in research and industry, Denton, TX (United States), 12-16 Nov 2002; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1619722; (c) 2003 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; BEAMS; BREMSSTRAHLUNG; GRAND UNIFIED THEORY; HALF-LIFE; LEAD 207; NUCLEAR DECAY; PHOTON-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS; QUANTUM MECHANICS

Citation Formats

Scates, W W, Wells, D P, Harmon, J F, and Spaulding, R J. Non-Exponential Decay of Nuclei -- A Search for a Fundamental Quantum Effect in Nuclei. United States: N. p., 2003. Web. doi:10.1063/1.1619722.
Scates, W W, Wells, D P, Harmon, J F, & Spaulding, R J. Non-Exponential Decay of Nuclei -- A Search for a Fundamental Quantum Effect in Nuclei. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1619722
Scates, W W, Wells, D P, Harmon, J F, and Spaulding, R J. 2003. "Non-Exponential Decay of Nuclei -- A Search for a Fundamental Quantum Effect in Nuclei". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1619722.
@article{osti_20632586,
title = {Non-Exponential Decay of Nuclei -- A Search for a Fundamental Quantum Effect in Nuclei},
author = {Scates, W W and Wells, D P and Harmon, J F and Spaulding, R J},
abstractNote = {Modern tests of grand unification theories have spent considerable experimental effort in pursuit of rare decays. A common feature of these experiments is that they involve extremely rare decay processes and probe regions of the systems' decay curves which are very short in time compared to their expected mean lifetimes. A potential complication to interpretation of such experiments is the approximate nature of the exponential decay law for quasi-stationary states. Using the decay of the isomeric nuclear state 207mPb in the short time limit, we search for predicted deviations from the exponential decay law. These experiments address the short-time electromagnetic decays of nuclei with half-lives on the order of a few seconds, and explore the as-yet untapped electromagnetic sector for short-time (t{sub min}/t{sub (1/2)} {approx_equal} 10{sup -5}) violations of the exponential decay law. Isomeric states are photo-populated via ({gamma}, n) reactions with bremsstrahlung beams.},
doi = {10.1063/1.1619722},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20632586}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 680,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 26 00:00:00 EDT 2003},
month = {Tue Aug 26 00:00:00 EDT 2003}
}