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Mechanism of 'GSI oscillations' in electron capture by highly charged hydrogen-like atomic ions

Journal Article · · Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics

We suggest a qualitative explanation of oscillations in electron capture decays of hydrogen-like {sup 140}Pr and {sup 142}Pm ions observed recently in an ion experimental storage ring (ESR) of Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung (GSI) mbH, Darmstadt, Germany. This explanation is based on the electron multiphoton Rabi oscillations between two Zeeman states of the hyperfine ground level with the total angular momentum F = 1/2. The Zeeman splitting is produced by a constant magnetic field in the ESR. Transitions between these states are produced by the second, sufficiently strong alternating magnetic field that approximates realistic fields in the GSI ESR. The Zeeman splitting amounts to only about 10{sup -5} eV. This allows explaining the observed quantum beats with the period 7 s.

OSTI ID:
22069410
Journal Information:
Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 115; ISSN JTPHES; ISSN 1063-7761
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English