According to experimental data at GSI, the rates of the number of daughter ions, produced by the nuclear K-shell electron capture (EC) decays of the H-like heavy ions with one electron in the K-shell, such as 142Pr58+, 142Pm60+ and 122I52+, are modulated in time with periods T_(EC)of the order of a few seconds, obeying an A-scaling T_(EC)= A/20 s, where A is the mass number of the mother nuclei, and with amplitudes a^(EC)_d ~ 0.21. We show that these data can be explained in terms of the interference of two massive neutrino mass-eigenstates. The appearance of the interference term is due to overlap of massive neutrino mass-eigenstate energies and of the wave functions of the daughter ions in two-body decay channels, caused by the energy and momentum uncertainties introduced by time differential detection of the daughter ions in GSI experiments.
We investigate the influence of the magnetic field of the Experimental storage ring (ESR) at GSI on the periodic time-dependence of the orbital K-shell electron capture decay $(EC$) rates of the H--like heavy ions. We approximate the magnetic field of the ESR by a uniform magnetic field. Unlike the assertion by Lambiase et al., arXiv: 0811.2302 [nucl-th], we show that a motion of the H-like heavy ion in a uniform magnetic field cannot be the origin of the periodic time-dependence of the EC-decay rates of the H-like heavy ions.
Here we reply critically to the comments by Giunti (arXiv:0801.4639 [nucl-th]) and justify our explanation of the experimentally observed periodic interference term in the rate of the K-shell electron capture decay of the H-like ions 140Pr58+ and 142Pm60+ as a neutrino-flavour mixing.
According to experimental data at GSI, the rates of the number of daughter ions, produced by the nuclear K-shell electron capture (EC) decays of the H-like 140Pr58+, 142Pm60+ and 122I52+ ions, are modulated in time with periods T_{EC} of the order of a few seconds, obeying an A-scaling T_{EC} = A/20 s, where A is the mass number of the mother nuclei, and with amplitudes a^{EC}_d ~ 0.21. In turn, the positron decay mode of the H-like 142Pm60+ ions showed no time modulation of the decay rates. As has been shown in Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 062502 (2009) and Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 182501 (2008), these…
According to GSI experiment Phys.Lett.B 664, 162 (2008), the rate of the daughter ion production by the K-shell electron capture (with neutrino emission) in H-like ions 142Pm, 140Pr and 152I is modulated with a period of 6 to 7 seconds. In PRL 103, 062502, 2009 by Ivanov and Kienle (also by Lipkin}) there is a claim that neutrino oscillations may explain this result. In arXiv:0811.2302 by Lambiase et al a different explanation is suggested which is based on the rotation of electron and nuclear spins. The aim of this Comment is to show why these explanations are not satisfactory and to discuss …
Recently, an experiment at GSI Darmstadt has observed oscillating decay rates of heavy ions. Several controversial attempts have been made to explain this effect in terms of neutrino mixing. We briefly describe the experimental results, give an overview of the literature, and show that the effect cannot be due to neutrino mixing. If the effect survives, it could, however, be explained by hypothetical internal excitations of the mother ions (~ 10^(-15) eV).
We propose a model in which a recently reported modulation in the decay of the hydrogenlike ions ${}^{140}$Pr$^{\, 58 +}$, ${}^{142}$Pm$^{\, 60 +}$ and ${}^{122}$I$^{\, 52 +}$ arises from the coupling of rotation to the spin of electron and nucleus. The model shows that the spin-spin coupling of electron and nucleus does not contribute to the modulation and predicts that the anomaly cannot be observed if the motion of the ions is rectilinear, or if the ions are stopped in a target. It also supports the notion that the modulation frequency is proportional to the inverse of the atomic mass.
A recently proposed solution of the `GSI anomaly' by spin precession of the decaying heavy ions in the magnetic field that controls their circular motion at the GSI storage ring [G. Lambiase, G. Papini, G. Scarpetta, PLB 718 (2013) 998, Ann. Phys. 332 (2013) 143] is dubious: the uncertainty in the computed electron-capture decay-rate modulation frequency is at least of order 10E(7) Hz, by far exceeding the 1 Hz modulation frequency reported in the GSI experiment.
According to recent experimental data at GSI, the rates of the number of daughter ions, produced by the nuclear K-shell electron capture (EC) decays of the H-like ions 140Pr58+ and 142Pm60+, are modulated in time with periods T_(EC) simeq 7 s and amplitudes a_(EC) simeq 0.20. We study a possible time-dependence of the nuclear positron (beta^+) decay rate of the H-like 140Pr58+. We show that the time-dependence of the beta^+ decay rate of the H-like 140Pr58+ ion as well as any H-like heavy ions cannot be observed. This result can be used as a prediction for future analysis of the time-dependenc…
We investigate the influence of the strong Coulomb field of a heavy nucleus on massive neutrinos, produced in the K-shell electron capture (EC) decays of the H-like 140Pr58+ and 142Pm60+ ions. The corrections to the neutrino masses due to virtually produced charged lepton W-boson pairs in the strong Coulomb field of a nucleus with charge Ze are calculated and discussed with respect to their influence on the period of the time-modulation of the number of daughter ions, observed recently in the EC-decays of the H-like 140Pr58+ and 142Pm60+ ions at GSI in Darmstadt. These corrections explain the …
Oscillatory behavior of electron capture rates in the two-body decay of hydrogen-like ions into recoil ions plus undetected neutrinos, with a period of approximately 7 s, was reported in storage ring single-ion experiments at the GSI Laboratory, Darmstadt. Ivanov and Kienle [PRL 103, 062502 (2009)] have relegated this period to neutrino masses through neutrino mixing in the final state. New arguments are given here against this interpretation, while suggesting that these `GSI Oscillations' may be related to neutrino spin precession in the static magnetic field of the storage ring. This scenari…
This paper is addressed to the proof of the important role of measuring apparatus, i.e. the measuring process, in the formation of necessary and sufficient conditions for the explanation of a time modulation of K-shell electron capture (EC) decay rates of hydrogen-like (H-like) heavy ions (or the GSI oscillations) as the interference of neutrino mass-eigenstates of the electron neutrino constituents. For our analysis we use a toy-model, which has been recently proposed by Peshkin arXiv: 1403.4292 [nucl-th] for a verification of the mechanism of the GSI oscillations as the interference of neutr…
We discuss a model in which a recently reported modulation in the decay of the hydrogenlike ions ${}^{140}$Pr$^{58 +}$ and ${}^{142}$Pm$^{60 +}$ arises from the coupling of rotation to the spin of electron and nuclei (Thomas precession). A similar model describes the electron modulation in muon $ g-2$ experiments correctly. Agreement with the GSI experimental results is obtained for the current QED-values of the bound electron g-factors, $g({}^{140}$Pr$^{58 +})=1.872$ and $g({}^{142}$Pm$^{60 +})=1.864$, if the Lorentz factor of the bound electron is $\sim 1.88$. The latter is fixed by either o…
We calculate the decay rates lambda_(beta^-_c) and lambda_(beta^-_b) of the continuum- and bound-state beta^- decays for bare 205Hg80+ and 207Tl81+ ions. For the ratio of the decay rates R_(b/c) = lambda_(beta^-_b)/lambda_(beta^-_c) we obtain the values R_(b/c) = 0.161 and R_(b/c) = 0.190 for bare 205Hg80+ and 207Tl81+ ions, respectively. The theoretical value of the ratio R_(b/c) = 0.190 for the decays of 207Tl81+ agrees within 1% of accuracy with the experimental data R^exp_(b/c) = 0.188(18), obtained at GSI. The theoretical ratio R_(b/c) = 0.161 for 205Hg80+ is about 20% smaller than the ex…
I conjecture that the time modulated decay rates reported in single ion measurements of two body electron capture decay of hydrogen like heavy ions at GSI may be related to neutrino spin precession in the static magnetic field of the storage ring. These `GSI Oscillations' arise from interference between amplitudes of decay within and without the magnetic field, a scenario that requires a Dirac neutrino magnetic moment six times lower than the Borexino solar neutrino upper limit of 0.54 x 10E(-10) Bohr magneton. I also show in a way not discussed before that the time modulation associated with …
Neutrino signals in electron-capture decays of hydrogen-like parent ions P in storage-ring experiments at GSI are reconsidered, with special emphasis placed on the storage-ring quasi-circular motion of the daughter ions D in two-body decays P --> D + e-neutrino. It is argued that to the extent that daughter ions are detected, these detection rates might exhibit modulations with periods of order seconds, similar to those reported in the GSI storage-ring experiments for two-body decay rates [1,2]. New dedicated experiments in storage rings, or using traps, could explore these modulations.
We calculate the neutrino masses, using the experimental data on the periods of the time modulation of the K-shell electron capture (EC) decay rates of the H-like heavy ions, measured at GSI. The corrections to neutrino masses, caused by interaction of massive neutrinos with the strong Coulomb field of the daughter ions, are taken into account.
We give comments on the recent paper by Giunti (Phys. Lett. B 665, 92 (2008), arXiv: 0805.0431 [hep-ph]) with a critique of our explanation of the experimentally observed periodic time-dependence of the interference term in the rate of the K-shell electron capture decay of the H-like ions 140Pr58+ and 142Pm60+ as a two-neutrino-flavour mixing. We show also that this phenomenon cannot be explained by a coherent mixing of two states of a mother ion as proposed by Giunti.
We analyse recent experimental data on the GSI oscillations of the hydrogen-like heavy {^{142}}{\rm Pm}^{60+} ions that is a time modulation of the K-shell electron capture (EC) decay rate. We follow the mechanism of the GSI oscillations, caused by an interference of the neutrino flavour mass-eigenstates in a content of the electron neutrino. We give arguments that these experimental data show i) an existence of sterile neutrinos that is necessary for an explanation of a phase-shift, ii) an observation of CP violation, related to a phase-shift, and iii) an influence of the Quantum Zeno Effect,…
We investigate the emergence of oscillations in the decay law of unstable systems. We discuss in particular the case of the so-called GSI anomaly seen in the electron capture decays of H-like ions and prove that such oscillations cannot be explained by neutrino oscillations. We then discuss how such anomalies could be intimately related to the decay law of unstable systems in the case in which their spectral function deviates from a Breit-Wigner shape.
The multiphoton resonance transitions between ground hyperfine states are used for the time modulation of the electron capture decay of hydrogen like ions with the Gamow-Teller transition $1^+\to 0^+$. The proposed mechanism offers a time oscillating decay with the frequency up to 0.1 Hz. The experiment to observe the modulation is proposed for ions stored in a Penning trap. An attempt to understand the GSI anomaly with multiple photon transitions is made.
We study the deviations from the usual exponential decay law for quantum mechanical systems. We show that simple and physically motivated deviations from the Breit-Wigner energy distribution of the unstable state are sufficient to generate peculiar deviations from the exponential decay law. Denoting with $p(t)$ the survival probability, its derivative $h(t)$ shows typically an oscillating behavior on top of the usual exponential function. We argue that this can be a viable explanation of the observed experimental results at GSI Darmstadt, where the function $h(t)$ has been experimentally measu…
Quantum mechanical theory disallows the model that has been used to infer the neutrino mass difference from the reported "GSI oscillations" in the rates of decay of hydrogen-like ions by electron capture. It has not been proved that the existence of mass-difference-dependent oscillations conflicts with quantum mechanics but no consistent quantum mechanical model has been shown to predict them.
We discuss the proposal that the "Darmstadt oscillations" of the orbital K-shell electron capture decay (EC) rate of the H-like heavy ions are caused by quantum beats of two coherently excited, closely spaced mass-eigenstates of decaying H-like heavy ions. We show that such a mechanism to explain the time modulation of the EC-decay rates of the H-like heavy ions leads to the time modulation of the beta^+ decay rate of these ions with the same period. Such a time-dependence of the beta^+ decay rate of the H-like heavy ions contradicts the experimental data of GSI.
We show that the recent observation of the time modulation of two-body weak decays of heavy ions reveals the mass content of the electron neutrinos via interference patterns in the recoiling ion wave function. From the modulation period we derive the difference of the square masses $ Δm^2\approx 22.5\times 10^{-5}$ eV${}^2$, which is about 2.8 times larger than that derived from a combined analysis of KamLAND and solar neutrino oscillation experiments. It is, however, compatible with a data regime to which the KamLAND analysis attributes a smaller probability. The experimental results imply th…
The nuclear K-shell electron-capture (EC)and positron (beta+) decay constants, lambda_(EC) and lambda_(beta^+) of H-like 140Pr58+ and He-like 140Pr57+ ions, measured recently in the ESR ion storage ring at GSI, were calculated using standard weak interaction theory. The calculated ratios R = lambda_(EC)/lambda_(beta^+) of the decay constants agree with the experimental values within an accuracy better than 3 %.
According to recent experimental data at GSI, the rate of the number of daughter ions 140Ce58+, produced by the nuclear K-shell electron capture (EC) decay of the H-like ion 140Pr58+, is modulated in time with a period T_d = 7.06(8) sec and an amplitude a_(EC) = 0.20(2). We show that this phenomenon can be explained by neutrino-flavour mixing and derive a value for the difference of squared masses Delta m^2_(21) = m^2_2 - m^2_1 = 2.22(3)x10^(-4) eV^2.
A possibility to produce a modulated monochromatic neutrino beam is discussed. Monochromatic neutrinos can be obtained in electron capture by nuclei of atoms or ions, in particular, by nuclei of hydrogen-like ions. It is shown that monochromatic neutrino beam from such hydrogen-like ions with nuclei of non-zero spin can be modulated because of different probabilities of electron capture from hyperfine states. Modulation arises by means of inducing of electromagnetic transitions between the hyperfine states. Requirements for the hydrogen-like ions with necessary properties are discussed. A list…
According to experimental data at GSI, the rates of the number of daughter ions, produced by the nuclear K-shell electron capture (EC) decays of the H-like 140Pr58+, 142Pm60+ and 122I52+ ions, are modulated in time with periods T_{EC} of the order of a few seconds, obeying an A-scaling T_{EC} = A/20 s, where A is the mass number of the mother nuclei, and with amplitudes a^{EC}_d ~ 0.21. In turn, the positron decay mode of the H-like 142Pm60+ ions showed no time modulation of the decay rates. As has been shown in Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 062502 (2009) and Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 182501 (2008), these…
The physical principles that determine the effect of the electron shell of an atom on the alpha decay rate of the nucleus are presented. The effect is shown to be negative. Numerical calculations of the effect in helium-like ions are performed. It accounts for more than 80% of the effect in neutral atoms. The prospects for experimental detection of the effect in the storage rings of the GSI Darmstadt, ISF Lanzhou are discussed.
According to the recent experimental data of a GSI--experiment, the rate of the number of daughter ions $^{140}{\rm Ce}^{58+}$, produced by a nuclear K--shell electron capture (EC) of the H--like ion ${^{140}}{\rm Pr}^{58+}$, is modulated in time with a period $T_d=(7.06\pm 8) $seconds. We explain this phenomenon by neutrino--flavour mixing and show that this can be understood within standard quantum field theory and derive a value for the squared mass difference $Δm^2_{21}=m^2_2-m^2_1=(0.763\pm 8) \cdot 10^{-4} \mathrm{eV}^2$. This proves that such processes provide a precise method to invest…
The periodic time modulations, found recently in the two-body orbital electron-capture (EC) decay of both, hydrogen-like $^{140}$Pr$^{58+}$ and $^{142}$Pm$^{60+}$ ions, with periods near to 7s and amplitudes of about 20%, were re-investigated for the case of $^{142}$Pm$^{60+}$ by using a 245 MHz resonator cavity with a much improved sensitivity and time resolution. We observed that the exponential EC decay is modulated with a period $T = 7.11(11)$s, in accordance with a modulation period $T = 7.12(11)$ s as obtained from simultaneous observations with a capacitive pick-up, employed also in the…
The double coherent and non-coherent diffractive production of heavy quark - antiquark pairs ($Q \bar{Q}$) in heavy ion scattering at high energies (LHC) is considered. The total and differential cross sections of these processes with the formation of $c \bar{c}$ and $b \bar{b}$ pairs in $pp$, $CaCa$ and $PbPb$ collisions are evaluated. The contribution of the considered mechanisms is a few per cent of the number of heavy quark - antiquark pairs obtained in the processes of hard (QCD) scattering, and it will be taken into account in the registration of $c$, $b$ quarks or, for instance, in the …
We propose a theoretical analysis of the experimental data on the time behaviour K-shell electron capture (EC) decays of atoms 180Re and 142Pm in solid targets, obtained recently by Faestermann et al. Phys. Lett. B 672, 227 (2009) and Vetter et al., Phys. Lett. B 670, 149 (2008). We show that the absence of the time modulation in these data rules out the explanation of the "GSI Oscillations" (Yu. A. Litvinov et al., Phys. Lett. B 664, 162 (2008)) by means of two closely spaced ground mass-eigenstates of mother nuclei.
We report on time-modulated two-body weak decays observed in the orbital electron capture of hydrogen-like $^{140}$Pr$^{59+}$ and $^{142}$Pm$^{60+}$ ions coasting in an ion storage ring. Using non-destructive single ion, time-resolved Schottky mass spectrometry we found that the expected exponential decay is modulated in time with a modulation period of about 7 seconds for both systems. Tentatively this observation is attributed to the coherent superposition of finite mass eigenstates of the electron neutrinos from the weak decay into a two-body final state.
