Observation of Non-Exponential Orbital Electron Capture Decays of Hydrogen-Like $^{140}$Pr and $^{142}$Pm Ions

Yu. A. Litvinov; F. Bosch; N. Winckler; D. Boutin; H. G. Essel; T. Faestermann; H. Geissel; S. Hess; P. Kienle; R. Knöbel; C. Kozhuharov; J. Kurcewicz; L. Maier; K. Beckert; P. Beller; C. Brandau; L. Chen; C. Dimopoulou; B. Fabian; A. Fragner; E. Haettner; M. Hausmann; S. A. Litvinov; M. Mazzocco; F. Montes; A. Musumarra; C. Nociforo; F. Nolden; W. Plaß; A. Prochazka; R. Reda; R. Reuschl; C. Scheidenberger; M. Steck; T. Stöhlker; S. Torilov; M. Trassinelli; B. Sun; H. Weick; M. Winkler

doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2008.04.062

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arXiv · 0801.2079

Observation of Non-Exponential Orbital Electron Capture Decays of Hydrogen-Like $^{140}$Pr and $^{142}$Pm Ions

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Abstract

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.

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Yu. A. Litvinov, F. Bosch, N. Winckler, D. Boutin, H. G. Essel, T. Faestermann, H. Geissel, S. Hess, P. Kienle, R. Knöbel, C. Kozhuharov, J. Kurcewicz, L. Maier, K. Beckert, P. Beller, C. Brandau, L. Chen, C. Dimopoulou, B. Fabian, A. Fragner, E. Haettner, M. Hausmann, S. A. Litvinov, M. Mazzocco, F. Montes, A. Musumarra, C. Nociforo, F. Nolden, W. Plaß, A. Prochazka, R. Reda, R. Reuschl, C. Scheidenberger, M. Steck, T. Stöhlker, S. Torilov, M. Trassinelli, B. Sun, H. Weick, M. Winkler. 2008-01-14. Observation of Non-Exponential Orbital Electron Capture Decays of Hydrogen-Like $^{140}$Pr and $^{142}$Pm Ions. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2008.04.062

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