Anomalies in Radioactive Decay Rates: A Bibliography of Measurements and Theory

Abstract

Knowledge of the decay rates (or half-lives) of radioisotopes is critical in many fields, including medicine, archeology, and nuclear physics, to name just a few. Central to the many uses of radioisotopes is the belief that decay rates are fundamental constants of nature, just as the masses of the radioisotopes themselves are. Recently, the belief that decay rates are fundamental constants has been called into question following the observation of various reported anomalies in decay rates, such as apparent periodic variations. The purpose of this bibliography is to collect in one place the relevant literature on both sides of this issue in the expectation that doing so will deepen our understanding of the available data.