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arXiv · nucl-ex/0302025

Search for anomalously heavy isotopes of helium in the Earth's atmosphere

P. Mueller·L. -B. Wang·R. J. Holt·Z. -T. Lu·T. P. O'Connor·J. P. Schiffer
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Abstract

Motivated by the theoretical hypotheses on the existence of heretofore unobserved stable elementary particles and exotic nuclear states, we searched for doubly-charged particles, as anomalously heavy isotopes of helium, in the Earth's atmoshpere using a sensitive laser spectroscopy technique. The concentration of noble-gas-like atoms in the atmosphere and the subsequent very large depletion of the light He-3,4 isotopes allow us to set stringent limits on th abundance: 10^-13 to 10^-17 per atom in the solar system, over the mass range of 20 to 10,000 amu.

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P. Mueller, L. -B. Wang, R. J. Holt, Z. -T. Lu, T. P. O'Connor, J. P. Schiffer. 2003-02-21. Search for anomalously heavy isotopes of helium in the Earth's atmosphere. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.92.022501

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