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D. E. Krause

Publications and source records attributed to D. E. Krause.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

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

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.

nucl-ex

Generalized Analysis of the Eötvös Experiment

We present a generalized phenomenological formalism for analyzing the original Eötvös experiment in the presence of gravity and a generic "5th force." To date no evidence for a 5th force has emerged since its presence was suggested by a 1986 reanalysis of the 1922 publication coauthored by Eötvös, Pekàr, and Fekete (EPF). However, our generalized analysis introduces new mechanisms capable in principle of accounting for the EPF data, while at the same time avoiding detection by most recent experiments carried out to date. As an example, some of these mechanisms raise the possibility that the EPF signal could have arisen from an unexpected direction if it originated from the motion of the Earth through a medium.

hep-ph

The 2-Neutrino-Exchange Potential with Mixing: A New Arena for Neutrino Mixing and CP-Violation

The 2-neutrino exchange potential (2NEP) is a Standard Model (SM) weak potential due to the exchange of virtual neutrino-antineutrino pairs. Consequently, many aspects of neutrino physics, such as the number of flavors, their masses, fermionic nature (Dirac or Majorana), low-energy neutrino physics and CP-violation, can be examined via the 2NEP. We present a new approach for calculating the 2NEP taking into account the phenomenon of neutrino mixing and CP-violation which arises from the structure of the SM weak interaction Lagrangian. Lastly, we explore implications of our result in various physical contexts.

hep-ph

The 2-Neutrino Exchange Potential with Mixing: A Probe of Neutrino Physics and CP Violation

The 2-neutrino exchange potential is a Standard Model weak potential arising from the exchange of virtual neutrino-antineutrino pairs which must include all neutrino properties, including the number of flavors, their masses, fermionic nature (Dirac or Majorana), and CP violation. We describe a new approach for calculating the spin-independent 2-neutrino exchange potential, including the mixing of three neutrino mass states and CP violation.

hep-ph

Indications of an unexpected signal associated with the GW170817 binary neutron star inspiral

We report experimental evidence at the 2.5$σ$ level for an unexpected signal associated with the GW170817 binary neutron star inspiral. This evidence derives from a laboratory experiment simultaneously measuring the $β$-decay rates of Si-32 and Cl-36 in a common detector. Whereas the Si-32 and Cl-36 decay rates show no statistical correlation before or after the inspiral, they are highly correlated ($\sim 95\%$) in the 5 hour time interval immediately following the inspiral. If we interpret this correlation as arising from the influence of particles emitted during the inspiral, then we can estimate the mass $m_{x}$ of these particles from the time delay between the gravity-wave signal and a peak in the $β$-decay data. We find for particles of energy 10 MeV, $m_{x}$ $\lesssim$ 16 eV which includes the neutrino mass region $m_ν$ $\lesssim$ 2 eV. The latter is based on existing limits for the masses $m_{i}$ of the three known neutrino flavors. Additionally, we find that the correlation is even stronger if we include data in the 80 minute period before the arrival of the gravity wave signal. Given the large number of radionuclides whose decays are being monitored at any given time, we conjecture that other groups may also be in a position to search for statistically suggestive fluctuations of radionuclide decay rates associated with the GW170817 inspiral, and possibly with other future inspirals.

astro-ph.HE

Calculations of the dominant long-range, spin-independent contributions to the interaction energy between two nonrelativistic Dirac fermions from double-boson exchange of spin-0 and spin-1 bosons with spin-dependent couplings

Various theories beyond the Standard Model predict new particles with masses in the sub-eV range with very weak couplings to ordinary matter which can possess spin-dependent couplings to electrons and nucleons. Present laboratory constraints on exotic spin-dependent interactions with pseudoscalar and axial couplings for exchange boson masses between meV and eV are very poor compared to constraints on spin-independent interactions in the same mass range arising from spin-0 and spin-1 boson exchange. It is therefore interesting to analyze in a general way how one can use the strong experimental bounds on spin-independent interactions to also constrain spin-dependent interactions by considering higher-order exchange processes. The exchange of a pair of bosons between two fermions with spin-dependent couplings will possess contributions which flip spins twice and thereby generate a polarization-independent interaction energy which can add coherently between two unpolarized objects. In this paper we derive the dominant long-range contributions to the interaction energy between two nonrelativistic spin-1/2 Dirac fermions from double exchange of spin-0 and spin-1 bosons proportional to couplings of the form $g_P^{4}$, $g_S^{2}g_P^{2}$, and $g_V^{2}g_A^{2}$. Our results for $g_P^{4}$ are in agreement with previous calculations that have appeared in the literature. We demonstrate the usefulness of this analysis to constrain spin-dependent couplings by presenting the results of a reanalysis of data from a short-range gravity experiment to derive an improved constraint on $(g^N_{P})^2$, the pseudoscalar coupling for nucleons, in the range between $40$ and $200~μ$m of about a factor of 5 compared to previous limits. The spin-independent contribution from 2-boson exchange with axial-vector couplings requires special treatment and will be explored in another paper.

hep-ph

Is there a signal for Lorentz non-invariance in existing radioactive decay data?

Measurements of the beta decay rates of nuclei have revealed annual periodicities with approximately the same relative amplitude even though the half-lives range over nine orders of magnitude. Here we show that this can be explained if the emitted neutrinos behave as if they propagate in a medium with a refractive index which varies as the Earth orbits the sun. This refractive index may be due to fundamental Lorentz non-invariance (LNI), or apparent LNI arising from interactions with solar or relic neutrinos, or dark matter. Additionally, this medium could have consequences for experiments attempting to measure the neutrino mass.

hep-ph

Stronger limits on hypothetical Yukawa interactions in the 40--8000 nm range

We report the results of new differential force measurements between a test mass and rotating source masses of gold and silicon to search for forces beyond Newtonian gravity at short separations. The technique employed subtracts the otherwise dominant Casimir force at the outset and, when combined with a lock-in amplification technique, leads to a significant improvement (up to a factor $10^{3}$) over existing limits on the strength (relative to gravity) of a putative force in the 40--8000 nm interaction range.

hep-ex

Weak Equivalence Principle, Lorentz Non-invariance, and Nuclear Decays

We consider three possible manifestations of physics beyond the Standard Model, and the relations among them. These are Lorentz non-invariance (LNI), violations of the Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP), and indications of time-varying nuclear decay constants. We present preliminary results from a new experiment indicating the presence of annual and subannual periodicities in decay data, and discuss their implications for physics beyond the Standard Model.

gr-qc

Which-Way Information in Double-Slit and COW Experiments with Unstable Particles

One might expect that a quantum undecayed unstable particle (QUUP) should behave in the same manner as an identical, albeit stable, particle, but it turns out that this is not always true. We show explicitly that using QUUPs in the double-slit and Colella-Overhauser-Werner (COW) experiments leads to a priori which-way information that creates a loss of interference contrast when compared to the same experiments performed using stable particles. In both of these cases, a priori path predictability ${\cal P}$ is related to the interference visibility ${\cal V}$ by the duality relation ${\cal P}^{2} + {\cal V}^{2} = 1$.

quant-ph

A Priori Which-Way Information in Quantum Interference with Unstable Particles

If an unstable particle used in a two-path interference experiment decays before reaching a detector, which-way information becomes available which reduces the detected interference fringe visibility ${\cal V}$. Here we argue that even when an unstable particle does {\em not} decay while in the interferometer, {\em a priori} which-way information is still available in the form of path predictability ${\cal P}$ which depends on the particle's decay rate $Γ$. We further demonstrate that in a matter-wave Mach-Zehnder interferometer using an excited atom with an appropriately tuned cavity, ${\cal P}$ is related to ${\cal V}$ through the duality relation ${\cal P}^{2} + {\cal V}^{2} = 1$.

quant-ph

Testing the Equivalence Principle with Unstable Particles

We develop a framework to test the Equivalence Principle (EP) under conditions where the quantum aspects of nature cannot be neglected, specifically in the context of interference phenomena with unstable particles. We derive the nonrelativistic quantum equation that describes the evolution of the wavefunction of unstable particles under the assumption of the validity of the EP and when small deviations are assumed to occur. As an example, we study the propagation of unstable particles in a COW experiment, and we briefly discuss the experimental implications of our formalism.

gr-qc

Searches for solar-influenced radioactive decay anomalies using Spacecraft RTGs

Experiments showing a seasonal variation of the nuclear decay rates of a number of different nuclei, and decay anomalies apparently related to solar flares and solar rotation, have suggested that the Sun may somehow be influencing nuclear decay processes. Recently, Cooper searched for such an effect in $^{238}$Pu nuclei contained in the radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) on board the Cassini spacecraft. In this paper we modify and extend Cooper's analysis to obtain constraints on anomalous decays of $^{238}$Pu over a wider range of models, but these limits cannot be applied to other nuclei if the anomaly is composition-dependent. We also show that it may require very high sensitivity for terrestrial experiments to discriminate among some models if such a decay anomaly exists, motivating the consideration of future spacecraft experiments which would require less precision.

astro-ph.SR

Capacitance measurements and electrostatic calibrations in experiments measuring the Casimir force

We compare the results of capacitance measurements in the lens-plane and sphere-plane configurations with theoretical predictions from various models of a spherical surface. It is shown that capacitance measurements are incapable of discriminating between models of perfect and modified spherical surfaces in an experiment demonstrating the anomalous scaling law for the electric force. Claims to the contrary in the recent literature are explained by the use of irregular comparison. The data from capacitance measurements in an experiment measuring the Casimir force using a micromechanical torsional oscillator are shown to be in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions using the model of a perfect spherical surface.

quant-ph

The Casimir force between a microfabricated elliptic cylinder and a plate

We investigate the Casimir force between a microfabricated elliptic cylinder (cylindrical lens) and a plate made of real materials. After a brief discussion of the fabrication procedure, which typically results in elliptic rather than circular cylinders, the Lifshitz-type formulas for the Casimir force and for its gradient are derived. In the specific case of equal semiaxes, the resulting formulas coincide with those derived previously for circular cylinders. The nanofabrication procedure may also result in asymmetric cylindrical lenses obtained from parts of two different cylinders, or rotated through some angle about the axis of the cylinder. In these cases the Lifshitz-type formulas for the Casimir force between a lens and a plate and for its gradient are also derived, and the influence of lens asymmetry is determined. Additionally, we obtain an expression for the shift of the natural frequency of a micromachined oscillator with an attached elliptic cylindrical lens interacting with a plate via the Casimir force in a nonlinear regime.

quant-ph

Possibility of measuring the thermal Casimir interaction between a plate and a cylinder attached to a micromachined oscillator

We investigate the possibility of measuring the thermal Casimir force and its gradient in the configuration of a plate and a microfabricated cylinder attached to a micromachined oscillator. The Lifshitz-type formulas in this configuration are derived using the proximity force approximation. The accuracy for the obtained expressions is determined from a comparison with exact results available in ideal metal case. Computations of the thermal correction to both the Casimir force and its gradient are performed in the framework of different theoretical approaches proposed in the literature. The correction to the Casimir force and its gradient due to lack of parallelism of the plate and cylinder is determined using the nonmultiplicative approach. The error introduced in the theory due to the finite length of the cylinder is estimated. We propose that both static and dynamic experiments measuring the thermal Casimir interaction between a cylinder and a plate using a micromachined oscillator can shed additional light on the thermal Casimir force problem. Specifically, it is shown that the static experiment is better adapted for the measurement of thermal effects.

quant-ph