arXiv subjects

Peter Sturrock

Publications and source records attributed to Peter Sturrock.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2016

Analysis of beta-decay data acquired at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt: evidence of a solar influence

According to an article entitled Disproof of solar influence on the decay rates of 90Sr/90Y by Kossert and Nähle of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) [1], the PTB measurements show no evidence of variability. We show that, on the contrary, those measurements reveal strong evidence of variability, including an oscillation at 11 year-1 that is suggestive of an influence of internal solar rotation. An analysis of radon beta-decay data acquired at the Geological Survey of Israel (GSI) Laboratory for the same time interval yields strong confirmation of this oscillation.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

The Case for a Solar Influence on Certain Nuclear Decay Rates

Power-spectrum analyses of the decay rates of certain nuclides reveal (at very high confidence levels) an annual oscillation and periodicities that may be attributed to solar rotation and to solar r-mode oscillations. A comparison of spectrograms (time-frequency displays) formed from decay data and from solar neutrino data reveals a common periodicity with frequency 12.5 year-1, which is indicative of the solar radiative zone. We propose that the neutrino flux is modulated by the solar magnetic field (via Resonant Spin Flavor Precession) in that region, and we estimate the force and the torque that could be exerted on a nuclide by the solar neutrino flux.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Flares in the Crab Nebula Driven by Untwisting Magnetic Fields

The recent discovery of PeV electrons from the Crab nebula, produced on rapid time scales of one day or less with a sharply peaked gamma-ray spectrum without hard X-rays, challenges traditional models of diffusive shock acceleration followed by synchrotron radiation. Here we outline an accleration model involving a DC electric field parallel to the magnetic field in a twisted toroidal field around the pulsar. Sudden developments of resistivity in localized regions of the twisted field are thought to drive the particle acceleration, up to PeV energies, resulting in flares. This model can reproduce the observed time scales of $T \approx 1$ day, the peak photon energies of $U_{Φ,rr} \approx 1$ MeV, maximum electron energies of $U_{e,rr} \approx 1$ PeV, and luminosities of $L \approx 10^{36}$ erg s$^{-1}$.

astro-ph.HE↗