As published in Nature this week, the first ever observation of a neutron radiative decay has been accomplished[1]. This decay is different from your typical, more familiar neutron beta decay, where a neutron decays into a proton, electron, and an electron antineutrino. In a neutron radiative decay, which occurs in free neutrons, you get the same 3 products PLUS the emission of a photon. This is one particular channel of decay that has been predicted by QED but never observed till now.
Looks like another triumph for QED.
Zz.
[1] J.S. Nico, J. S. et al., Nature v.444, p.1059 (2006).
Edit: News coverage here.
No comments:
Post a Comment