Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Neutron Radiative Decay Has Been Observed

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

The comments posted to this blog are MODERATED. All comments will require MY APPROVAL to be released, so please do NOT post multiple comments just because you do not see it appearing immediately!

All SPAM will never be approved for release in this blog, no matter how much you try to disguise it. CRACKPOTTERY and attempts at advertising your personal theory and website/blog will be treated in the same manner as unwanted SPAM.