Related papers: How fast can protons decay?
The kinematics of the decay of a bound proton is governed by the proton spectral function. We evaluate this quantity in 16O using the information from nuclear physics experiments. It also includes a correlated part. The reliability of this…
It is noted that one is now in possession of a set of facts, which may be viewed as the matching pieces of a puzzle ; in that all of them can be resolved by just one idea - that is grand unification. These include : (i) the observed…
A neutron decays into a proton, an electron, and an anti-neutrino through the beta-decay process. The decay lifetime ($\sim$880 s) is an important parameter in the weak interaction. For example, the neutron lifetime is a parameter used to…
Accurate measurement of the lifetime of the neutron (which is unstable to beta decay) is important for understanding the weak nuclear force and the creation of matter during the Big Bang. Previous measurements of the neutron lifetime have…
We calculate the properties and investigate the stability of stars that burn via strong (and electromagnetic) interactions, and compare their properties with those that, as in our Universe, include a rate-limiting weak interaction. It has…
In this report, we will show a detector which can be used to search for proton decay in the lifetime region beyond 10$^{35}$ years. We will briefly review the current experimental status and discuss the sensitivity of the future proton…
We have measured the lifetime of the 5s5p ^3P_2 metastable state of strontium atoms by magneto-optically trapping the decayed atoms to the ground state, which allowed sensitive detection of the rare decay events. We found that the blackbody…
The analysis of the data on measurements of the neutron lifetime is presented. A new most accurate result of the measurement of neutron lifetime [Phys. Lett. B 605 (2005) 72] 878.5 +/- 0.8 s differs from the world average value [Phys. Lett.…
Long-lived particles (LLPs) are particles that are stable or that live long enough for their decays to be experimentally distinguishable in time or position from their production point. We provide an overview of the phenomenology and…
Many models of dark matter contain more than one new particle beyond those in the Standard Model. Often heavier particles decay into the lightest dark matter particle as the Universe evolves. Here we explore the possibilities that arise if…
The influence of the electron environment on the alpha decay is elucidated. Within the frame of a simple model based on the generalized Thomas-Fermi theory of the atom, it is shown that the increase of the electron density around the parent…
Precision measurements of neutron decay offer complementary access to particle physics at small distance scales or high energies. In particular they allow tests of the V-A structure of the weak interaction. Among many experimental…
A measurement of the neutron lifetime $\tau_{n}$ performed by the absolute counting of in-beam neutrons and their decay protons has been completed. Protons confined in a quasi-Penning trap were accelerated onto a silicon detector held at a…
Some extensions of the standard model contain additional leptons which are vectorlike under weak isospin. A class of models is considered in which these leptons do not appreciably mix with the known leptons. In such models, the heavy…
This paper outlines astrophysical issues related to the long term fate of the universe. We consider the evolution of planets, stars, stellar populations, galaxies, and the universe itself over time scales which greatly exceed the current…
Because of the extreme smallness of the energy spread of the unstable state describing the decaying proton, due in its turn to the anomalous smallness of the resonance width expected for the proton decay, the application of the Heisenberg…
The decay of massive neutrinos to final states containing only invisible particles is poorly constrained experimentally. In this letter we describe the constraints that can be put on neutrino mass and lifetime using CMBR measurements. We…
Recently it was found, in a broad class of models, that the dark energy density may change its sign during the evolution of the universe. This may lead to a global collapse of the universe within the time t_c ~ 10^{10}-10^{11} years. Our…
Oscillons are localized states of scalar fields sustained by self interactions. They decay by emitting classical radiation, but their lifetimes are surprisingly large. We revisit the reasons behind their longevity, aiming at how the shape…
The electron would decay into a photon and neutrino if the law of electric charge conservation is not respected. Such a decay would cause vacancy in closed shells of atoms giving rise to emission of x-rays and Auger electrons. Experimental…