Symmetry breaking in τ decay

In view of the recent attempts to detect theG-parity violating decay τ→πηv _τ which may have bearing on the presence of the second class current, we discuss the isospin symmetry breaking effects in the processes of τ→δv, Bv, and ηπv from a dynamical point of view. It is shown that all the symmetry breaking effects are proportional to theu?d quark mass difference. Depending on whether the current or the constituent quark masses are used, the decay τ→πηv _τ via δ is either of the same order or three orders of magnitude smaller than the upper limit set by the latest experiments. This is in agreement with the other theoretical estimates.     

Coulomb corrections to nuclear beta decay

A calculation of the Coulomb correction to the nuclear beta decay is presented, in the context of the elementary-particle treatment of Kim and Primakoff, making use of the low-energy approximants to nuclear form factors.     

Effects of magnetic monopoles on nuclear wave functions and possible catalysis of nuclear beta decay and spontaneous fission

Mixing effects in nuclear wave functions by the strong magnetic field of a magnetic monopole are estimated. A monopole at a distance of 10 fm from a deuteron mixes the single and triplet spin levels with a strength comparable to the deuteron binding energy. Forbidden nuclear beta decay transitions can be enhanced bymixing nuclear wave functions with other states for which the beta decay transition is less inhibited. Particularly suitable candidates have nearby excited states connected by magnetic dipole transitions to the ground state. Magnetic mixing can also strongly enhance spontaneous fission.     

Quantum interferences in nuclear decay

At nuclear level mixing condition, interferences between different transition amplitudes can occur. In a narrow frequency range, absorption can be hindered while not the emission. This feature offers interesting applications on the design of a graser and of a resonant scatterer for -rays.     

Unified approach to alpha decay calculations

With the discovery of a large number of superheavy nuclei undergoing decay through α emissions, there has been a revival of interest in α decay in recent years. In the theoretical study of α decay the α-nucleus potential, which is the basic input in the study of α-nucleus systems, is also being studied using advanced theoretical methods. In the light of these, the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) approximation method often used for the study of α decay is critically examined and its limitations are pointed out. At a given energy, the WKB expression uses barrier penetration formula for the determination of the transmission coefficient. This approach utilizes the α-nucleus potential only at the barrier region and ignores it elsewhere. In the present era, when one has more precise experimental information on decay parameters and better understanding of α-nucleus potential, it is desirable to use a more precise method for the calculation of decay parameters. We describe the analytic S-matrix (SM) method which gives a procedure for the calculation of decay energy and mean life in an integrated way by evaluating the resonance pole of the S-matrix in the complex momentum or energy plane. We make an illustrative comparative study of WKB and S-matrix methods for the determination of decay parameters in a number of superheavy nuclei.     

Beyond mean field approach to the beta decay of medium mass nuclei relevant for nuclear astrophysics

The Gamow-Teller strength distributions for the β decay of the ground state as well as the lowest excited states of the rp-process waiting point nuclei ⁶⁸Se and ⁷²Kr are obtained within the complex Excited Vampir variational approach using realistic effective interactions and a rather large model space. The shape mixing is consistently described for both the states in the even-even parent and the states in the odd-odd daugther nucleus. The influence of the shape mixing accounted by the different effective interactions used and comparison with the available data are presented. The possible influence of the decay of the lowest excited states of the parent nuclei in the astrophysical environment of X-ray bursts is discussed.Gamow-Teller strength distributions, β-decay half-lives, and β-delayed neutron emission probabilities for neutron-rich Zr nuclei are investigated for the first time within the complex Excited Vampir approach using a large model space. Comparison with available data and predictions relevant for the astrophysical r process are presented.     

Precision measurements in nuclear beta decay

Precision measurements in nuclear beta decay provide sensitive means to determine the fundamental coupling of charged fermions to weak bosons and to test discrete symmetries in the weak interaction. The main motivation of such measurements is to find deviations from Standard Model predictions as possible indications of new physics. I focus here on two topics related to precision measurements in beta decay, namely: (i) the determination of the V _ud element of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark mixing matrix from nuclear mirror transitions and (ii) selected measurements of time reversal violating correlations in nuclear and neutron decays. These topics complement those presented in other contributions to this conference.     

Radon decay products attached to clothes in a nuclear laboratory

A whole body counter determined the presence of radioactivities up to 21.8 kBq for ²¹⁴Bi and up to 18.7 kBq for ²¹⁴Pb attached to clothes of workers in a Nuclear Research Laboratory. A radon survey reveals that 80% of the monitoring areas have radon concentration values lower than 500 Bq m⁻³, while 10% of the sampling points with values bigger than 1 kBq m⁻³ correspond to the workers mentioned above. By exposing samples of 0.04 m² clothes in a radon chamber, it was observed that radon decay products ²¹⁴Bi and ²¹⁴Pb were attached to them with an activity of 315–618 Bq per each kBq m⁻³ of Rn concentration additionally, fibres characterised with a lower electrostatics build up showed the lower attachment.     

An intrinsic limit to quantum coherence due to spontaneous symmetry breaking

We investigate the influence of spontaneous symmetry breaking on the decoherence of a many-particle quantum system. This decoherence process is analyzed in an exactly solvable model system that is known to be representative of symmetry broken macroscopic systems in equilibrium. It is shown that spontaneous symmetry breaking imposes a fundamental limit to the time that a system can stay quantum coherent. This universal time scale is t(spon) approximately = 2piNH/(kBT), given in terms of the number of microscopic degrees of freedom N, temperature T, and the constants of Planck (h) and Boltzmann (kB).     

On the isospin breaking corrections to nuclear beta decay

We estimate the effect of the up and down quark mass difference to the neutron beta decay vector form factor at zero momentum transfer, by using an expansion in chiral SU(3) X SU(3) symmetry breaking to leading order. We find a deviation from a deviation from unity of the order of 3.5X10⁻⁵.     

Baryon number violating nuclear decay

The expressions for baryon number violating nuclear partial decay widths are derived from the interactions as predicted by grand unified theories. Theory predicts that the baryon number violating proton decay inside the nucleus is hindered relative to the free proton decay rate. In the case of closed shell nuclei, the meson spin-isospin dependence of the partial width is the same as that for the nucleon decay. The branching ratios of decay amplitudes depend on the nuclear binding energies. Nuclear structure introduces lepton energy spread of ±49.5 MeV for light closed shell nuclei, while it does not affect the back to back emission of lepton-meson pair.     

New approach to nuclear binding energy in integrated nuclear model

In this paper, the integrated nuclear model is introduced and a binding energy formula based on this model is presented. The binding energies of most nuclides in this model are compared with available experimental values and also with values from the liquid drop model (LDM).     

Influences of control coherence and decay coherence on optical bistability in a semiconductor quantum well

We discuss the influences of two different types of mechanisms of quantum coherence on optical bistability in a semiconductor quantum well structure.In the first mechanism,only quantum coherence induced by the resonant coupling of a strong control laser is considered.In the second mechanism,the decay coherence is taken into account under the condition where the control field is weak.In two different cases,optical bistability can be obtained through choosing appropriate physical parameters.Our studies show quantum coherence makes the optical nonlinear effect of the system become stronger,which takes an important role in the process of generating optical bistability.A semiconductor quantum well with flexibility and easy integration in design could potentially be exploited in real solid-state devices.     

Microscopic approach to nucleon spectra in hypernuclear non-mesonic weak decay

A consistent microscopic diagrammatic approach is applied for the first time to the calculation of the nucleon emission spectra in the non-mesonic weak decay of Λ-hypernuclei. We adopt a nuclear matter formalism extended to finite nuclei via the local density approximation, a one-meson exchange weak transition potential and a Bonn nucleon–nucleon strong potential. Ground state correlations and final state interactions, at second order in the nucleon–nucleon interaction, are introduced on the same footing for all the isospin channels of one- and two-nucleon induced decays. Single and double-coincidence nucleon spectra are predicted for ¹²_ΛC and compared with recent KEK and FINUDA data. The key role played by quantum interference terms allows us to improve the predictions obtained with intranuclear cascade codes. Discrepancies with data remain for proton emission.     

Environmental effects on nuclear decay rates

The possible change of nuclear decay rates in different environments has long been an interesting topic due to its importance not only in nuclear physics but also in astrophysics, geological dating, condensed matter physics, etc. The progress in the investigation of variations in nuclear decay rates are reviewed.     

Environmental effects on nuclear decay rates

The possible change of nuclear decay rates in different environments has long been an interesting topic due to its importance not only in nuclear physics but also in astrophysics, geological dating, condensed matter physics, etc. The progress in the investigation of variations in nuclear decay rates are reviewed.