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[Phys-l] Nuclear decays depend on solar distance?



As my colleague said "ok, that qualifies for the weirdest somewhat credible
result I've read in a while...".

http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/0808/0808.3283v1.pdf

The abstract:

Unexplained periodic fluctuations in the decay rates of 32Si and 226Ra have
been reported by groups at Brookhaven National Laboratory (32Si), and at the
Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesandstalt in Germany (226Ra). We show from an
analysis of the raw data in these experiments that the observed fluctuations
are strongly correlated in time, not only with each other, but also with the
distance between the Earth and the Sun. Some implications of these results
are also discussed,
including the suggestion that discrepancies in published half-life
determinations for these and other nuclides may be attributable in part to
differences in solar activity during the course of the various
experiments, or to seasonal variations in fundamental constants.

--

Jeff Loats, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Physics
Metropolitan State College of Denver
Office: NC 3123F
Phone: 303.556.3964
Email: jloats1@mscd.edu
Website: www.mscd.edu/physics/loats/