Half life no longer constant.

[thenukeman]

It has been determined that half life fluctuates with the rotation of the inner core of the sun, about every 33 days.  Outer core rotation 28 days.  Why? Not exactly sure!! Some think it could be a change in the neutrino flux every 33 days.
  More here!!! http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Half-life+%28more+or+less%29%3a+physicists+are+stirred+by+claims+that+the+...-a0190003288

[HydroDave63]

One possible contributor might be that since the detectors being used are sensitive electronic devices with lots of shielding, might be a electromagnetic effect as the neutrinos change flavor.

[grantime]

Don't ya just hate it when lifes little constants turn into variables   

[thenukeman]

A surprise

Going back to take another look at the decay data from the Brookhaven lab, the researchers found a recurring pattern of 33 days. It was a bit of a surprise, given that most solar observations show a pattern of about 28 days – the rotation rate of the surface of the sun.

More here, http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/august/sun-082310.html

The explanation? The core of the sun – where nuclear reactions produce neutrinos – apparently spins more slowly than the surface we see. "It may seem counter-intuitive, but it looks as if the core rotates more slowly than the rest of the sun," Sturrock said.

All of the evidence points toward a conclusion that the sun is "communicating" with radioactive isotopes on Earth, said Fischbach.

But there's one rather large question left unanswered. No one knows how neutrinos could interact with radioactive materials to change their rate of decay.

"It doesn't make sense according to conventional ideas," Fischbach said. Jenkins whimsically added, "What we're suggesting is that something that doesn't really interact with anything is changing something that can't be changed."

"It's an effect that no one yet understands," agreed Sturrock. "Theorists are starting to say, 'What's going on?' But that's what the evidence points to. It's a challenge for the physicists and a challenge for the solar people too."

If the mystery particle is not a neutrino, "It would have to be something we don't know about, an unknown particle that is also emitted by the sun and has this effect, and that would be even more remarkable," Sturrock said.


 

[RDTroja]

We are just beginning to scratch the surface of the world of quantum physics. Once we really start to unlock subatomic mysteries we will see an explosion of technology that will dwarf everthing we as a species have discovered to this point.

We ain't seen nothin' yet.

[Marlin]

We are just beginning to scratch the surface of the world of quantum physics. Once we really start to unlock subatomic mysteries we will see an explosion of technology that will dwarf everthing we as a species have discovered to this point.

We ain't seen nothin' yet.

I watched a show last night that talked about time travel  and one of the scientists predicted that it may be viable in a hundred years  . This was the realm of SciFi and fantasy when I was a boy just imagine what we will know and do in my grandchildrens time. Interdimensional travel, instantaneous travel without regard to time or distance, greatly extended lifespans, cyber people, and debunking "Manmade Global Warming"  .... and even more unlikely "PEACE".

[HydroDave63]

Doubt time travel will ever be real, otherwise they'd be popping up all the time as it got cheaper/easier.

With all other technologies, they will eventually be used first for wunderwaffens

[Marlin]

Doubt time travel will ever be real, otherwise they'd be popping up all the time as it got cheaper/easier.

With all other technologies, they will eventually be used first for wunderwaffens

They explained that away in that you could only travel back to a tme in which the time machine existed because of the "loop" nature of the machine as they visualize it. Only by encountering a very old advanced civilization out in space (or  other dimension)that has had time travel for many thousands (eons) of years could we come back to our present or past.

"I believe"... X-Files

[Rennhack]

Doubt time travel will ever be real

Time travel is real. We do it every day.  However, its only in one direction.

[JsonD13]

Hate to be the one to bring this back on topic, as it is starting to get good.

But, here's what I get out of it.

In 2006, some guys were measuring half lives (by using a radiation detector)
The sun drops its X-ray emission rate for a little bit
And now for some reason, their half life verification is off (probably low)

I would be willing to bet that they measured background once that day, or just prior to a measurement, and did not account for instantaneous changes in background which could adjust their recorded data slightly, and thus change the half life measured by a small amount.

Remember, nothing is hard and fast in our field and just about every number has statistical variability.

Jason

[sscone]

The only thing constant is change. The scientific community finds new things to contradict a theory everyday. The rules are always changing. Take the rules we make everyday and on variable of someone doing something we shouldn't changes that rule. So my question is "How will this change the way we calculate half life? Or Will it?" It remains to be determined.

[thenukeman]

I think we need to change all the Gamma constants and call them Gamma variables.   The Health Physics Society could post the variables based on the rotation of the inner core of the sun daily.  That way we would not be off on calculations and get it down to the nano R an Hour or so!! Yeah!!!  

[nuke_girl]

The only thing constant is change. The scientific community finds new things to contradict a theory everyday. The rules are always changing. Take the rules we make everyday and on variable of someone doing something we shouldn't changes that rule. So my question is "How will this change the way we calculate half life? Or Will it?" It remains to be determined.

or perhaps several readings were taken and an average of these measurements were used..

[thenukeman]

ARRGH, Now we may need to get shielding variables for material too!!  Based on gamma variables based on the inner rotational core of the sun!!!

[stormgoalie]

The next question will be "How does this affect the accuracy of the atomic clock???" Now we can even call time into question...... theoretically anyway...

[nuke_girl]

umm read of course !! 

[twinturbo427]

Just type the right words into your search engine and 23YO stuff just jumps right out atcha;

http://www.setterfield.org/report/report.html

and this is really good stuff,...now, do I read this tonight or watch the Yankees?!?!?!?

Haven't you heard?  Real researchers DO NOT use internet search engines!     

[Smart People]

It would seem to me that since decay is a random event to start with, using the known halflife "constant" would still be viable. It would still be an excellent rule of thumb in the field.

[nuke_girl]

Exactly Smart Person ! For example..Cs 137..i have seen a half life reported as 30.23, 30.17, as well as 30 years . but in the field..i know 30 years is the standard..same thing with a Sr 90 28.8 , 29.9 years or near that , the source that is fresh..i can assume any gamma is background as the Y 90 emits such a weak gamma ..IF you can see it you can disregard it.

Field techs vs Lab techs..i myself do not get caught up in the technicalities that prevent me from deducing the obvious..Smart People..youre a smart person !    now lets all have a group hug !

[Fermi2]

I hate ignorance. Read The Making Of The Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes, the earlier Nuclear Physicists understood half life was a STATISTICAL Concept and subject to variation of many physical properties of the environment. They used a weighted average and called it good enough because they understood except for a few elements the exact measurement didn't really matter. LEARN YOUR HISTORY!

[nuke_girl]

i think thats what i said..an average would represent readings in different enviromental and statistical factors, but i think my assessment of the theory was questioned . I think i will read the book you suggested, sounds like a good read.

I dont "hate"...i strongly dislike

have a good night

[thenukeman]

Like I said in one class when asked how would you Shield something in real life.  I said I would use what they used the last time they did it and verify it , and if I had to do it the first time I would throw lead on it till I got the reading I wanted. Now chill it is still fun to talk about and see what changes the half life or half value layer. 

[HydroDave63]

Like I said in one class when asked how would you Shield something in real life.  I said I would use what they used the last time they did it and verify it , and if I had to do it the first time I would throw lead on it till I got the reading I wanted. Now chill it is still fun to talk about and see what changes the half life or half value layer. 

Some more variables woudl be the Z-number of the radionuclide in question, and the neutrino energy of concern.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/p563650812038457/  links to research done in Russia in the past couple years

[Fermi2]

i think thats what i said..an average would represent readings in different enviromental and statistical factors, but i think my assessment of the theory was questioned . I think i will read the book you suggested, sounds like a good read.

I dont "hate"...i strongly dislike

have a good night

That book is excellent. The first 60% or so is about how the various physicists figured things out and the incredible ingenuity they used to prove their theories. What I found interesting is how they "discovered" thermalization of neutrons. A physicist had neutron sources sitting underneath a table made f marble and one of wood. He was performing some sort of survey that had nothing to do with the neutrons and noticed the instrumentation he was using responded differently as he passed each table From that they figured out that Wood must somehow change energies of neutrons.
The way they figured out Atomic Mass is AMAZING. Those old timers weren't only smart, they were clever and master craftsmen.

[nuke_girl]

Now that sounds awesome !! I love books that teach with such great examples of field ingenuity Im going right to amazon to order it. The last book i so enjoyed was Richard Feynmans QED, The Strange Theory of Light and Matter. His humour and quirky little mathmatical drawings made the topic easier to understand.

[Rennhack]

Now that sounds awesome !! I love books that teach with such great examples of field ingenuity Im going right to amazon to order it. The last book i so enjoyed was Richard Feynmans QED, The Strange Theory of Light and Matter. His humor and quirky little mathematical drawings made the topic easier to understand.

You might like "The God Particle" by Leon M Lederman.  He's pretty funny for an old physicist that has been director of several national labs.

[Fermi2]

Cool , While you're at it order Dark Sun by the same author. It discusses the politics and the race to develop thermonuclear weapons. It's especially good as it has great information about the Russians and all the espionage going on.

[stownsend]

and this is really good stuff,...now, do I read this tonight or watch the Yankees?!?!?!?

You can't lose if you read.

[mostlyharmless]

Rhodes won a Pulitzer for Making of the atomic bomb. Its very well written as well as a wonderfull insight to American and nuclear history.