On the Time-Modulation of the beta^+$-Decay Rate of H-like 140Pr58+ Ion

TL;DR

This paper investigates the potential time-modulation of the beta^+ decay rate of H-like 140Pr58+ ions, concluding that such modulation cannot be observed, which informs future experimental approaches at GSI.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical analysis predicting the non-observability of time-dependent beta^+ decay rate modulation in H-like heavy ions, guiding future experimental tests.

Findings

Time-dependence of beta^+ decay rate cannot be observed in H-like 140Pr58+ ions.

Results serve as a prediction for future GSI experiments.

Supports the interpretation of observed modulations in electron capture decay rates.

Abstract

According to recent experimental data at GSI, the rates of the number of daughter ions, produced by the nuclear K-shell electron capture (EC) decays of the H-like ions 140Pr58+ and 142Pm60+, are modulated in time with periods T_(EC) simeq 7 s and amplitudes a_(EC) simeq 0.20. We study a possible time-dependence of the nuclear positron (beta^+) decay rate of the H-like 140Pr58+. We show that the time-dependence of the beta^+ decay rate of the H-like 140Pr58+ ion as well as any H-like heavy ions cannot be observed. This result can be used as a prediction for future analysis of the time-dependence of the beta^+ decay rates of the H-like heavy ions 140Pr58+ and 142Pm60+ at GSI for the test of the measuring method.