Could the GSI Oscillations be Observed in a Standard Electron Capture Decay Experiment?

TL;DR

This study investigates whether GSI oscillations can be observed in standard electron capture decay experiments, finding no such oscillations and suggesting they are specific to the unique conditions of the GSI setup.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates that GSI oscillations are not observable in conventional decay experiments, implying they depend on the specific conditions of the GSI storage ring environment.

Findings

No oscillations observed in standard experiments

GSI oscillations likely linked to unique experimental conditions

Results restrict theoretical models of the oscillations

Abstract

The electron-capture decay of 180Re has been investigated to search for oscillations in the decay probability as reported from a recent measurement at GSI, Darmstadt. The production period was kept short compared to the reported oscillation period. No such oscillation was observed, indicating that the reported oscillations would not have been observable in a conventional experiment with radioactive atoms in a solid environment but must have to do with the unique conditions in the GSI experiment where hydrogen-like ions are moving independently in a storage ring and decaying directly by a true two-body decay to a long-lived (ground-) state. Our finding could restrict possible theoretical interpretations of the oscillations.