High-Precision Half-life Measurement for the Superallowed Fermi $\beta^+$ Emitter $^{22}$Mg

TL;DR

This paper reports a highly precise measurement of the half-life of $^{22}$Mg, significantly improving accuracy and resolving previous discrepancies, which is crucial for testing fundamental symmetries in nuclear physics.

Contribution

The paper presents the most precise half-life measurement of $^{22}$Mg, reducing uncertainty by a factor of three and clarifying previous conflicting results.

Findings

Half-life of $^{22}$Mg = 3.87400 ± 0.00079 s

Resolved previous measurement discrepancies

Enhanced precision for fundamental symmetry tests

Abstract

A high-precision half-life measurement for the superallowed Fermi $\beta^+$ emitter $^{22}$Mg was performed at the TRIUMF-ISAC facility using a 4$\pi$ proportional gas counter. The result of $T_{1/2} = 3.87400 \pm 0.00079$ s is a factor of 3 more precise than the previously adopted world average and resolves a discrepancy between the two previously published $^{22}$Mg half-life measurements.