Anomalous Internal Pair Creation

TL;DR

This paper suggests that observed anomalies in electron-positron angular correlations, previously attributed to a new boson, can instead be explained by higher order nuclear processes involving lower energy transitions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that nuclear transitions with lower energy than the total transition energy can produce angular correlation enhancements, challenging the interpretation of the X17 particle.

Findings

Higher order processes can cause peaked angular correlations.

Nuclear transition energies significantly lower than total transition energy influence correlations.

Reinterpretation of experimental anomalies without invoking new particles.

Abstract

In recent electron-positron angular correlation measurements the observed significant enhancements relative to the internal pair creation at large angles was interpreted as indication of the creation of $J^{\pi }=1^{+}$ boson called X17 particle. In this paper it is brought up that such enhancements can be generated by higher order processes. It is found that nuclear transitions, the transition energy of which is significantly lower than the whole transition energy, can cause peaked angle dependence in electron-positron angular correlation.