Direct Test of the Time-Independence of Fundamental Nuclear Constants Using the Oklo Natural Reactor

TL;DR

This paper uses isotopic data from the Oklo natural reactor to place stringent limits on the possible time variation of fundamental nuclear constants, supporting their stability over geological timescales.

Contribution

It provides the first direct test of the time-independence of nuclear constants using natural nuclear reactor data, setting new upper bounds on their variation rates.

Findings

Strong interaction constant varies by less than 2x10^-19 yr^-1

Electromagnetic constant varies by less than 5x10^-18 yr^-1

Weak interaction constant varies by less than 10^-12 yr^-1

Abstract

[NOTE: This 1983 preprint is being uploaded to arXiv.org after the death of its author, who supported online distribution of his work. Contact info of the submitter is at http://ilya.cc .] The positions of neutron resonances have been shown to be highly sensitive to the variation of fundamental nuclear constants. The analysis of the measured isotopic shifts in the natural fossil reactor at Oklo gives the following restrictions on the possible rates of the interaction constants variation: strong ~2x10^-19 yr^-1, electromagnetic ~5x10^-18 yr^-1, weak ~10^-12 yr^-1. These limits permit to exclude all the versions of nuclear constants contemporary variation discussed in the literature. URL: http://alexonline.info >. For more recent analyses see hep-ph/9606486, hep-ph/0205206 and astro-ph/0204069 .