[B-Chan]

The physics blogs are abuzz with discussion of this paper. I don't know enough about physics to have more than a tenuous grasp of this topic, but from what I've read the furor is based upon the fact that recent observations are calling into question some of the basic concepts of physics. Essentially, the reference data collected by scientists at both the Brookhaven National Labs in the US and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesandstalt (the National Institute for Physics and Technology in Germany) suggest that \alpha \, the fine structure constant — the fundamental physical constant characterizing the strength of the electromagnetic interaction as measured on Earth — varies according to the distance of Earth from the sun. If the Sun produces a scalar field capable of modulating the terrestrial value of the electromagnetic fine structure constant, this would be a significant discovery; \alpha \ is a so-called magic number in physics, a number "written by the Hand of God" according to Richard P. Feynman; it characterizes, among other things, the rate at which radioactive elements decay. If the fine structure constant proves to be variable based upn Earth's distance from the sun, then a great many 'settled questions" of physics (including radiocarbon dating) will become unsettled again.

What does this all mean to our daily lives? Not much in the short term, but it could cause some significant revisions across the board in terms of physics if the theory espoused in the paper proves to be accurate. (As far as the possible implications for radiocarbon dating, I don't think that variations in the fine structure constant would be large enough to have any revolutionary effect on current estimates of the age of the Earth, however.) If this research leads to a new model of radioactive decay and quantum electrodynamics, however, we could see some real fireworks in the applied sciences over the long term.

Cite:

Jere H. Jenkins, Ephraim Fischbach, John B. Buncher, John T. Gruenwald, Dennis E. Krause and Joshua J. Mattes

Physics Department, Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana, 47933, USA

Physics Department, Purdue University, 525 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA

Received. 25 August 2008 Last updated. 25 August 2008

Abstract. Unexplained periodic fluctuations in the decay rates of Si-32 and Ra-226 have been reported by groups at Brookhaven National Laboratory (Si-32), and at the Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesandstalt in Germany (Ra-226). We show from an analysis of the raw data in these experiments that the observed fluctuations are strongly correlated in time, not only with each other, but also with the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Some implications of these results are also discussed, including the suggestion that discrepancies in published half-life determinations for these and other nuclides may be attributable in part to differences in solar activity during the course of the various experiments, or to seasonal variations in fundamental constants.

[JRandomFreeper]

There's a lot of material in space probes. Should be able to draw a base-line from that.

/johnny

[null and void]

OK, is the power level from the radioisotope thermoelectric generators on the Voyagers dropping off at the expected rate?

[Flavius]

[FreeAtlanta]

That would really mess up our scientific thought on the rest of the universe. I think this is funny. sorry. It is funny. :-)

[Scutter]

Wow! This is a big deal, folks.

[uglybiker]

Dunno about that, but I know that Rice Krispies stuck higher on the bowl dry out faster.

I think it's because they are closer to the sun. :-P

(Thank you, George Carlin)

[StormEye]

Probabilty Sun

Anybody interested in the article should try out this novel. It's strangely similiar. I know, I'm reading it now.

[JasonC]

No, the fine structure constant isn't going to change. But it is perfectly believable the neutrino flux from all the nuclear reactions in the sun, slightly influences some sensitive decay rates, and varies with distance.

[Coyoteman]

(As far as the possible implications for radiocarbon dating, I don't think that variations in the fine structure constant would be large enough to have any revolutionary effect on current estimates of the age of the Earth, however.)

Minor correction: Radiocarbon dating only goes back some 50,000 to 60,000 years. It is other forms of radiometric dating that are used to determine the age of the earth.

[KoRn]

As with Obama and the question of at what time it comes to when a HUMAN being should have human rights, this thread is “above my pay grade”....

[wendy1946]

The big question with decay-rate dating is the question of whether ANY heavy metals which we find near the Earth’s surface are native to our planet or arrived via impact events. Given the standard idea of our planet having formed from swirling masses of solar material, you’d expect all the heavy metals to be at the center and nowhere near the surface.

[FreePoster]

It’s good for the scientists, who do know so much, to be occasionally reminded how much they don’t know.

I wonder if this changes the age of stars. I don’t know if it’s a factor. But it seems like this might have consequences for things where the difference from Earth gravity is much more than the difference we have from spring to summer.

[Seaplaner]

Jenkins and co put forward two theories to explain why this might be happening.

Okay all you FR physicists, help me out here, s'il vous plaît

I'm really only seeing one theory. Do they run together somehow? Was the second theory just modulated out of existence, perhaps from being engulfed by a scalar field?

[ETL]

In other words, there appears to be an annual variation in the decay rates of these elements.

But if it's caused by something to do with the Sun, then there's no reason to believe that any fundamental properties of the universe are changing.

[djf]

Puthoff and Sakharov vindicated?

[SunkenCiv]

adding, not pinging, because duplicate. And may I just commend B-Chan, this is about the most unlikely duplicate topic in FR history (so far). :')

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and

[Getready]

As I’ve said before, it’s related to the
oxymoronic cosmic ying-yang forces juxtaposed through
the Yau-calabi spacetime continuum in the 22nd
dimension. Now what don’t you understand?

[editor-surveyor]

Unknowns far out-weigh the knowns in particle land.

[BlueDragon]

As I've heard that some physicists have [in brief] described it;

We are in the Sun.

[dr_lew]

The suggestion of a seasonal variation in the fine structure constant is completely cracked. Take it from me.