Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T07:57:21.721Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An attempt to detect the spontaneous transformation of helium into penetrating radiation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2008

G. T. P. Tarrant  and
L. H. Gray
G. T. P. Tarrant
Affiliation:
Pembroke College
L. H. Gray
Affiliation:
Trinity College
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The spontaneous disappearance of an electron and proton in the form of radiation has often been suggested as a possible source of energy to maintain the emission of radiation from hot stars. It can be calculated that the energy of a single quantum formed in this way should be about 1000 million electron-volts. In order to account for the absorption of the ultra-penetrating radiation observed by Regener in deep lakes, and interpreted on the basis of the Klein-Nishina formula, a quantum of still higher energy is required. Sir James Jeans has recently calculated that the transformation of a helium atom into a single quantum would provide a radiation of about the required penetrating power.

Type
Research Article
Information
Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , January 1932 , pp. 124 - 127
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge Philosophical Society 1932

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

* Nature, vol. 127, p. 594 (1931).Google Scholar

† Proc. Roy. Soc. A, vol. 132, p. 331 (1931).Google Scholar

‡ Proc. Roy. Soc.Google Scholar In course of publication.

* This figure is increased to 10% if we consider only the hard component of penetrating radiation as arising in this way.