Observation of the radiative decay mode of the free neutron

The theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED) predicts that beta decay of the neutron into a proton, electron and antineutrino should be accompanied by a continuous spectrum of soft photons. While this inner bremsstrahlung branch has been previously measured in nuclear beta and electron capture decay, it has never been observed in free neutron decay. Recently, the photon energy spectrum and branching ratio for neutron radiative decay have been calculated using two approaches: a standard QED framework and heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory (an effective theory of hadrons based on the symmetries of quantum chromodynamics). The QED calculation treats the nucleons as point-like, whereas the latter approach includes the effect of nucleon structure in a systematic way. Here we observe the radiative decay mode of free neutrons, measuring photons in coincidence with both the emitted electron and proton. We determined a branching ratio of (3.13 +/- 0.34) x 10(-3) (68 per cent level of confidence) in the energy region between 15 and 340 keV, where the uncertainty is dominated by systematic effects. The value is consistent with the predictions of both theoretical approaches; the characteristic energy spectrum of the radiated photons, which differs from the uncorrelated background spectrum, is also consistent with the calculated spectrum. This result may provide opportunities for more detailed investigations of the weak interaction processes involved in neutron beta decay.     

SD振子、吸引子的转迁过程及其特性

SD振子及SD吸引子的动力学行为决定于一个光滑参数α的连续变化。当α>0时,系统表现为光滑特征;当α=0时,系统表现为不连续特性。这是一个具有强非线性特征的振动系统,它提供了一个从光滑动力学行为向不连续动力学行为光滑转迁的典型示范,这种直接的转迁并不需要连续系统的过渡。当系统为光滑动力学性态时,表现出与Duffing系统类似的双井等标准动力学行为;当系统表现为不连续性态时,除表现为标准的双井动力学行为外,也表现出如类鞍点和类同宿轨道等非标准动力学行为,展示了这个系统的转迁过程和特性及其相应的吸引子的复杂动力学行为。