Rn-222 and Am-241 Gamma Emission Detection Anomalies Correlated with Solar Flare Events

Jonathan Walg, Anatoly Rodnianski, Oksana Piatibratova, Itzhak Orion

Research output: Working paper/PreprintPreprint

Abstract

Radioactive sources presented annual periodical half-life changes in several accurate measurements, although customary practice claims that radioactive decay should be a physical constant for each radionuclide. Besides that, the Purdue measurements of Mn-54 decay-rates indicated response to solar X-ray flare events in 2006. The Mn-54 source emits neutrino from the nucleus and therefore allows interpreting those solar neutrinos can interact with this radiation source. In order to track more radiation count-rate responses to solar flare events, we built an experimental detector system for gamma radiation count-rates measurements, facing an Am-241 source. The system was placed at an underground laboratory, permanently locked to avoid any influence by unexpected radiation perturbations, and environmentally controlled in means of temperature and clean-air flow, in order to maintain detector stabilization. The detector consist of NaI(Tl) scintillators for gamma radiation and total-counting reader devices for remote counting. Each radiation counting system was shielded by a 5 cm lead. One month prior to flare events from the Sun, all three detectors showed reasonably stable count-rates, which were tallied every 15 minutes. Five solar-flares occurred and reported by the Space WeatherLive website on 12th to 13th of October 2018. The Am-241 system response to solar flares found to be with a delay of around 20 days. We conclude that also for alpha emitter radioactive sources, the half-life altered due to changes of neutrino flux from the Sun. Our measurements indicated that an alpha emitter was affected by the neutrino flux change from the Sun.
Original languageEnglish
StatePublished - 2019

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