Neutron moderation in the Oklo natural reactor and the time variation ofα
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In previous analyses of the Oklo (Gabon) natural reactor to test for a possible time variation of the fine-structure constant $\ensuremath{\alpha},$ a Maxwell-Boltzmann low energy neutron spectrum was assumed. We present here an analysis where a more realistic spectrum is employed and show that the most recent isotopic analysis of samples implies a decrease in $\ensuremath{\alpha},$ over the last $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}$ years since the reactor was operating, of $({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{past}}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{now}})/\ensuremath{\alpha}>~4.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ $(6\ensuremath{\sigma}$ confidence). Issues regarding the interpretation of the shifts of the low energy neutron absorption resonances are discussed.
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Above an energy of several eV, the neutron spectrum shifts to a 1/E tail because of absorption of neutrons in uranium resonances.
“It was then noted (Lamoreaux and Togerson 2004;Petrov et al. 2006) that above an energy of several eV, the neutron spectrum shifted to a 1/E tail because of the absorption of neutrons in uranium resonances.”
From Fundamental constants: from measurement to the universe, a window on gravitation and cosmology (2025) · cites this paper as Lamoreaux and Togerson 2004
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References 7 · Cited by 82
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- R.R. Coveyou, 1956, J. Nucl. Energy, 2, 153
- Authors
- Lamoreaux, S. K., & Torgerson, J. R.
- Affiliations
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (US)
- ORCID
- Lamoreaux, S. K.
- Venue
- Physical Review D
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 2004-06-02
- Volume
- 69
- Issue
- 12
- ISSN
- 0556-2821 (ISSN-L)
- 1550-7998
- 1550-2368
- OpenAlex
- W2011952099
- Cited by
- 82
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 8.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Physical review. D. Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology/Physical review. D. Particles and fields (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- CERN Document Server (European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion)
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Nuclear physics research studies
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › Advanced Mathematical Theories and Applications
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Neutrino Physics Research
- Keywords
- Oklo natural reactor, fine-structure constant variation, neutron moderation, isotopic analysis
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