Anomalous effects on radiation detectors and capacitance measurements inside a modified Faraday cage

Abstract

We present the experimental results showing certain anomalies in the measurements performed inside a modified Faraday cage of decay rates of Ra-226, Tl-204 and Sr-90/I-90, of the gamma spectrum of a Cs-137 preparation, and of the capacitance of both a class-I multilayer ceramic capacitor and of the interconnection cable between the radiation detector and the scaler. Decay rates fluctuate significantly up to 5% of the initial value and differently depending on the type of nuclide, and the spectrum photopeak increases in 4.4%. In the case of the capacitor, direct capacitance measurements at 100 Hz, 10 kHz and 100 kHz show variations up to 0.7%, the most significant taking place at 100 Hz. In the case of the interconnection cable, the capacitance varies up to 1%. Dispersion also tends to increase inside the enclosure. However, the measured capacitance variations do no explain the observed variability in decay rates.

Anomalous effects of radioactive decay rates and capacitance values measured inside a modified Faraday cage: Correlations with space weather

“…-In a new analysis of our data, we recognized that, on the one hand, the anomalous measurements of decay rates sometimes showed peaks coincidentally close to solar noon and solar midday (see figs. 1c, 1d, 3a, 4a, and 5 in [1]). On the other hand, a closer inspection of the peak in fig.…”

“…On the other hand, a closer inspection of the peak in fig. 5 in [1] showed that it coincided with a peak in geomagnetic activity [2].…”

“…Before continuing with this discussion, it should be highlighted that in the previous paper [1] the possible influence of mundane environmental effects was ruled out. For example, see fig.…”

“…1 and (sect. 2.2.2.1 a) of [1]: at the beginning of the experiments (outdoors), the temperature was 17.9…”

“…3 of [1] (see also fig. 1 below), could have been caused by some other trivial unnoticed factor in the measuring chain.…”