Search for strange matter by Rutherford backscattering

Brügger, M.; Lützenkirchen, K.; Polikanov, S.M.; Herrmann, G.; Overbeck, Maximilian; Trautmann, Ν.; Breskin, A.; Chechik, R.; Fraenkel, Z.; Smilansky, Uzy

doi:10.1038/337434a0

Cited by 32 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Such a nugget density would corresponds to a concentration of nuggets per nucleon, N strange /N nucleons , that is much less than 10 −14 [152]. The upper limit on the concentration of strange nuggets per nucleon in terrestrial matter established experimentally by Brügger et al [153] and Perillo Isaac et al [141] is 10 −14 , which falls short of the upper limits that follow from strange star-strange star collisions as well as he flux of strange nuggets in cosmic rays. Consequently the results of Brügger et al [153] and Perillo Isaac et al [141] shown in Fig.…”

Section: Searches For Strange Quark Mattermentioning

confidence: 99%

Strange quark matter and compact stars

Weber

2005

Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics

694

280

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Astrophysicists distinguish between three different types of compact stars. These are white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. The former contain matter in one of the densest forms found in the Universe which, together with the unprecedented progress in observational astronomy, make such stars superb astrophysical laboratories for a broad range of most striking physical phenomena. These range from nuclear processes on the stellar surface to processes in electron degenerate matter at subnuclear densities to boson condensates and the existence of new states of baryonic matter-like color superconducting quark matter-at supernuclear densities. More than that, according to the strange matter hypothesis strange quark matter could be more stable than nuclear matter, in which case neutron stars should be largely composed of pure quark matter possibly enveloped in thin nuclear crusts. Another remarkable implication of the hypothesis is the possible existence of a new class of white dwarfs. This article aims at giving an overview of all these striking physical possibilities, with an emphasis on the astrophysical phenomenology of strange quark matter. Possible observational signatures associated with the theoretically proposed states of matter inside compact stars are discussed as well. They will provide most valuable information about the phase diagram of superdense nuclear matter at high baryon number density but low temperature, which is not accessible to relativistic heavy ion collision experiments.

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Section: Searches For Strange Quark Mattermentioning

confidence: 99%

Strange quark matter and compact stars

Weber

2005

Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics

694

280

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“…Estimating a geologic mixing depth of the order ten kilometers, a .very conservative one, then even if all such nuggets were stopped at the surface, they would be diluted to a concentration of < 10 9 Jcm 3 or less over geologic times, or < < 10-15 nuggets per nucleon. This extreme overestimate falls short of the upper limit established by experiment of 10-14 [30]. The hypothesis cannot be ruled out by present experimental limits on the abundance of strange nuggets in the earth's crust!…”

Section: Strange Matter As Ground State Is Compatible With Observationmentioning

confidence: 51%

Fast Pulsars, Strange Stars: An Opportunity in Radio Astronomy

Glendenning

1990

Mod. Phys. Lett. A

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The world's data on radio pulsars are not expected to represent the underlying pulsar population because of a search bias against detection of short periods, especially below 1 ms. Yet pulsars in increasing numbers with periods right down to this limit have been discovered, suggesting that there may be even shorter ones. If pulsars with periods below 1/2 ms were found, the conclusion that the confined hadronic phase of nucleons and nuclei is only metastable would be almost inescapable. The plausible ground state in that event is the deconfined phase of (3-flavor) strange-quark-matter. From the QCD energy scale this is as likely a ground state as the confined phase. We show that strange matter as the ground state is not ruled out by any known fact, and most especially not by the fact that the universe is in the confined phase.

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“…For the narrower mass range A ,-~103 to i04 amu the limit is 2.10 -17. 14.80.Pb; 29.40.Jz In a previous letter [1] we reported on the results of a search for supermassive nuclei in iron meteorites and some terrestrial samples by Rutherford backscattering of uranium and lead nuclei. No indication of the presence of supermassive isotopes was,observed.…”

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confidence: 97%

Search for supermassive nuclei in nature

Polikanov

Sastri

Herrmann

et al. 1991

Z. Physik A - Hadrons and Nuclei

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We report on a search for supermassive nuclei in nature with masses up to 107 amu. Such exotic nuclei might consist, for example, of stable strange matter, which coinprises a mixture of up, down, and strange quarks, or of relic particles from the early Universe. The experiments are based on Rutherford backscattering of heavy ions, preferably 238U, from various target samples. The measured parameters of a detected particle are its timeof-flight, scattering angle, and specific ionization. From this information the mass of the target nucleus can be inferred. Upper limits for the abundance of strange supermassive nuclei with masses A ~-4-102 to 107 amu relative to the number of nucleons were found to be in the range 10 -11 to 10 -is. For the narrower mass range A ,-~103 to i04 amu the limit is 2.10 -17. 14.80.Pb; 29.40.Jz In a previous letter [1] we reported on the results of a search for supermassive nuclei in iron meteorites and some terrestrial samples by Rutherford backscattering of uranium and lead nuclei. No indication of the presence of supermassive isotopes was,observed. Based on these data upper limits for the abundance of two potential heavy-mass candidates were inferred, viz. for strange matter [2-5] consisting of up-, down-, and strangequarks and for relic particles from the early Universe [6-8]: For strange matter with masses 103 to 107 amu the abundance (relative to the number of nucleons) is less than 10-lO to 10-14, respectively; for relic particles within the same interval of masses the upper limit is 10-21. The limits for the abundance of strange matter are close to its expected concentration in the Earth's crust which was estimated by De Rfijula and Glashow [5] who assumed that strange nuggets produced in collisions of neutron stars can reach the Earth. PACS:In order to improve the experimental limits one can think of at least two possibilities: an increase of the beam intensity used for irradiation of the samples and, more importantly, the use of target samples chemically enriched in strange-matter content. In our more recent experiments, the results of which we present here, both possibilities were realized.The most efficient way of obtaining an enriched sample is to use a target composed of unstable elements (for example technetium, praseodymium, or transuranic elements). There is no reason to expect the stability of strange matter to be correlated with the stability of normal nuclei. Thus, presuming strange matter to be stable, it should exist with all atomic numbers of the periodic table (except possibly for the smallest ones [3~) and notably with those of unstable elements. In this case, strange matter can be chemically extracted from a large amount of bulk material that contains or did contain unstable elements.In 1971, D.C. Hoffman and coworkers [9] published the detection of primordial plutonium in nature. From an initial mineral sample of 85 kg containing about 8.5 kg of bastnasite, a rare earth fluocarbonate mineral, the authors reported to have extracted ,~+0.3 107 atoms "r 0.7 " of ...

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Search for strange matter by Rutherford backscattering

Cited by 32 publications

References 12 publications

Strange quark matter and compact stars

Strange quark matter and compact stars

Fast Pulsars, Strange Stars: An Opportunity in Radio Astronomy

Search for supermassive nuclei in nature

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