Outstanding experimental results were achieved by the researchers of MTA Atomki in Debrecen. The results are published in the Physical Review Letters.

An electron-positron spectrometer built in Debrecen was used to investigate the angular correlation of electron-positron pairs produced in high-energy nuclear transition. These can be described by a smooth curve. However, in case of 8Be, transition of 18.15 MeV energy, a peak-like difference appeared at large angles.

This difference cannot be explained with the present nuclear physics. The observation might indicate that a low-mass neutral particle was created, which might be a good candidate for the predicted dark photon.

Details: MTA hírei (in Hungarian)

Original publication: Physical Review Letters

Contact: Krasznahorkay Attila scientific advisor (krasznahorkay.attila@atomki.mta.hu)