Why a splitting in the final state cannot explain the GSI-Oscillations

Abstract

In this paper, I give a pedagogical discussion of the GSI anomaly. Using two different formulations, namely the intuitive Quantum Field Theory language of the second quantized picture as well as the language of amplitudes, I clear up the analogies and differences between the GSI anomaly and other processes (the Double Slit experiment using photons, $e^{+}{e}^{-}\to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ scattering, and charged pion decay). In both formulations, the conclusion is reached that the decay rate measured at GSI cannot oscillate if only Standard Model physics is involved and the initial hydrogen-like ion is no coherent superposition of more than one state (in case there is no new, yet unknown, mechanism at work). Furthermore, a discussion of the Quantum Beat phenomenon will be given, which is often assumed to be able to cause the observed oscillations. This is, however, not possible for a splitting in the final state only.

10 pages, 3 figures; matches published version (except for some stylistic ambiguities)

References in corpus (11)

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Cited by in corpus (12)

• Heavy-Ion Storage Rings and Their Use in Precision Experiments with Highly Charged Ions
• High-resolution measurement of the time-modulated orbital electron capture and of the ${\beta }^{+}$ decay of hydrogen-like ${}^{142}$Pm${}^{60+}$ ions
• Nearly degenerate heavy sterile neutrinos in cascade decay: mixing and oscillations
• New Test of Modulated Electron Capture Decay of Hydrogen-Like ${}^{142}$Pm Ions: Precision Measurement of Purely Exponential Decay
• Neutrino effects in two-body electron-capture measurements at GSI
• Neutrino magnetic moment effects in electron-capture measurements at GSI
• GSI anomaly and spin-rotation coupling
• Is the GSI anomaly due to neutrino oscillations? - A real time perspective -
• Neutrino signals in electron-capture storage-ring experiments
• Neutrino oscillations in the front form of Hamiltonian dynamics
• Anomalies in weak decays of H-like ions
• Time as a dynamical variable in quantum decay