Thread: Is the rate of nuclear decay dependent on phase of the moon?

Maybe not the moon, but the sun seems to have some influence.
[1207.5783] Additional experimental evidence for a solar influence on nuclear decay rates

Originally Posted by Useful Idiot

Maybe not the moon, but the sun seems to have some influence.
[1207.5783] Additional experimental evidence for a solar influence on nuclear decay rates

Perhaps, but the paper is quite weak, as pointed out by folks like Norman (http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1208/1208.4357.pdf). For one thing, others have been unable to replicate the results. Jenkins cites data from an experiment in 1986 as support, but embarrassingly of the opposite sign as their own data. That sort of sloppiness undermines one's confidence in the team. I'd love for the effect to be real, but I don't think Jenkins has made the case. I'm betting on a subtle sensitivity of their GM detector to other, perhaps poorly controlled factors. Geiger counters are avalanche-mode devices, and it takes very little to generate spurious pulses (I have been fooled by this problem myself, so I'm sensitive to the possibility). Jenkins et al. were originally trying to generate random numbers based on radioactive decay, so it may be that the team does not have sufficient expertise to operate Geiger counters to the required level.

Originally Posted by tk421

Perhaps, but the paper is quite weak, as pointed out by folks like Norman (http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1208/1208.4357.pdf). For one thing, others have been unable to replicate the results. Jenkins cites data from an experiment in 1986 as support, but embarrassingly of the opposite sign as their own data. That sort of sloppiness undermines one's confidence in the team. I'd love for the effect to be real, but I don't think Jenkins has made the case. I'm betting on a subtle sensitivity of their GM detector to other, perhaps poorly controlled factors. Geiger counters are avalanche-mode devices, and it takes very little to generate spurious pulses (I have been fooled by this problem myself, so I'm sensitive to the possibility). Jenkins et al. were originally trying to generate random numbers based on radioactive decay, so it may be that the team does not have sufficient expertise to operate Geiger counters to the required level.

What do OSU and BNL mean?

OSU = Ohio State University.
BNL = Berkeley National Laboratory.