A viable superluminal hypothesis: Tachyon emission from orthopositronium

Tachyons are hypothetical particles that travel faster than the vacuum speed of light. Previous experiments have searched for, but have not found evidence of tachyons. Long-standing, anomalous measurements of the orthopositronium (o-Ps) decay rate are interpreted as evidence for two tachyons being occasionally emitted when o-Ps decays. Restricting the coupling of tachyon pairs to a single photon (no tachyon coupling to matter) yields a new theory where tachyons are only observed in o-Ps decay and not in the previous tachyon experiments. Combining the single photon coupling theory with all previous experiments predicts that these tachyons must deposit energy while traversing scintillator detectors. A new tachyon search experiment will use this energy loss prediction to attempt to find tachyons passing through the apparatus or set limits disproving the original o-Ps to tachyon hypothesis. Viewing an intense o-Ps source, a time-of-flight spectrometer uses the superluminal property of tachyons for identification. Several months of continuous data acquisition will be necessary to completely eliminate the o-Ps to tachyon hypothesis. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87640/2/1119_1.pd

Energy-dependent Ps-He momentum-transfer cross section at low energies

Positronium (Ps)-He scattering presents one of the few opportunities for both theory and experiment to tackle the fundamental interactions of Ps with ordinary matter. Below the dissociation energy of 6.8 eV, experimental and theoretical work has struggled to find agreement on the strength of this interaction as measured by the momentum-transfer cross section (Ïm). Here, we present work utilizing the Doppler broadening technique with an age-momentum correlation apparatus. This work demonstrates a strong energy dependence for this cross section at energies below 1 eV and is consistent with previous experimental results

Thermalization of Positronium in Gases

The thermalization of positronium ( Ps) formed at a few eV in gases is investigated using timeresolved, Doppler broadening measurements of the annihilation photons. Magnetic quenching permits energy measurements about 40 ns after Ps is formed in H 2 , N 2 , He, Ne, Ar, isobutane, and neopentane. The thermalization rate is measured by changing the gas density, and a classical elastic scattering cross section and a Ps formation energy are determined. The impact of Ps thermalization on decay rate experiments using gases is also discussed. [S0031-9007(98) PACS numbers: 36.10. Dr, 34.50.Bw, 78.70.Bj Collisions between normal gas atoms and the exotic atom positronium (Ps, positron-electron bound state) are interesting and unique because Ps is so light relative to its target. Hence Ps, formed at typically a few eV in most gases, will thermalize very slowly if elastic scattering is the only available energy loss mechanism. In the elastic case, the fractional energy loss per collision is only of order m͞M ϳ 10 24 (m is the Ps mass, M is the atomic/molecular mass.) The low energy Ps-atom collision is also inherently quantum mechanical in nature since the de Broglie wavelength of Ps below 1 eV is greater than 9 Å, larger than the classical geometric atomic size. Moreover, it was recognized early [1] that cross section calculations must include the polarization/Van der Waals interaction and electron exchange. These features apparently complicate the calculations of cross sections, done presently including the exchange interaction for only oneand two-electron systems scattering Ps (H: [2]; H 2 : [3]; He: Positronium as a scattering probe offers a unique experimental advantage since its annihilation into two photons provides a mechanism for determining its velocity and hence the rate of thermalization and the momentum transfer cross section ͑s m ͒ for gas targets. Previous measurements of Ps thermalization in gases In this Letter, we report the measurement of Ps thermalization rates, formation energies, and momentum transfer cross sections in purely gaseous target using time-resolved Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy (DBS). In this complementary technique to ACAR, the Doppler broadening of the back-to-back annihilation photons observed in a single high-resolution Ge detector is a measure of the longitudinal momentum of the annihilating Ps. Timing information as well as DBS is derived from the Ge detector signal, enabling the direct correlation between age and energy of the Ps to be determined. The rate of thermalization and the average formation energy of Ps can then be determined. The gases used in this investigation include He, H 2 , and Ar for comparison to the theoretical calculations The thermalization rate of Ps in a noble gas was calculated 30 years ago by Sauder [14], under the assumption of classical elastic scattering, i.e., an energy-independent cross section for energy loss (momentum transfer) s m which was interpreted as the classical geometrical atomic cross section. If Ps is formed at only a few eV, below the 5.1 eV threshold for excitation of the Ps or the noble gas ͑.10 eV͒ and slow enough to avoid collisional dissociation, Sauder's elastic model may be appropriate. The Ps kinetic energy E͑t͒, as it asymptotically approaches thermal energy, E th , is given by where b is related to the average initial energy E 0 of Ps that can eventually thermalize: coth 2 b E 0 ͞E th . G is 0031-9007͞98͞80(17)͞3727(4)$15.0

The Social Structure of the Market for Force

Over the past two decades, governments have increasingly contracted private military and security companies (PMSCs) to support military operations in conflicts. However, many observers have argued that such companies are ‘greedy market actors’ or ‘reckless mercenaries’ and their level of performance very poor. A minority has defended them as security professionals. If market competition is present, the level of performance is high and positive contributions to the client’s military operation can be expected. However, neither PMSC opponents nor proponents can account for the variance in the level of performance in three crucial cases – Sierra Leone, Iraq, and Afghanistan. This article argues that different market structures explain this variance. At least three ideal configurations exist: collaborative, competitive, and rival structures. These structures influence the level of performance. PMSC performance levels are expected to decrease from the first configuration, being positive, to the last, being negative