Abstract
In a recent publication1, we presented a new 200 ppm measurement of the vacuum decay rate,λT of orthopositronium (o-Ps) formed in a gas. Our result, λT = 7.0516 ± 0.0013 µs−1, represents a factor of four improvement over previous measurements. Our result is in substantial agreement with experimental results, the most recent of which are2–5: 7.056 ± 0.007 µs−1, 7.045 ± 0.006 µs−1, 7.051 ± 0.005 µs−1, and 7.050 ± 0.013 µs−1. These values are 1–2.5 standard deviations above the present theoretical value6,7 and our new measurement exceeds theory by 10 experimental standard deviations.
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Gidley, D.W., Westbrook, C.I., Conti, R.S., Rich, A. (1987). Precision Measurement of the Triplet Positronium Decay Rate in Gases. In: Humberston, J.W., Armour, E.A.G. (eds) Atomic Physics with Positrons. NATO ASI Series, vol 169. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0963-5_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0963-5_24
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