International researchers confirm η′-meson nuclei formation and mass decrease in nuclear matter
Updated
Updated · news.inbox.eu · Apr 21
International researchers confirm η′-meson nuclei formation and mass decrease in nuclear matter
10 articles · Updated · news.inbox.eu · Apr 21
The experiment was conducted at Germany's Helmholtz Center using high-energy proton beams and advanced detectors from Sweden to analyze carbon nuclei.
Lead author Ryōhei Sekiya reports that the data show clear signatures of η′-meson nuclei and a significant mass reduction of the η′-meson inside nuclear matter.
These findings offer new insights into how matter acquires mass and the transformation of vacuum structure, with future research aiming for more precise measurements and further confirmation of η′-meson nuclei existence.
Has science finally found the true origin of mass, hiding inside the atom's core?
With a key US collider now closed, will Europe lead the race to unravel mass?
What happens to a particle's mass when it's trapped inside an atomic nucleus?
Could this finding be the first clue to unlocking a hidden 'supersymmetry' in nature?
Is the 'nothingness' of space actually the source of all the matter we see?
First Experimental Confirmation of η′-Mesic Nuclei Reveals 60 MeV Mass Reduction Inside Carbon Nuclei
Overview
In 2024, researchers at GSI successfully created η′-mesic nuclei by directing a high-energy proton beam at a carbon-12 target, producing η′ mesons that became bound within the nucleus. Using a novel coincidence technique combining the high-resolution FRS spectrometer and the WASA detector, they precisely detected forward-moving deuterons and backward high-energy protons, revealing clear energy peaks that confirmed the formation of these exotic states. Crucially, the data showed the η′ meson's mass decreases by about 60 MeV/c² inside the nucleus, caused by partial restoration of fundamental symmetries in the dense nuclear environment. This discovery, published in Physical Review Letters, offers new insights into the strong force, mass origin, and plans for advanced measurements and detector upgrades are underway to deepen this understanding.