Eur. Phys. J. A (2000) 8: 137-140
https://doi.org/10.1007/s100500070128

Is the weak interaction constant really constant?

Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, B. Cheremushkinskaya 25, 117259, Moscow, Russia

^* e-mail: barabash@vxitep.itep.ru

Received: 24 February 2000
Published online: 15 May 2000

Abstract

A comparison is made of the probability of the process of two neutrino double-beta decay for ⁸²Se and ⁹⁶Zr in direct (counter) and geochemical experiments. The experimental data for ¹³⁰Te are also analyzed. It is shown that the probability is systematically lower in geochemical experiments, which characterize the probability of ββ(2ν) decay a few billions years ago. In addition geochemical measurements on young minerals give lower values of T _1/2(¹³⁰Te) as comparedto measurements on old minerals. It is proposed that this could be due to a change in the weak interaction constant with time. The possibilities of new precise measurements to be performed with the aid of counters and geochemical experiments are discussed. A new geochemical experiment with ¹⁰⁰Mo is proposed.