Searching for elusive tetraneutrons with thermal fission Tokyo Tech Physicists

The possible emission rate of particle tetraneutron, a 4 neutron system whose existence has been talk of the town with in the scientific group, has been investigated bt physicists from Tokyo Tech. They viewed into tetraneutron emission from thermal fission of ²³⁵U by irradiating a sample of ⁸⁸SrCo₃ in a nuclear research reactor and via y ray spectroscopy.

Physicists from Tokyo Institute of Technology head by Associate Professor Hiroyuki Fujioka have hop on an innovation into the presence of a hitherto hypothetical atomic nucleus composed lonely by 4 neutrons, dubbed the tetraneutron. The elusive tetraneutron if look could challenge traditional understanding of nuclear forces and reveal horizons in nuclear physics.

Scientists believe that experimental observation of a tetraneutron could be the main point to search new features of atomic nuclei and answering the traditional queries. Can a charge neutral multineutron system exist?

Two latest experimental studies show the presence of tetraneutrons in bound state and resonant state. Theoretical studies indicate that tetraneutrons will not presence in a bound state if the interaction between neutrons are managed by common understanding of two or three nuclear forces.

This puzzle has increase scientific curiosity making the hunt for tetraneutrons a compelling chapter in nuclear physics.

To search the potential for tetraneutron emission the team opt to focus on the thermal neutron induce fission of Uranium 235. This method has 0.2 percent chance of producing ternary fission, a method used to emit tetraneutrons as an incidental by product. The experiment sticked on neutron activation research using SrCO as a aim which exposed to neutron bombardment in a nuclear reactor.

Hiroyuki Fujioka from Tokyo Institute of technology set out to search the feasibility of bound tetraneutron emission.

Dr Fujioka told “Our study showed that the instrumental neutron activation method in radiochemistry can be applied to address the open question in nuclear physics. We will improve the further to look for elusive charge neutral system.”

The team was not able to search bound tetraneutron, their work has based a framework for future studies on the elusive tetraneutrons and such systems.

The expectation is that if tetraneutrons were emitted they would convert Sr nuclei into Sr and their existence would explore through the radioactive decay and emission of gamma rays. The experiment did not show gamma rays indicative of Sr formation a very low emission rate fro tetraneutron if they presence at all.

The analystes remain optimistic. They have firm sure that enhancement in sample purity and sensitivity allow for the search of tetraneutrons in the future studies. This work not yielding the want result contributes to ongoing search for elusive tetraneutrons and clear the test for discovery in nuclear physics.