Search for Anomalously Heavy Isotopes of Helium in the Earth’s Atmosphere

P. Mueller, L.-B. Wang, R. J. Holt, Z.-T. Lu, T. P. O’Connor, and J. P. Schiffer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 022501 – Published 13 January 2004

Abstract

Our knowledge of the possible existence in nature of stable exotic particles depends solely upon experimental observation. Using a sensitive laser spectroscopy technique, we searched for a doubly charged particle accompanied by two electrons as an anomalously heavy isotope of helium in the Earth’s atmosphere. The concentration of noble-gas-like atoms in the atmosphere and the subsequent very large depletion of the light He3,4 isotopes allow stringent upper limits to be set on the abundance: 10121017 per atom in the solar system over the mass range of 20–10 000 amu.

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  • Received 18 February 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.022501

©2004 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

P. Mueller1, L.-B. Wang1,2, R. J. Holt1, Z.-T. Lu1, T. P. O’Connor1, and J. P. Schiffer1,3

  • 1Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
  • 2Physics Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
  • 3Physics Department, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA

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Issue

Vol. 92, Iss. 2 — 16 January 2004

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