Abstract
FLUCTUATIONS of intensity, as a function of time, from an extended radio (or optical) source arise from the random phase relation between the many oscillators generating the signal. In a similar way fluctuations of a nuclear reaction cross-section1, as a function of energy, arise from the random (energy) phase of the amplitudes of the many compound nucleus resonances which participate in the reaction. The connexion between these two phenomena can be seen most clearly by considering the cross-correlation of intensity fluctuations observed by two receivers (or two counters in the nuclear case).
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ericson, T., Adv. Phys., 9, 426 (1960).
Hanbury-Brown, R., and Twiss, R. Q., Phil. Mag. (7), 45, 663 (1954). Born, M., and Wolf, E., Principles of Optics, 509 (Pergamon Press, 1959), discuss the ‘intensity interferometer’ as a special case of partial coherence.
Brink, D. M., Stephen, R. O., and Tanner, N. W. (submitted to Nuclear Physics).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
TANNER, N., BRINK, D. Fluctuations in Radio Astronomy and Nuclear Reactions. Nature 201, 806–807 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/201806a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/201806a0
This article is cited by
-
Statistical fluctuation analysis of the26Mg(3He, ?)25Mg reaction
Il Nuovo Cimento B Series 10 (1968)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.