Nature 310, 212 - 213 (19 July 1984); doi:10.1038/310212a0

Constraints on the neutron lifetime from triton decay

J. Byrne

School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9QH, UK

The empirical data on triton - decay, ³H³He+e^-+v~_e have been analysed with regard to their implications for neutron decay, np+e^-+v~_e. The latter process is a primary source of information on weak interactions in the nucleonic sector¹; it also has a central role in big-bang cosmology^2,3 and in nuclear astrophysics in relation to the solar neutrino problem⁴. Unfortunately, the absolute rate of neutron decay is rather uncertain⁵. The Particle Data Group has recommended the value _n = 92511 s for the neutron lifetime⁶, based on two direct measurements^7,8 which are in close accord, but barely consistent with the value _n = 90511 s derived from directional correlation data on polarized and unpolarized neutron decay⁹⁻¹¹, and the comparative half lives of pure Fermi mirror transitions^12,13. A third direct measurement has given the value _n = 87711 s (ref. 14), which is totally at variance with all other evidence. We suggest here that the triton data exclude values of _n outside the range 91110s, and deduce a weighted mean value _n = 9146 s.

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