6533b873fe1ef96bd12d5f5e
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Measurements of relativistic time dilatation for positive and negative muons in a circular orbit
J. H. FieldF. CombleyEmilio PicassoF. LangeH. DrummJ. BaileyW. Von RudenW. FlegelP. M. HattersleyK. BorerF. J. M. FarleyF. Krienensubject
Nuclear physicsPhysicsParticle physicsMultidisciplinaryMuonCPT symmetryTime dilation of moving particlesHigh Energy Physics::ExperimentTime dilationCircular orbitSpecial relativityWeak interactionStorage ringdescription
The lifetimes of both positive and negative relativistic (γ = 29.33) muons have been measured in the CERN Muon Storage Ring with the results τ+ = 64.419 (58) µs, τ− = 64.368 (29) µs The value for positive muons is in accordance with special relativity and the measured lifetime at rest: the Einstein time dilation factor agrees with experiment with a fractional error of 2×10−3 at 95% confidence. Assuming special relativity, the mean proper lifetime for μ− is found to be τ0− = 2.1948(10) µs the most accurate value reported to date. The agreement of this value with previously measured values of τ0+ confirms CPT invariance for the weak interaction in muon decay.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-07-01 | Nature |