A recent discovery at CERN’s ISOLDE nuclear physics facility has brought us closer to realizing a highly accurate nuclear clock. An international team led by Sandro Kraemer successfully observed the radiative decay of thorium-229 isomer, a critical component in creating a nuclear clock. This achievement represents a significant milestone in the race to build a clock that could potentially surpass the precision of existing atomic clocks.
The Thorium-229 Isomer and Nuclear Clocks
Nuclear clocks are an emerging field of research that aim to leverage the unique properties of atomic nuclei to create timekeeping devices with unprecedented accuracy. At the heart of this endeavor is the thorium-229 isomer, a metastable state of the thorium-229 nucleus that has a remarkably long half-life and a low-energy transition.
Observing the Radiative Decay
The recent breakthrough by the international team at CERN’s ISOLDE facility involved the successful observation of the radiative decay of the thorium-229 isomer. This observation is a critical step towards the development of a nuclear clock, as it helps to better understand the properties and behavior of this elusive nuclear state.
Potential Applications and Implications
The development of a nuclear clock with improved precision compared to atomic clocks could have far-reaching implications. Potential applications include advancements in geodesy, navigation, and the testing of fundamental physics theories, such as the search for variations in the fine-structure constant over time.