Parity nonconservation and stellar collapse
ACCORDING to the current theory, the evolution of sufficiently massive stars leads eventually to gravitational instability and collapse. After thermonuclear burning has stopped, dense stellar cores become unstable and collapse to form neutron stars (pulsars) or black holes. In both cases energy of the order of 0.1 Mc2 is released, mostly in the form of neutrinos and gravitational waves. As the radius of the core decreases, its magnetic field grows (magnetic flux is conserved) and can reach huge values of order 1012–1013 G. Even greater azimuthal fields (∼3 × 1015 G) can be generated by differential rotation of the core1. It will be shown here that neutrino emission in the collapse is asymmetric, as a result of parity nonconservation in weak interactions. Neutrinos and antineutrinos are emitted preferentially in the direction parallel to the local magnetic field of the collapsing core.
Nuclear β decay with massive neutrino in an external electromagnetic field
beta decay in the presence of an external electromagnetic field is investigated, taking into account the non-zero neutrino rest mass. The spectrum of electrons and polarisation effects of different orientations of nuclear spin are considered. It is shown that the electromagnetic wave substantially modifies the boundaries of the spectrum of beta electrons. The results, which include an analysis of the total decay probability in intense magnetic fields, may have various astrophysical implications.
The effect of continuous exposure to low frequency electric fields on three generations of mice: A pilot study
Mice were allowed to mate, gestate, deliver and rear their offspring for 3 successive generations while being continuously exposed to 60 Hz electric fields. Mice exposed to vertical electric fields exhibited decreased body weights at 35 days postpartum and increased mortality, rates for 3 successive generations. Mice exposed to horizontal electric fields exhibited decreased body weights for 2 successive generations.