Observation of non-exponential orbital electron capture decays of hydrogen-like 140Pr and 142Pm ions

Abstract

We report on time-modulated two-body weak decays observed in the orbital electron capture of hydrogen-like 140Pr59+ and 142Pm60+ ions coasting in an ion storage ring. Using non-destructive single ion, time-resolved Schottky mass spectrometry we found that the expected exponential decay is modulated in time with a modulation period of about 7 seconds for both systems. Tentatively this observation is attributed to the coherent superposition of finite mass eigenstates of the electron neutrinos from the weak decay into a two-body final state.