Speak of the tauonium
Scientists suggest a hunt for tauonium, a hypothetical number of atom that may encompass a tau lepton and its antimatter counterpart, an antitau, Emily Conover reported in “Tauonium” (SN: 6/29/24, p. 5).
Reader Hal Heaton requested why tauonium could be categorized as an atom, contemplating it wouldn’t have typical atomic options: electrons and a nucleus of protons and neutrons.
Tauonium could be a part of a category known as unique atoms, Conover says. These are just like the usual atoms on the periodic desk however with a minimum of one constituent changed by one other particle. For instance, an electron may be changed with a heavier relative, reminiscent of a muon. Or a neutron may be changed with one other particle, reminiscent of a hyperon, which accommodates a wierd quark.
Within the case of tauonium, a hydrogen atom’s electron is changed with a negatively charged tau lepton, and its proton is changed with a positively charged antitau, Conover says.
Reader Man DeWhitney requested why the article states that scientists need to “search” for tauonium. “Create” or “invent” appear to be extra applicable descriptions, DeWhitney says.
It’s true that tauonium could be created within the course of that scientists suggest. However “invented” is just not fairly correct. Theoretical physicists beforehand got here up with the idea of tauonium, in addition to an outline for the way the atom would behave, Conover says.
A number of readers questioned how secure tauonium could be.
Tauonium would possible decay in a short time, says physicist Yu-Jie Zhang of Beihang College in Beijing. Its estimated common lifetime is about 20 quadrillionths of a second.
The atom’s tau and antitau particles would orbit each other briefly earlier than finally colliding and annihilating each other, releasing power within the course of, Conover says.
