g ~ JL Ji

A Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Established by E L. N. ichols in 1893

.
VOI. 59, No. 3 FEBRUARY 1, 19&1 SECOND SERIES

Variation of the Rate of Decay of Mesotrons with Momentum

BRUNo RossI* AND DAvID B. HALL
University of Chicago, Chicago, I/linois
(Received December 13, 1940)

In order to determine the dependence of the probability of decay on momentum, mesotrons

with range between 196 and 311 g/cm' of lead and mesotrons with range larger than 311 g/cm'
of lead were investigated separately. The softer group of mesotrons was found to disintegrate at
a rate about three times faster than the more penetrating group, in agreement with the theo-
retical predictions based on the relativity change in rate of a moving clock. A new value of the
proper lifetime of mesotrons of (2.4+0.3) &(10 ' sec. is determined, based upon measurements
with particles with momentum of approximately 5 &&10' ev/c.

INTRQDUcTIQN traveling in the atmosphere. No appreciable

number of mesotrons, however, will disintegrate
ECENT experiments on the variation of
within a condensed absorber, even equivalent in
cosmic-ray intensity with altitude have
mass to the whole thickness of the atmosphere,
shown that the rate of decrease of the mesotron
because the time required for the traversal of
component with increasing atmospheric depth
such an absorber is very short compared with the
cannot be accounted for completely by ordinary
lifetime of mesotrons.
ionization losses. It has been established, namely,
A simple relativistic consideration shows that
that the number of mesotr'ons is much more
if the absorption anomaly of mesotrons is due to
strongly reduced by a layer of air than by a layer
spontaneous decay it must be more pronounced
of condensed material which is equivalent to the
for mesotrons of low energy than for mesotrons of
air layer with regard to ionization losses. ' '
high energy. In fact, let ro be the "proper life-
The anomalous absorption in air is interpreted
time" of mesotrons; i.e. , the lifetime measured
on the hypothesis that mesotrons disintegrate
in a frame of reference in which the mesotron is at
spontaneously with a proper lifetime of the order
rest, and r the lifetime measured in a frame of
of a few microseconds. According to this as-
reference in which the mesotron is moving with a
sumption, a considerable fraction of the mesotron
velocity p. ' Then
beam will disappear by disintegration while
r = ro/(1 —p')'*
*Now at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
' B. Rossi, N. Hilberry and J. B. Hoag, (a) Phys. Rev. and the "average range before decay" L; i.e. , the
56, 837 (1939); and (b) Phys. Rev. 5'7, 461 (1940).
'W. M. Nielsen, C. M. Ryerson, L. W. Nordheim and average distance traveled by the mesotrons be-
K. Z. Morgan, Phys. Rev. 5'7, 158 (1940). fore disintegrating, becomes
' M. Ageno, G. Bernardini, N. B. Cacciapuoti, B,
Ferretti and G. C. Wick, Phys. Rev. SV, 945 (1940).
4 H.
V. Neher and H. G. Stever, Phys. Rev. 58, 766
L = pr = prp/p,
(1940). ' We shall use throughout the paper the system of units
~ A, Ehmert, Zeits. f. Physik 115, 333 (1940). described by B. Rossi, Phys. Rev. 57, 660 (1940).
223
224 B. ROSS I AN D D. B. HALL
buted to the decay, or an increasing function, as
the anomaly attributed to the polarization.
An attempt to determine the rates of decay of
mesotrons of different momenta has been re-
I
I
ported by Nielsen, Ryerson, Nordheim and
Morgan. ' Mesotron groups of different average
l
a

10 ?0 30,; '';;. '

FIG. 1. Expen-
momentum were selected by taking the difference
between the intensities of the mesotron beam
menta1 arrange-
ment. after filtration through various thicknesses of
/ / / / /// /// /
// // // // //
I I
//
/
// //
lead. By this method, however, it is hardly
possible to reach a sufhcient accuracy, since the
gg STEEI / r I
Q~ 1 ~ / difference is small compared with the quantities
~ IRON

/ // //
/f

//'
I

/
//
// // // // //
/p
directly measured. In our experiments the sta-
tistical precision was greatly improved by meas-
EZ LEAD
uring the difference directly; i.e. , by recording
only mesotrons which can traverse a given thick-
ness of lead but are stopped by a certain ad-
where p is the mass and p=pP/(1 — P')'* is the ditional absorber.
momentum of the mesotrons. The probability of
decay per centimeter path is obviously 1/L. It is EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
seen that the average range is directly pro- The experimental arrangement is schematically
portional, and the probability of decay inversely represented in Fig. 1. The Geiger-Muller counter
proportional, to the momentum. tubes were of the self-quenching type. Their
The experiments described in the present internal diameter was 4 cm and their effective
paper were primarily designed to test the de- lengths were as follows: counters A, j3, C and B,
pendence of disintegration probability on mo- 27 cm; counter D, 20 cm; counters F, 60 cm. The
mentum expressed by Eq. (2). The purpose was five counters F and the two counters 8 were all
to provide an additional check of the disintegra- connected in parallel. The counter battery I"
tion hypothesis and simultaneously to verify the covered completely the solid angle subtended by
relativistic transformation formula for time inter- counters A, 8, C and D. In order to cut off' the
vals. Further experimental evidence on the sub- soft component, 5 cm of lead was permanently
ject of the decay was particularly desirable in placed above counter A and 10 cm of lead be-
view of Fermi's recent theory showing that the tween counters 8 and C. Including the material
energy losses of fast particles in condensed of the frame, the permanent absorber above or
materials are appreciably reduced by the dielectric between counters A, 8, C and D was equivalent
polarization of the medium. ' According to this in absorption power to 186 g/cm' of lead, while
theory even stable mesotrons are absorbed by that between D and I' was equivalent to 10
gases more strongly than by solid or liquid g/cm' of lead Counte. rs A, 8, C and D were pro-
materials of the same mass per cm'. The diR'er- tected on the side by lead walls 11.5 cm thick.
ence in absorption due to polarization increases An additional lead absorber Z of 115 g/cm' could
with increasing mesotron momentum; i.e. , varies
be introduced between D and Ii and an absorber
oppositely from the difference due to decay. The
S made of iron plates could be arranged above the
polarization eR'ect, as calculated by Fermi, was
apparatus so as to cover the whole solid angle
quantitatively inadequate to account for the
subtended by counters A, 8, C and D. The
experimental results already obtained. Yet it was
apparatus was set up in a moving van which
interesting to investigate whether the observed
could be taken to different altitudes on mountain
absorption anomaly was a decreasing function of
the mesotron momentum, as the anomaly attri- roads. The whole system, except for the absorber
S, was enclosed in a thermostatic box.
~ E. Fermi, Phys. Rev. 57, 485 (1940). By means of an appropriate vacuum-tube
 DECAY OF M ESOTRONS 225

circuit, the following events were simultaneously number of anticoincidences, which is not neces-
recorded: (1) Fivefold coincidences between sarily the same with and without the absorber.
counters A, 8, C, D and one of counters F or B Since, however, only slow mesotrons are ap-
(coincidences [ABCD(E+F)j); (2) coincidences preciably scattered as well as absorbed, the
between counters A, B, C and D not accompanied difference in the number of anticoincidences due
by a pulse either of counters F or of counters E to scattering is a small and constant fraction of
(anticoincidences [ABCD (E+— F)]). The co- the difference in the number of anticoincidences
j
incidences [ABCD(E+F) were mainly caused due to absorption. Thus, the difference between
by mesotrons going through counters A, 8, C, D the number of anticoincidences recorded with
and F. After entering the apparatus; i.e. , after and without lead in Z is proportional, if not
crossing the surface indicated by a in Fig. 1, accurately equal, to the number of mesotrons
these mesotrons had to traverse 196 g/cm' of lead which traverse 10 g/cm' of lead and are absorbed
when there was no absorber in Z, or 311 g/cm' of by 125 g/cm2 of lead between D and F. These
lead when 115 g/cm' of lead were placed in Z. mesotrons are those which enter the apparatus
Chance coincidences were negligible and coinci- with a residual range between 8, = 196 and
dences due to air showers were certainly rare on Ay=311 g/cm' of lead.
account of the heavy lead shield at the side of the
counters. Coincidences caused by ionization THE MEASUREMENTS
showers generated by mesotrons in the various
Measurements were taken alternately at
absorbers could not introduce any error because
Denver, Colorado, and at Echo Lake, approxi-
they were a small and constant fraction of the
mately 30 miles west of Denver. The geomagnetic
coincidences caused directly by mesotron trav-
latitude is practically the same (49' N) for both
ersals. Thus, one is justified in taking the
locations. The difference in altitude is 1624 m.
j
counting rate [ABCD(E+F) as a measure of
The difference in atmospheric pressure, as meas-
the number N of mesotrons entering the appa-
ured during the experiments, was 108 mm Hg,
ratus with a residual range larger than the total
equivalent to 147 g/cm'.
amount of matter present above or between the
The measurements at Echo Lake were per-
counters.
formed partly with an iron absorber of 200 g/cm'
Anticoincidences [ABCD (E+F)] coul— d be
in S and partly without this absorber. No iron
accounted for by one of the following events.
absorber was used at Denver. Three complete
(a) A mesotron has traversed A, B, C and D and sets of measurements were carried out at Denver
has been stopped between D and F. (b) A meso-
and two at Echo Lake. The deviations of the
tron has gone through A, 8, C, D and F, but the
single readings from the averages were within the
counter battery F has failed to detect it for lack
statistical fluctuations. The final results are
of eSciency. (c) A chance coincidence between
summarized in Table I. The errors given are the
pulses of counters A, 8, C and D has occurred.
standard statistical deviations.
(d) A mesotron has traversed counters A, B, C
and D, but has been scattered through a wide TABLE I. Summary of the measurements at Denver and
angle so as to miss the counter battery F. Echo Lake. PABCD(E+F) j and fABCD —(E+F)j are the
numbers of coincidences and anticoincidences per minute.
The stopping of mesotrons between D and F 6 is the difference between the numbers of anticoincidences
(case (a)) is certainly the main origin of the per minute recorded with and without 11$ g/cm' of lead in Z.
The errors are the standard statistical deviations.
anticoincidences recorded with lead in Z, which
are, as we shall see, several times more frequent ABSORBER
tABCD [ABCD
than those recorded without lead. The events LOCATION
a/CM~ TIME
S(Fe) Z(Pb) MIN. X(E+X)) -(E+~)]
described under (b) and (c) are about equally Denver
a=1616 m 0 0 3384 5.16+0.048 0.091+0.0052 0.276
frequent with and without the absorber Z. The h =856 g/cm'I,
0 115 6783
' 4.79+0.027 0.367&0.0074 &0.009
scattering (case (d)) may contribute a small 0 0 308 6.87&0.15 0.15 &0.02
Echo Lake 0 115 1469 6.49&0.066 0.68 &0.021 &0.03
' This was not always the case for the experimental
g=3240 m
A=709 g/cm~ ',
200 0 2846 5.73+0.045 '. 0.119&0.0064 0.394
arrangements previously used. See the discussion on 200 115 5362 5.43&0.032 0.513%0.0098 &0.012
p. 464, reference 1(b).
226 B. ROSS I AN D D. B. HALL
According to the discussion in the foregoing transferable energy, and I=13.5 ev (this ex-
section, the counting rates fABCD(E+F)] with pression differs by a factor 1/P frnm the expres-
115 g/cm' of lead in Z can be taken as a measure sion for the energy loss). A correction has to be
of the number N of mesotrons entering the applied to account for the polarization eRect
apparatus with a residual range larger than pointed out by Fermi. The correction, however,
—
Rq 311 g/cm' of lead, while the figures listed is very small for the mesotron momenta in which
under 6 can be taken as a measure of the number we are interested. According to some recent
n of mesotrons entering the apparatus with a calculations of Halpern and Hall, it is of the
residual range between R =196 and Rb —311 order of 2 percent for iron and of 3 percent for
g/cm' of lead. lead. ' Numerical integration of the equation for
Let N~, N~' and N2 be the values of N at Echo the momentum loss yields the range as a function
Lake under 200 g/cm' of iron, at Echo Lake of the momentum. The ranges R, = 196 g/cm' of
without the iron absorber and at Denver without lead and Rq= 311 g/cm of lead, which define the
the iron absorber, respectively. Let n&, n&' and n2 mesotron groups considered in the present ex-
be the corresponding values of n. Considering periments, are thus found to correspond to the
first the measurements taken without the iron momenta P, =3.1X10' and Pb=4 5X10.' ev/c,
absorber, we have respectively. Mesotrons reaching Denver with
—0.082&0.005 momenta equal to p. and pb had momenta equal
n&'/N&' n~/N2=0. 058&0.002.
to 5.9&(10' and 7.3)&10', respectively, at the
It appears that the fractional number of slow altitude of Echo Lake. For mesotrons with
mesotrons increases rapidly with altitude, in momentum between 3.1X10' and 7.3X10' ev/c
agreement with the results of the absorption the ratio between momentum losses per g/cm' of
measurements in carbon by Rossi, Hilberry and air and of iron is very nearly a constant and
Hoag. ' Because of a possible eRect of scattering equal to 1.23. Thus, as far as collision losses are
on the determination of n, the above figures concerned, 200 g/cm' of iron is approximately
cannot be trusted to represent accurately the "
equivalent to 147 g/cm2 of air. Consequently, if
absolute values of the ratios nr'/Nq' and the mesotrons were stable, one should observe
n2/N2. However, the ratios between values of the same mesotron intensity at Echo Lake under
[ABCD(E+F)] or 6 at diff'erent depths should 709 g/cm' of air plus 200 g/cm' of iron as at
not be appreciably affected by scattering or by Denver under 856 g/cm' of air alone. This
other disturbing effects. Thus we have applies to the mesotron band between 3.1)&10'
—0.883 w0. 007 —0.698&0.031 and 4.5 X 10'ev/c as well as to the whole mesotron
N&/N& n&/n&
spectrum above 4 5X10S ev/c.
Nm/Ng' —0.738&0.009 ng/ng' &0. 035.
—
0 520—
Our experimental results show that both N and
where the actual errors should not exceed the n are larger at Echo Lake under the iron absorber
statistical errors indicated. than at Denver without this absorber. The
diRerence is accounted for by the decay of
DrscUssroN mesotrons on their way down from 3240 m to
In order to discuss our experimental results, we 1616 m. Let us define the probability of survioal
need a relation between ranges and momenta for m~2 between two elevations z~ and s2 as the
mesotrons. The momentum loss due to collision is ' See O. Halpern and H. Hall, Phys. Rev. 5'7, 459 (1940).
We are greatly indebted to the authors for kindly com-
given by the Bethe-Bloch formula rnunicating to us the numerical results of their calcula-
tions, which are not yet published.
W pp' ' The thickness of the iron absorber is actually slightly
——
dp
=2~ro'NZp,
1
log —+1 —P', (3) larger than it should be. When the experiments were
dx P' PZ'(1 —P') performed, the results of Halpern and Hall on the polariza-
tion eEect were not yet available and previous calculations
where ro is the classical radius of the electron, N had given a larger correction for this effect (see reference
(7)). However, both the coincidences $A B CD(E+ F) J
the number of atoms per cm', Z the atomic and the anticoincidences PABCD —(E+F) change so
j
number, p, the rest energy of the electron, P the slowly with the thickness of the absorber S, that it is
hardly necessary to apply any correction to the experi-
velocity of the mesotron, W the maximum mental results.
 DECAY OF M ESOTRONS 227

TABLE II.
Comparison behveen various determinations of meaning:
the average range before decay I.
from measurements on the
absorPtion anomaly for vertical mesotrons; z1is the elevation
of the higher station, p2 the momentum of the recorded meso- p = (p2+ah2)
trons, p the effective momentum. The data of Rossi and Hall —hg)
for p2&3.0)&IO' ev/c have been obtained from Table I, p2+a(h2 h2
adding the counting rates fABCD(P+F)j and )ABCD X 1+log Iog- (5)
—(E+F)$. This sum represents the number of mesotrons P2 h1
vtIith range &186 g/cm' of lead.
Here &1 and h2 are the atmospheric depths at the
Z1 PS I. elevations s1 and s2, p2 is the momentum of
ME- 108 10s 10& COMPENSATING
AUTHQRs TERS EV/C EV/C CM AHsoRBER mesotrons at s2 and a is the momentum loss per
Rossi et al. t 4300
3240
)2.
&2.
5
5
)3.3
&3.3
9.4~0.9 carbon above
9.9 +1.2 the counters
"
g/cm' of air. The momentum p is intermediate
1616
180
&2.5
&2.5
&3.3
&2.5
9.5 +1.7
9.4 +1.6 between the initial momentum p~ = pm+a(hm — hr)
Nielsen et al. z 2040 &1.8 5)3. 6.2 +0.5 carbon above and the final momentum p2. We shall refer to it
2040 &3.5 &5.3 8.9 +1.2 the counters as the effective momentum
2040 &5.9 &7.8 15.1 +3.5
2040 1.8 ~3.5 3.5 ~5.3 2.45 Let us first consider the experimental results
2040 3.5 -+5.9 5.3 -+7.8 2.26
Ageno et al. 3 3460 &2.2 )4. 5 31+5 lead between
the counters
concerning mesotrons which have residual mo-
menta between 3.1 X 10 and 4.5 X 10' ev/c at the
Rossi and Hall 3240 )3.
0 )4.3 12.3+0.6 iron above the lower elevation. The corresponding effective
3240 .&4.5 &5.8 13.3 +0.9 counters
3240 3.1 ~4.5 4.4 ~5.8 4.5 +0.6 momenta are 4.4X10s and 5.8X10 ev/c and we
may take 5.0X10' ev/c as an average. For this
mesotron group the experimental value of the
probability that a mesotron present at the
probability of survival between 3240 and 1616 m
higher level s1 does not disintegrate before
is m~~ — 0.698&0.031, and therefore L = (4.5&0.6)
reaching the lower level s2. Then w» —n2/nl
X 105 cm. It then follows from (2): ro/u
=0.698 is the experimental value for the average =(907&1 3) X10 ' cm c/ev and accordingly,
probability of survival between s1 —3240 m and taking u = 8 X 10'ev/c', ro (7.2 &0——
.9) X 10' cm/c,
s'2 — 1616 m of the mesotrons which reach z2 with '
or ~0 (2.4&— —0.3) X 10 sec. We shall next con-
momenta between p, and pz, and W]2 X2/NJ sider the continuous mesotron spectrum which
=0.883 is the corresponding value for the meso- reaches 1616 m with a residual momentum larger
trons which reach s2 with momenta larger than than 4.5X10~ ev/c. The probability of survival
pt, . One sees that +12 is much smaller than %12, for this mesotron group is W12 —0.883, and if
which shows that slow mesotrons disintegrate at we take Eq. (4) as an experimental definition of
a much faster rate than the more energetic ones. I
we get L= (13.3&0.9) X10' cm. Assuming
This result is in agreement with the predictions 7p=2. 4&10 sec. , we then caIculate formally,
based upon the disintegration hypothesis (see from Eq. (2), P=1.5X10 ev/c. This momentum
Eq. (2)) and alfords strong support to the should represent a sort of average effective
hypothesis itself. For a mono-energetic group of momentum for the mesotron group considered.
mesotrons, the probability of decay has a very The value P =1.5X10' ev/c is quite compatible
simple theoretical expression, provided the with our present knowledge of the momentum
momentum loss in the air layer between s1 and s2 spectrum of mesotrons. "
Thus, while a quanti-
can be neglected. In this case, Eq. (2) gives tative proof of Eq. (2) is still wanting, its ap-
—(si proximative
— validity may be considered as
log uti2 ——
s2) /I. . (4) established.
It is convenient to use Eq. (4) as a definition of L In evaluating the experimental results we have
also when the momentum loss cannot be neg- only considered mesotrons coming in the vertical
lected. It can easily be proved that is still I. direction. As a matter of fact, our experimental
related to the lifetime 7.0 by an expression of the arrangement was strongly selective for vertical
type of Eq. (2) "This follows immediately, for instance, from Eq. (14)
of the paper "The disintegration of mesotrons" by B.
(2) Rossi, Rev. Mod. Phys. 11, 296 (1939).
"Cf., e.g. , P. M. S. Blackett, Proc. Roy. Soc. A159, 1
where, however, p has now the following (1937); D. J. Hughes, Phys. Rev. SV, 592 (1940).
228 B. ROSS I AN D D. B, HALL
mesotrons, but detected also mesotrons coming removed from the beam by scattering, and this
in directions inclined up to an angle of almost may have reduced the magnitude of the ab-
45'. The inclined mesotrons travel a longer sorption anomaly due to decay. We may add
distance and have on that account a smaller that the results recently obtained by Neher and
probability of survival than the vertical ones. Stever4 with an ionization chamber, concerning
The increase in the path length, however, is mesotrons coming in all directions, agree better
partially compensated by an increase in the with our present results and with those of Rossi,
eRective momentum. Thus the correction is not Hilberry and Hoag and of Nielsen, Ryerson,
large and can be disregarded at the present state Nordheim and Morgan than with the results of
of the experimental accuracy. Ageno, Bernardini, Cacciapuoti, Ferretti and
Wick.
COMPARISON %'ITH PREVIOUS RESULTS
CQNcLUsIQN
Table II summarizes the data on the mesotron
The experiments described have shown, in
decay which can be deduced from the measure-
agreement with previous results, that the number
ments so far reported on the absorption anomaly
of cosmic-ray mesotrons is more strongly reduced
for vertical mesotrons. L is calculated, according
by a layer of air than by a dense absorber
to Eq. (4), from the experimental values of the
equivalent to the air layer with regard to
probability of survival. The results of Nielsen,
ionization losses. The indication from earlier
Ryerson, Nordheim and Morgan on the mesotron
experiments" that the diRerence in stopping
groups with p2 from 1.8&(10' to 3.5 &(10' ev/c and
power between air and condensed materials
from 3.5X10' to 5.9&(10' ev/c are not accurate
increases when the mesotron momentum is
enough for a quantitative comparison with our
decreased has been definitely established. This
data on the mesotron group with P2 from 3.1 ~ i0'
result verifies a theoretical prediction based upon
to 4.5X10' ev/c. No other measurements on se-
the disintegration hypothesis, thus confirming
lected groups of mesotrons are available. All the
the view that the absorption anomaly is caused
remaining data in Table II refer to mesotrons for
by spontaneous decay of mesotrons in the
which only the lower limit of the momentum is
atmosphere. A value of the proper lifetime
defined. A comparison between these data is not
7 p = 2.4)& 10 ' sec. is deduced from measurements
straightforward because L depends not only on
on a fairly monokinetic group of mesotrons.
the minimum effective momentum p;„of the
We are greatly indebted to Professor A. H.
mesotrons recorded, but also on the shape of the
Compton for discussions of the problem and for
momentum spectrum, which is probably diRerent
the encouragement given to this work. We also
at different altitudes. One may expect, however, to Professor J. C.
express our appreciation
an approximate correlation to exist between the
Stearns of Denver University for his friendly
values of p;„and L in the various experiments.
collaboration, and to Professor N. Hilberry and
Table II shows that this is actually the case if we
Mrs. Jane E. Hamilton for their valuable assist-
exclude the measurements of Ageno, Bernardini,
ance throughout the experiments. To the Willet
Cacciapuoti, Ferretti and Wick, who found a
Company for making available for two months a
value of L much larger than that determined by suitable truck, to the Denver City Parks for
other authors for nearly the same value of p;„. their helpful cooperation and to the Carnegie
The reason for the disagreement is not com- Institution of Washington for financial support,
pletely clear. It may be noted that Ageno and we wish to express our sincere gratitude. One of
collaborators used a lead absorber placed between us (B. R.) acknowledges with thanks the financial
the counters to compensate for the difference in support granted to him by the Committee in aid
atmospheric depth between the higher and the of Displaced Foreign Scholars.
lower station. With this arrangement an ap- "See reference 2. Also M. A. Pomerantz, Phys. Rev.
preciable number of mesotrons may have been 57', 3 (1940).