A new experiment aimed at measuring strong nuclear interaction, which connects protons and neutrons, revealed unexpected results. The experiment indicated that our theoretical base, even in relation to simple nuclear systems, is still not well developed enough.
When the Helia-4 nucleus is excited (consisting of two protons and two neutrons), the core expands until one of the protons is disconnected. Recent experiments have shown that the real expansion significantly exceeds theoretical predictions. Such an expansion parameter, known as a form factor, is 2 times more than theoretically expected.
Authors advised scientists to repeat old experiments using modern, more precise tools. As a result of the work, the team found that none of the theories corresponds to experimental data. The most accurate was the model using a simplified idea of nuclear interaction.
Many groups of scientists plan to repeat the calculations of the authors of the experiment and find out the cause of the error. There is a possibility that including a larger number of parameters in the approximate description of nuclear power will provide an answer. However, there is also a chance that an experiment with helium nuclei revealed a critical mistake in the conventional sense of nuclear interaction.
The discrepancy between the experimental data and theoretical forecasts may require adjustments or even a reconsideration of the current theoretical models of nuclear interactions. Additionally, the expansion of the core is associated with the “compressibility” of nuclear matter, which can provide insights into what occurs in the hearts of neutron stars.
Furthermore, the understanding of nuclear forces and their properties is important not only for nuclear physics but also for cosmology, particularly in the study of the early universe and the phenomenon of large explosions.