%0 Journal Article
%T Experimental Evidence for Variability in Planck¡¯s Constant
%A Richard A. Hutchin
%J Optics and Photonics Journal
%P 124-137
%@ 2160-889X
%D 2016
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/opj.2016.66015
%X Annual variations of 1000 - 3000 ppm (peak-to-valley) have been observed
in the decay rates of 8 radionuclides over a 20 year span by six organizations
on three continents, including beta decay (weak interaction) and alpha decay
(strong interaction). In searching for a common cause, we hypothesized that
small variations in Planck¡¯s constant might account for the observed
synchronized variations in strong and weak decays. If so, then h would be a
maximum around January-February of each year and a minimum around July-August
of each year based on the 20 years of radioactive decay data. To test this
hypothesis, a purely electromagnetic experiment was set up to search for the
same annual variations. From Jun 14, 2011 to Jan 29, 2014 (941 days), annual
variations in tunneling voltage through 5 parallel Esaki tunnel diodes were
recorded. It found annual variations of 826 ppm peak-to-valley peaking around
Jan 1. These variations lend support to the hypothesis that there is a gradient
in h of about 21 ppm across the Earth¡¯s orbit.
%K Planck¡¯s Constant
%K Variable Radioactive Decay Rate
%K Variable Plank¡¯s Constant
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=67879