Strange matter
Odd Matter (English strange matter or Strangelet ) consists of strange particles ( engl. strange particles ). These include the strange quark (of English. Strange, strange ') or the Strange - antiquark, have characterized a strangeness S ≠ 0, and coming on the earth do not exist in a stable form. They are referred to as "strange" because they do not decompose, inter alia through the same power by which they arise.
First of strange particles, the kaon GD Rochester and CC Butler in 1947 observed in cloud chamber photographs of cosmic radiation.
Importance in the Standard Model
According to the standard model of elementary particle physics, the strange quark belongs to the second generation of medium-heavy quarks.
Baryons containing a strange quark, called hyperons and disintegrate under normal conditions in the shortest possible time. Also mesons consist of a quark and an antiquark can, the strange quark included (eg kaons ). Particles with two strange quarks are called doubly strange particles.
Astrophysicists believe that in heavier neutron stars from about 1.5 solar masses under sufficiently large gravitational pressure existing neutrons in their quark constituents decompose ( quark star), wherein one of the two down quarks to transform into a strange quark. Thus neutron stars could be places where Odd Matter can exist stably. For some time, conjectured the neutron star RX J1856 in the constellation Southern Crown as such a candidate, but newer measurements have now disproved this assumption.
Hypothetical properties
According to theoretical considerations might of stable Strange matter is a certain danger out. Then to small amounts of free Strangely absorb matter and normal matter also convert into stable free Odd Matter. It is argued that Odd Matter with increasing mass number are more stable and from a mass of about 1000 protons could be completely stable. According to calculations by Jens Madsen of the University of Aarhus, very small amounts of Strangely matter are too unstable to react with atomic nuclei. Larger quantities with a mass of about 1000 protons on the other hand to produce technically hardly. Calculations of this type are also involved in the risk assessment of modern particle accelerators, such as the Large Hadron Collider, a certain role.
As in nature, so far no evidence has been found on the actual existence of processes in which ordinary matter is transferred by free Odd Matter in stable strange matter, it is generally assumed that in artificial processes is no danger of the artificially generated Strange Matter emanates.
Trivia
In the novel " The crater " by Douglas Preston strange matter plays a significant role and is used there by an alien power as a weapon.