The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of time dilation as it relates to muon decay and their detection on Earth. Participants explore the implications of muon half-life, the effects of speed on their decay, and the experimental evidence supporting or challenging these concepts.
Participants express differing views on the implications of muon decay rates and the validity of the 2.2μs half-life in the context of time dilation. There is no consensus on the interpretation of experimental results or the necessity of a specific number of muons for detection.
Some limitations include the dependence on the assumptions about muon production rates and decay in different frames, as well as the unresolved nature of the experimental results regarding the half-life measurement.
Many thanks. Your reference to test at altitude would be of great interest. I have found predictions based on time dilation but so far have not found actual tests. If you had a more specific reference for me that would be appreciated.Ibix said:You are correct that the simple arrival of muons at the Earth's surface doesn't tell you anything. However, if you assume that their half life is 2.2μs in our frame then you are making predictions about the numbers you would expect to see at different altitudes (and their production rate in the upper atmosphere, which would need a very good explanation), which can be tested. We have done tests at different altitudes (see the experimental basis for SR sticky thread at the top of this forum) and the decay rates don't support a 2.2μs half life when measured in our frame.