Given the choice of three different ‘spin’ orientations, certain particles emerging from collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), an atom smasher, appear to have a preference. Recent results reveal a preference in global spin alignment of particles called phi mesons. Conventional mechanisms — such as the magnetic field strength or the swirliness of the matter generated in the particle collisions — cannot explain the data. But a new model that includes local fluctuations in the nuclear strong force can.
Click here for original story, Data reveal a surprising preference in particle spin alignment
Source: ScienceDaily