Thomas precession and spin

Mark D. Semon

Gaetano Lambiase, G. Papini

We discuss the role of spin-rotation coupling and Thomas precession in the decay of hydrogen-like heavy ions that are injected in a storage ring. We find that the decay curve has a time modulation that vanishes if the magnetic field also disappears. The results can be applied to the recently reported modulation in the decay of the hydrogen-like ions 140Pr58+, 142Pm60+ and 122I52+, where rotation couples to the spins of electron and nucleus. Spin-rotation coupling and Thomas precession also generate oscillations in the decay of a muon bound to a nucleus rotating in a storage ring.

Philippe Martin, Massimiliano Sassoli de Bianchi

The motion of a magnetic spin particle in electromagnetic fields is considered on the basis of general principles of the classical relativistic theory. Alternative approaches in derivation of the equations of charge motion and spin precession, the problem of noncollinearity of the momentum and velocity of a particle with spin, the origin and the meaning of Thomas precession in dynamics of the spin particle are also considered. The correspondence principle in the spin theory is discussed. 1

Julian Schwinger