Led by Stefano Bellucci of INFN-Frascati and Fabio Cardone of ISMN-CNR, the study revealed that even nanosecond-long bursts of ultrasound at 2.25 MHz can cause measurable alterations in nuclear behavior. The key signal came from the 14.4 keV emission of iron-57, where the decay curve showed clear deviations from standard expectations.
"These changes occur after less than one percent of a single ultrasound wave cycle," said Bellucci. "It suggests that under certain conditions, space-time itself becomes distorted in ways that allow new nuclear processes to unfold."
The DST theory holds that at specific energy thresholds, space-time can deviate from its normal geometry, allowing alternative nuclear interactions to emerge. One explanation proposed by the researchers is that ultrasonic stress generates microscopic cavities-called Ridolfi cavities-which serve as miniature nuclear reactors. Within these, cobalt-57 atoms may undergo transformations bypassing classical radioactive decay channels.
Unlike traditional decay governed by the weak nuclear force, these alternative processes could involve the strong nuclear interaction-normally off-limits in such low-energy conditions. This two-channel decay model offers a fresh lens for reexamining long-held assumptions in nuclear physics.
The researchers also point to similarities with earlier DST experiments involving thorium-228 and nickel-63, where similar ultrasonic effects drastically lowered radioactivity. In the cobalt-57 study, long-lasting metric changes and unusual field couplings were recorded-features the team links to the "Mignani mimicry" phenomenon predicted by DST.
"This challenges the idea that decay rates are untouchable constants," said Cardone. "If external fields can deform space-time, it reshapes how we think about nuclear stability and even causality."
The researchers are now designing experiments to determine whether ultrasound speeds up natural decay or causes a fundamentally different type of nuclear transformation. One proposed test involves real-time radiation monitoring during sonication. According to Bellucci, "If more radiation appears, we're seeing accelerated decay. If not, we're witnessing something entirely new."
This work could impact not only nuclear physics but also cosmology and field theory-areas where space-time, matter, and energy may interact in far more dynamic ways than previously thought.
Research Report:On anomalous radioactive decay according to the energy metrics formalism in the Deformed Space-Time (DST) theory
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