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The hypothesis that proximity to the Sun causes variation of decay constants at permille level has been tested and disproved. Repeated activity measurements of mono-radionuclide sources were performed over periods from 200 days up to four decades at 14 laboratories across the globe. Residuals from the exponential nuclear decay curves were inspected for annual oscillations. Systematic deviations from a purely exponential decay curve differ from one data set to another and are attributable to instabilities in the instrumentation and measurement conditions. The most stable activity measurements of alpha, beta-minus, electron capture, and beta-plus decaying sources set an upper limit of 0.0006% to 0.008% to the amplitude of annual oscillations in the decay rate. Oscillations in phase with Earth’s orbital distance to the Sun could not be observed within a 10−6 to 10−5 range of precision. There are also no apparent modulations over periods of weeks or months. Consequently, there is no indication of a natural impediment against sub-permille accuracy in half-life determinations, renormalisation of activity to a distant reference date, application of nuclear dating for archaeology, geo- and cosmochronology, nor in establishing the SI unit becquerel and seeking international equivalence of activity standards.

Claims that proximity to the Sun causes variation of decay constants at permille level have been investigated for alpha decaying nuclides. Repeated decay rate measurements of 209 Po, 226 Ra, 228 Th, 230 U, and 241 Am sources were performed over periods of 200 d up to two decades at various nuclear metrology institutes around the globe. Residuals from the exponential decay curves were inspected for annual oscillations. Systematic deviations from a purely exponential decay curve differ in amplitude and phase from one data set to another and appear attributable to instabilities in the instrumentation and measurement conditions. The most stable activity measurements of α decaying sources set an upper limit between 0.0006% and 0.006% to the amplitude of annual oscillations in the decay rate. There are no apparent indications for systematic oscillations at a level of weeks or months. Oscillations in phase with Earth's orbital distance to the sun could not be observed within 10 −5 -10 −6 range precision.

Claims that proximity to the Sun causes variations of decay constants at the permille level have been investigated for beta-minus decaying nuclides. Repeated activity measurements of 3 H, 14 C, 60 Co, 85 Kr, 90 Sr, 124 Sb, 134 Cs, 137 Cs, and 154 Eu sources were performed over periods of 259 d up to 5 decades at various nuclear metrology institutes. Residuals from the exponential decay curves were inspected for annual oscillations. Systematic deviations from a purely exponential decay curve differ in amplitude and phase from one data set to another and appear attributable to instabilities in the instrumentation and measurement conditions. Oscillations in phase with Earth's orbital distance to the Sun could not be observed within 10 −4 -10 −5 range precision. The most stable activity measurements of β − decaying sources set an upper limit of 0.003%-0.007% to the amplitude of annual oscillations in the decay rate. There are no apparent indications for systematic oscillations at a level of weeks or months.

The hypothesis that seasonal changes in proximity to the Sun cause variation of decay constants at permille level has been tested for radionuclides disintegrating through electron capture and beta plus decay. Activity measurements of 22

We present the results of an experimental comparative study of the 40,48 Ca resonance spectra between 6 and 12 MeV. The power of the heavy ion reaction 40,48 Ca( 86 Kr, 86 KrЈ) 40,48 Ca* at 60 MeV per nucleon was exploited to enhance greatly the low energy part of inclusive spectra in order to look for the possible presence of a low energy dipole mode in 48 Ca due to a neutron skin. We did not observe any difference in the lϭ1 channel and therefore found no evidence of this mode. In the lϭ2 channel, an important excess of strength was observed in 40 Ca compared to 48 Ca. ͓S0556-2813͑99͒05306-6͔