SEARCH FOR NON-PAULIAN TRANSITIONS IN NA-23 AND I-127

A new search of non-paulian nuclear processes, i.e. processes normally forbidden by the Pauli exclusion principle, was carried out by determ ining an improved upper limit for the spontaneous emission rate of pro tons in Na-23 and I-127. A large set-up of highly radiopure NaI(TI) cr ystals was employed; it was placed deeply underground at the Gran Sass o National Laboratory of I.N.F.N. The upper limit on the unit time pro bability of non-paulian emission of protons with energy E-p greater th an or equal to 10 MeV is lambda less than or equal to 4.6 . 10(-33)s(- 1). The corresponding limit on the relative strength (delta(2)) for th e searched non-paulian transitions has been estimated to be delta(2) l ess than or similar to 1.0 . 10(-54). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.