Alphairons

Alphairons are hypothetical elementary particles proposed in certain speculative theories as carriers of a proposed "alpha charge." The name combines alpha with ion, signaling a charged particle with ion-like behavior. There is no experimental evidence for alphairons, and they are not part of the Standard Model.

In these frameworks, alphairons could be fermions or bosons depending on the model and would interact with a new gauge field associated with the alpha charge. They are expected to couple weakly to ordinary matter to satisfy experimental constraints, while potentially forming bound states with nuclei or contributing to a dark-sector population. Some scenarios imagine alphairons as mediators of a fifth force that operates alongside gravity and electromagnetism, with a range set by the alphairon's mass or the properties of the new interaction.

Predicted properties vary across models, but common themes include a mass range spanning from sub-eV to GeV scales, a small coupling strength to standard particles, and production mechanisms in high-energy collisions or early-universe processes. If they exist, alphairons could leave signals in precision measurements, rare decays, or direct-detection experiments, though no consistent signal has been observed.

Overall, alphairons remain a speculative construct with limited theoretical consensus or empirical support. They are discussed primarily in theoretical or fiction contexts and are used as an example of how new charges and forces could extend current physics.