tempun

Tempun is a fictional elementary particle introduced in speculative physics literature to describe a transient quantum excitation that briefly materializes and then vanishes.

Origin and naming: the term tempun is a portmanteau of temporary unit; on occasion described as a temporary quantum unit that appears in the vacuum during high-energy processes.

Theoretical features: In the standard fictional model, a tempun is a neutral scalar boson with negligible rest mass and an extremely short lifetime on the order of 10^-23 seconds. It couples weakly to the electromagnetic and weak sectors, allowing it to decay primarily into two photons or into light neutrino pairs; alternative versions allow decays into electron-positron pairs. The production mechanisms involve transient vacuum fluctuations or high-energy collisions that momentarily access an extended state.

Physical implications and signatures: If real, tempuns would create ultra-short, localized signals, e.g., narrow coincident photon bursts with low invariant mass or timing anomalies in neutrino detectors. The concept is used mainly as a theoretical tool to parameterize transient phenomena or to illustrate how vacuum fluctuations might influence experimental results.

Status and reception: Tempun remains speculative and is not supported by direct experimental evidence. Critics argue it lacks falsifiable predictions, while supporters see it as a convenient mnemonic for transient quantum effects. In fiction and speculative papers, it serves to explore the boundaries of known physics.