Solid air problem

A key characteristic of Nessie, the monster of Loch Ness, is that although one may be convinced to have accidentally spotted it in the past, whenever one tries to actually characterize the beast, it will categorically refuse to give any sign of existence. EPR spectroscopy has its own equivalent of Nessie, and its name is solid oxygen. Being uninformed of its apparently erratic behavior can easily cost you several months of your productive scientific life, so read on to be prepared for the inevitable encounter. 

FIGURE 3.5 Solid-air EPR. The regular (9.65 GHz) and the parallel-mode (9.36 GHz) X-band spectrum of solidified air at 4.2 K. 

The bottom line whenever you find yourself in the state of exaltation that comes with the putative discovery of a novel and unusual signal, count to ten, wipe the frozen air off the tube, remeasure it, and be prepared to find that your discovery has evaporated. 

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