A Quantitative Reconciliation Model for Neutron Lifetime Measurements

This paper presents a quantitative model addressing the long-standing discrepancy between neutron lifetime measurements obtained via ultra-cold neutron (UCN) bottle experiments and proton-beam experiments. We identify two plausible experimental systematics: (1) temperature-dependent quasi-elastic scattering from Fomblin-coated bottle walls, which explains the scatter among UCN experiments, and (2) systematic bias in linear backscattering extrapolation in NIST proton-beam measurements, which accounts for the outlier. Using publicly available data, we perform six independent consistency checks and show that, after applying these corrections, all measurements converge to a consistent neutron lifetime of approximately 878.0 ± 0.5 seconds. The model includes falsifiable predictions for future experiments (temperature sweeps, BL2/BL3 analysis, and cross-facility bottle tests) and is fully compatible with the Standard Model, CKM unitarity, and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. This work frames the resolution as a testable reconciliation rather than a definitive closure, inviting experimental validation.