A new way to explain the 511 keV signal from the center of the Galaxy and experimental search for small hydrogen

Abstract

The first detected gamma-ray line originating from outside the solar system is the 511 keV emission from the center of our Galaxy. The widely accepted explanation attributes this signal to electron-positron annihilation. However, despite over 30 years of extensive theoretical and observational research, the primary sources of these positrons remain unidentified. In this paper, we propose an alternative explanation: the observed signal arises from atomic transitions involving a small hydrogen atom, where an electron is captured into a tightly bound orbit around a proton. We review the current status of experimental searches for small hydrogen, both in astrophysical data and laboratory experiments, and propose new methods for its direct detection in the lab. Additionally, we explore whether small hydrogen could be a candidate for dark matter.