Search for superfluidity in solid hydrogen

A torsional oscillator study of solid para-hydrogen has been carried out down to 20 mK in a search for evidence of superfluidity. We found evidence of a possible phase transition, marked by an abrupt increase in the resonant period of oscillation and onset of extremely long relaxation times as the temperature was raised above 60 mK. In contrast to solid He4, the change in the period for para-hydrogen is not a consequence of irrotational superflow. The long relaxation times observed suggest the effect is related to the motion of residual ortho-hydrogen molecules in the solid.