Measurement of the neutron lifetime in a gravitational trap and analysis of experimental errors

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics

OSTI ID:135963

Nesvizhevskii, V V; Serebrov, A P; Tal`daev, R R; Kharitonov, A G ^[1]; Alfimenkov, V P; Strelkov, A V; Shvetsov, V N ^[2]

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1. B.P. Konstantinov Institute of Nuclear Physics, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)
2. Joint Institute of Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation)

The authors present measurements of the neutron lifetime ({tau}{sub n}) carried out with a gravitational trap for ultracold neutrons. They show that statistical uncertainty in the measured storage time is the principal contributor to experimental error. Measurements using oxygen-coated traps yield {tau}{sub n} = 888.4 {+-} 3.1{sub stat} {+-} 1.1{sub syst}s. Since the systematic errors derive from a large number of independent factors, they quote a final value of {tau}{sub n} = 888.4 {+-} 3.3 s. 9 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 135963
• Journal Information: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, Vol. 75, Issue 3; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1992; TN: Translated from Zhurnal Eksperimental`noi i Teoreticheskoi Fiziki; 102: No. 3, 740-754(Sep 1992)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
NEUTRONS
LIFETIME