Relativistic many-body perturbation theory of parity-violation in atoms

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6487608

Das, B P

The present work has been undertaken to obtain a better understanding of the basic forces of nature. The Weinberg-Salam model is the simplest of all the gauge models that attempt to unify electromagnetic and weak interactions. This model predicts the existence of a parity-violating neutral weak interaction between the particles, electrons, protons and neutrons which make up an atom. Experiments based on optical rotation and circular dichroism have been carried out on bismuth, thallium and caesium to detect parity violation in these atoms. The relativistic many-body perturbation theory has been employed to study circular dichroism for the 6s/sub 1/2/ yields 7s/sub 1/2/ transition in atomic caesium and 6p/sub 1/2/ yields 7p/sub 1/2/ transition in atomic thallium. Agreement between the results and experimental results can thus provide valuable information on one of the most crucial questions of elementary particle physics--the validity of the unification of the weak and electromagnetic interactions as put forward by Weinberg and Salam. In order to assess the importance of the electron-electron interactions in the study of parity violation in atomic caesium and thallium, results of the hyperfine studies of these atoms have been used. This is because the parity-violating neutral weak interaction like the hyperfine interaction involves the region near the nucleus. Electron-electron interaction effects amounted to 9% and 35% of the zero-order contribution in caesium and thallium respectively.

• Research Organization: State Univ. of New York, Albany (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6487608
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640302* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory
645200 -- High Energy Physics-- Particle Interactions & Properties-Theoretical
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ALKALI METALS
ATOMS
BISMUTH
CESIUM
DICHROISM
ELECTRON-ELECTRON INTERACTIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
INTERACTIONS
INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES
LEPTON-LEPTON INTERACTIONS
MANY-BODY PROBLEM
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
P INVARIANCE
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
PARTICLE MODELS
PERTURBATION THEORY
THALLIUM
UNIFIED GAUGE MODELS
WEINBERG-SALAM GAUGE MODEL