Title: Limit on Tensor Currents from ${}^8\mathrm{Li}$ $\beta$ Decay

Abstract

In the standard model, the weak interaction is formulated with a purely vector-axial-vector ($$V\text{-}A$$) structure. Without restriction on the chirality of the neutrino, the most general limits on tensor currents from nuclear $${\beta}$$ decay are dominated by a single measurement of the $${\beta}\text{-}\overline{{\nu}}$$ correlation in $$^{6}\mathrm{He}$$ $${\beta}$$ decay dating back over a half century. In the present paper, the $${\beta}\text{-}\overline{{\nu}}\text{-}{\alpha}$$ correlation in the $${\beta}$$ decay of $$^{8}\mathrm{Li}$$ and subsequent $${\alpha}$$-particle breakup of the $${^{8}\mathrm{Be}}^{*}$$ daughter was measured. The results are consistent with a purely $$V\text{-}A$$ interaction and in the case of couplings to right-handed neutrinos ($${C}_{T}={-}{C}_{T}^{{'}}$$) limits the tensor fraction to $$|{C}_{T}/{C}_{A}{|}^{2}<0.011$$ (95.5% C.L.). Finally, the measurement confirms the $$^{6}\mathrm{He}$$ result using a different nuclear system and employing modern ion-trapping techniques subject to different systematic uncertainties.

Authors:

Sternberg, M. G. ^[1]; Segel, R. ^[2]; Scielzo, N. D. ^[3]; Savard, G. ^[4]; Clark, J. A. ^[5]; Bertone, P. F. ^[5]; Buchinger, F. ^[6]; Burkey, M. ^[4]; Caldwell, S. ^[4]; Chaudhuri, A. ^[7]; Crawford, J. E. ^[6]; Deibel, C. M. ^[8]; Greene, J. ^[5]; Gulick, S. ^[6]; Lascar, D. ^[9]; Levand, A. F. ^[5]; Li, G. ^[10]; Perez Galvan, A. ^[5]; Sharma, K. S. ^[11]; Van Schelt, J. ^[4] more »; Yee, R. M. ^[12]; Zabransky, B. J. ^[5] « less

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics; Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division; Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Physics
2. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
3. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Physical and Life Sciences Directorate
4. Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics; Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division
5. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division
6. McGill Univ., Montreal, QC (Canada). Dept. of Physics
7. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division; Univ. of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB (Canada). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
8. Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Joint Inst. for Nuclear Astrophysics
9. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division
10. McGill Univ., Montreal, QC (Canada). Dept. of Physics; Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division; Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON (Canada)
11. Univ. of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB (Canada). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
12. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering; Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Physical and Life Sciences Directorate

Publication Date:

Wed Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015

Research Org.:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); McGill Univ., Montreal, QC (Canada)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

OSTI Identifier:

1461748

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1224572

Report Number(s):

LLNL-JRNL-702436
Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007; 836386; TRN: US1902035

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC52-07NA27344; AC02-06CH11357; 216974

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Physical Review Letters

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 115; Journal Issue: 18; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007

Publisher:

American Physical Society (APS)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS