Proposed measurement of the beta-neutrino correlation in neutron decay

Journal Article · 01 July 2005 · Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/jres.110.060 · OSTI ID:1628763

Collett, B. ^[1]; Anderman, R. ^[2]; Balashov, S. ^[3]; Bateman, F. B. ^[4]; Byrne, J. ^[5]; Dewey, M. S. ^[4]; Fisher, B. M. ^[6]; Goldin, L. ^[7]; Jones, G. ^[8]; Komives, A. ^[9]; Konopka, T. ^[8]; Leuschner, M. ^[10]; Mostovoy, Y. ^[3]; Nico, J. S. ^[4]; Thompson, A. K. ^[4]; Trull, C. ^[6]; Wietfeldt, F. E. ^[6]; Wilson, R. ^[7]; Yerozolimsky, B. G. ^[7]

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1. Hamilton College, Clinton, NY (United States). Physics Dept.; DOE/OSTI
2. Hamilton College, Clinton, NY (United States). Physics Dept.
3. National Research Centre, Moscow (Russian Federation). Kurchatov Institute
4. National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
5. Univ. of Sussex, Brighton (United Kingdom)
6. Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States). Dept. of Physics
7. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States). Physics Dept.
8. Hamilton College, Clinton, NY (United States). Physics Dept.
9. DePauw Univ., Greencastle, IN (United States). Physics Dept.
10. Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States). Cyclotron Facility

Currently, the beta-neutrino asymmetry has the largest uncertainty (4 %) of the neutron decay angular correlations. Without requiring polarimetry, this decay parameter can be used to measure λ (g_a/g_v), test Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) unitarity, limit scalar and tensor currents, and search for Charged Vector Current (CVC) violation. We propose to measure the beta-neutrino asymmetry coeffcient, a, using time-of-flight for the recoil protons. We hope to achieve a systematic uncertainty of σ_a / a ≈ 1.0 %. After tests at Indiana University’s Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS), the apparatus will be moved to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) where the measurement can achieve a statistical uncertainty of 1 % to 2 % in about 200 beam days.

• Research Organization: National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: AI02-93ER40784
• OSTI ID: 1628763
• Journal Information: Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Journal Name: Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 110; ISSN 1044-677X
• Publisher: National Institute of Standards (NIST)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English