Extension of Experiment 756 into the Next Running Period
Prior to E756, no one had ever produced a polarized {Omega}{sup -} beam. Thus the authors first proposed to try the 'standard method'. If the {Omega}{sup -}s were polarized, the experiment was designed to yield an error of less than 0.1 n.m. for the magnetic moment. They proposed to carry out a polarization analysis while data was being taken to determine the course of the experiment. If protons did not produce polarized {Omega}{sup -}s, they had devised alternative methods to produce the desired polarized sample. During the 1987-88 fixed target run, the experiment proceeded as outlined in the proposal. Using a minimal statistically significant sample, they found the polarization of {Omega}{sup -}'s produced directly by protons to be insufficient to accomplish the measurement. This result is in itself a major contribution to the understanding of the phenomena of inclusive hyperon polarization. In addition to the polarization results, this period of the experiment will yield the best measurement of the cascade minus magnetic moment (better than 1%), the best measurement of the weak decay parameter, {alpha}, for both the {Omega}{sup -} and the {Xi}{sup -}, and the best measurement of the lifetime of both the {Omega}{sup -} and the {Xi}{sup -}. From their previous experiments, they knew that a neutral beam produced at an angle was rich in polarized {Lambda}'s and {Xi}{sup 0}'s. Therefore they believed they could produce polarized {Omega}{sup -} via spin transfer from a targeted polarized neutral hyperon beam. They had the flexibility of installing another targeting area and a neutral channel just upstream of their charged hyperon channel. Their neutral beam was the first targeted polarized beam at the Tevatron and one of the few polarized high energy beams anywhere in the world. For the remainder of the fixed target run, about three calendar months, they collected about 20,000 {Omega}{sup -}'s, enough to discover that the {Omega}{sup -}'s were polarized and make the first statistically significant measurement of {mu}{sub {Omega}{sup -}} ({+-}0.2 n.m.). In adidition, measurement sof the {Omega}{sup -} and {Xi}{sup -} spin transfer from the polarized neutral hyperon beam will provide new information for particle production models. The stage is now set to accomplish the primary goal of the E756 proposal, a precise measurement of {mu}{sup {Omega}{sup -}}.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11359
- OSTI ID:
- 1002018
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-PROPOSAL-0800; TRN: US201104%%136
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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