Muon Capture in Nuclei: an Ab Initio Approach Based on Quantum Monte Carlo Methods
- TIFPA-INFN, Trento
- Fermilab
- Old Dominion U.
An ab initio quantum Monte Carlo method is introduced for calculating total rates of muon weak capture in light nuclei with mass number $$A \leq 12$$. As a first application of the method, we perform a calculation of the rate in $^4$He in a dynamical framework based on realistic two- and three-nucleon interactions and realistic nuclear charge-changing weak currents. The currents include one- and two-body terms induced by $$\pi$$- and $$\rho$$-meson exchange, and $$N$$-to-$$\Delta$$ excitation, and are constrained to reproduce the empirical value of the Gamow-Teller matrix element in tritium. We investigate the sensitivity of theoretical predictions to current parametrizations of the nucleon axial and induced pseudoscalar form factors as well as to two-body contributions in the weak currents. The large uncertainties in the measured values obtained from bubble-chamber experiments (carried out over 50 years ago) prevent us from drawing any definite conclusions.
- Research Organization:
- Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11359; AC05-06OR23177
- OSTI ID:
- 1529335
- Report Number(s):
- arXiv:1903.08078; FERMILAB-PUB-19-101-T; JLAB-THY-19-2899; 1725717
- Journal Information:
- TBD, Journal Name: TBD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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