0000000000177789
AUTHOR
Charles Horowitz
Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of Pb208 through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering
We report a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry A_{PV} in the elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from ^{208}Pb. We measure A_{PV}=550±16(stat)±8(syst) parts per billion, leading to an extraction of the neutral weak form factor F_{W}(Q^{2}=0.00616 GeV^{2})=0.368±0.013. Combined with our previous measurement, the extracted neutron skin thickness is R_{n}-R_{p}=0.283±0.071 fm. The result also yields the first significant direct measurement of the interior weak density of ^{208}Pb: ρ_{W}^{0}=-0.0796±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm^{-3} leading to the interior baryon density ρ_{b}^{0}=0.1480±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm^{-3}. The measurement accurately co…
Measuring the surface thickness of the weak charge density of nuclei
The present PREX-II and CREX experiments are measuring the rms radius of the weak charge density of $^{208}$Pb and $^{48}$Ca. We discuss the feasibility of a new parity violating electron scattering experiment to measure the surface thickness of the weak charge density of a heavy nucleus. Once PREX-II and CREX have constrained weak radii, an additional parity violating measurement at a momentum transfer near 0.76 fm$^{-1}$ for $^{208}$Pb or 1.28 fm$^{-1}$ for $^{48}$Ca can determine the surface thickness.
Weak charge and weak radius of C12
We present a feasibility study of a simultaneous subpercent extraction of the weak charge and the weak radius of the $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ nucleus using parity-violating electron scattering, based on a largely model-independent assessment of the uncertainties. The corresponding measurement is considered to be carried out at the future MESA facility in Mainz with ${E}_{\mathrm{beam}}=155\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}$. We find that a combination of a 0.3% precise measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry at forward angles with a 10% measurement at backward angles will allow to determine the weak charge and the weak radius of $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ with 0.4% and 0.5% precision, respectiv…
r -process nucleosynthesis: connecting rare-isotope beam facilities with the cosmos
This is an exciting time for the study of r-process nucleosynthesis. Recently, a neutron star merger GW170817 was observed in extraordinary detail with gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation from radio to gamma rays. The very red color of the associated kilonova suggests that neutron star mergers are an important r-process site. Astrophysical simulations of neutron star mergers and core collapse supernovae are making rapid progress. Detection of both, electron neutrinos and antineutrinos from the next galactic supernova will constrain the composition of neutrino-driven winds and provide unique nucleosynthesis information. Finally FRIB and other rare-isotope beam facilities will s…
Weak Polarized Electron Scattering
Scattering polarized electrons provides an important probe of the weak interactions. Precisely measuring the parity-violating left-right cross section asymmetry is the goal of a number of experiments recently completed or in progress. The experiments are challenging, since A_{LR} is small, typically between 10^(-4) and 10^(-8). By carefully choosing appropriate targets and kinematics, various pieces of the weak Lagrangian can be isolated, providing a search for physics beyond the Standard Model. For other choices, unique features of the strong interaction are studied, including the radius of the neutron density in heavy nuclei, charge symmetry violation, and higher twist terms. This article…
New Measurements of the Transverse Beam Asymmetry for Elastic Electron Scattering from Selected Nuclei
We have measured the beam-normal single-spin asymmetry $A_n$ in the elastic scattering of 1-3 GeV transversely polarized electrons from $^1$H and for the first time from $^4$He, $^{12}$C, and $^{208}$Pb. For $^1$H, $^4$He and $^{12}$C, the measurements are in agreement with calculations that relate $A_n$ to the imaginary part of the two-photon exchange amplitude including inelastic intermediate states. Surprisingly, the $^{208}$Pb result is significantly smaller than the corresponding prediction using the same formalism. These results suggest that a systematic set of new $A_n$ measurements might emerge as a new and sensitive probe of the structure of heavy nuclei.
Neutron skins of atomic nuclei: per aspera ad astra
The complex nature of the nuclear forces generates a broad range and diversity of observational phenomena. Heavy nuclei, though orders of magnitude less massive than neutron stars, are governed by the same underlying physics, which is enshrined in the nuclear equation of state. Heavy nuclei are expected to develop a neutron-rich skin where many neutrons collect near the surface. Such a skin thickness is strongly sensitive to the poorly-known density dependence of the symmetry energy near saturation density. An accurate and model-independent determination of the neutron-skin thickness of heavy nuclei would provide a significant first constraint on the density dependence of the nuclear symmet…
Model-dependence of the γZ-dispersion correction to the proton's weak charge
We analyze the dispersion correction to elastic parity violating electron-proton scattering due to γZ exchange and theoretical uncertainties associated with this correction. The new Standard Model prediction for the weak charge of the proton in the kinematics of the Q-Weak experiment, QWp = (0.0767±0.0008±0.0020γZ), the latter error being dominated by the uncertainty in the isospin structure of the inclusive cross-section.