Next Generation Experiments To Measure The Neutron Lifetime - Proceedings Of The Workshop

Next Generation Experiments To Measure The Neutron Lifetime - Proceedings Of The Workshop
Author: Susan J Seestrom
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2014-03-28
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9814571687

Download Next Generation Experiments To Measure The Neutron Lifetime - Proceedings Of The Workshop Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

There is a great interest in improving the limits on neutron lifetime to the level of a precision of 0.1 s. The neutron lifetime is both an important fundamental quantity as well as a parameter influencing important processes such as nucleosynthesis (Helium production in the early universe) and the rate of energy production in the Sun.Aiming to create a roadmap of R&D for a next generation neutron lifetime experiment that can be endorsed by the North American neutron community, the focus of the workshop was on experiments using traps that utilize ultracold neutrons and confinement by a combination of magnetic and/or gravitational interaction in order to avoid systematic uncertainties introduced by neutron interactions with material walls. The papers in this volume summarize the limitations of present experiments, the discussion of new experiments in planning stage, and the discussion of systematic effects that must be addressed to achieve a lifetime measurement at an accuracy of 0.1 second.Cover image courtesy of Elena Fernández, Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Precision Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime with UCNr Experiment

Precision Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime with UCNr Experiment
Author: Francisco Gonzalez (Physicist)
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2021
Genre: Beta decay
ISBN:

Download Precision Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime with UCNr Experiment Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Because it lacks an electric charge, the neutron is a useful probe of the electroweak framework of the Standard Model (SM), which describes the process as a particle undergoes radioactive decay. Neutrons are the simplest example of B-decay, which provides a unique suite of tests for fundamental parameters of electroweak theory.The neutron lifetime, rn, can be used in conjunction with its other decay properties to extract Vud. This can then be combined with other particle decays to investigate the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix. By itself, neutron b-decay can be used to study the origins of matter in the universe, and even hunt for new novel decay modes. The UCNr experiment, at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), is the world's most precise measurement of the neutron lifetime. UCNt traps Ultracold Neutrons (UCN) in a bottle of permanent magnets for periods of time longer than the neutron lifetime. This work presents the results of two calendar years of UCNr data taking, resulting in a lifetime with both statistical and systematic uncertainties below 0.3 s. The analysis has utilized new methods to minimize the uncertainties due to backgrounds and initial estimation of the number of trapped UCN. A suite of Monte Carlo simulations, in conjunction with data-driven measurements, have been used to demonstrate the loss rates of UCN in UCNr are below the statistical precision of the experiment. This analysis leads to a blinded lifetime result with uncertainties on rn of -+0.26 +0.21/−0.16s, or a relative precision of 4 x 10−4.

Nuclear Science Abstracts

Nuclear Science Abstracts
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 1166
Release: 1975
Genre: Nuclear energy
ISBN:

Download Nuclear Science Abstracts Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

On the Measurement the Neutron Lifetime Using Ultra-cold Neutrons in a Vacuum Quadrupole Trap

On the Measurement the Neutron Lifetime Using Ultra-cold Neutrons in a Vacuum Quadrupole Trap
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 7
Release: 2004
Genre:
ISBN:

Download On the Measurement the Neutron Lifetime Using Ultra-cold Neutrons in a Vacuum Quadrupole Trap Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

We present a conceptual design for an experiment to measure the neutron lifetime ((almost equal to)882 s) with an accuracy of 10−4. The lifetime will be measured by observing the decay rate of a sample of UCNs confined in vacuum in a magnetic trap. The UCN collaboration at LANL has developed a prototype ultra-cold neutron UCN source that is expected to produce a bottled UCN density of more than 100 UCN/cm3. The availability of such an intense source makes it possible to approach the measurement of the neutron lifetime in a new way. We argue below that it is possible to measure the neutron lifetime to 10−4 in a vacuum magnetic trap. The measurement involves no new technology beyond the expected UCN density. If even higher densities are available, the experiment can be made better and/or less expensive. We present the design and methodology for the measurement. The slow loss of neutrons that have stable orbits, but are not energetically trapped would produce a systematic error in the measurement. We discuss a new approach, chaotic cleaning, to the elimination of quasi-neutrons from the trap by breaking the rotational symmetry of the quadrupole trap. The neutron orbits take on a chaotic character and mode mixing causes the neutrons on the quasi-bound orbits to leave the trap.