1,006 research outputs found
Search for the Neutron Decay n X+ where X is a dark matter particle
In a recent paper submitted to Physical Review Letters, Fornal and Grinstein
have suggested that the discrepancy between two different methods of neutron
lifetime measurements, the beam and bottle methods can be explained by a
previously unobserved dark matter decay mode, n X+ where X
is a dark matter particle. We have performed a search for this decay mode over
the allowed range of energies of the monoenergetic gamma ray for X to be a dark
matter particle. We exclude the possibility of a sufficiently strong branch to
explain the lifetime discrepancy with greater than 4 sigma confidence.Comment: 6 pages 3 figure
Status of the UCNÏ„ experiment
The neutron is the simplest nuclear system that can be used to probe the structure of the weak interaction and search for physics beyond the standard model. Measurements of neutron lifetime and β-decay correlation coefficients with precisions of 0.02% and 0.1%, respectively, would allow for stringent constraints on new physics. The UCNτ experiment uses an asymmetric magneto-gravitational UCN trap with in situ counting of surviving neutrons to measure the neutron lifetime, τ_n = 877.7s (0.7s)_(stat) (+0.4/−0.2s)_(sys). We discuss the recent result from UCNτ, the status of ongoing data collection and analysis, and the path toward a 0.25 s measurement of the neutron lifetime with UCNτ
Measurement of the neutron lifetime using an asymmetric magneto- gravitational trap and in situ detection
The precise value of the mean neutron lifetime, , plays an important
role in nuclear and particle physics and cosmology. It is a key input for
predicting the ratio of protons to helium atoms in the primordial universe and
is used to search for new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle
physics. There is a 3.9 standard deviation discrepancy between
measured by counting the decay rate of free neutrons in a beam (887.7 2.2
s) and by counting surviving ultracold neutrons stored for different storage
times in a material trap (878.50.8 s). The experiment described here
eliminates loss mechanisms present in previous trap experiments by levitating
polarized ultracold neutrons above the surface of an asymmetric storage trap
using a repulsive magnetic field gradient so that the stored neutrons do not
interact with material trap walls and neutrons in quasi-stable orbits rapidly
exit the trap. As a result of this approach and the use of a new in situ
neutron detector, the lifetime reported here (877.7 0.7 (stat) +0.4/-0.2
(sys) s) is the first modern measurement of that does not require
corrections larger than the quoted uncertainties.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 2 table
Search for the Neutron Decay n → X + γ, Where X is a Dark Matter Particle
Fornal and Grinstein recently proposed that the discrepancy between two different methods of neutron lifetime measurements, the beam and bottle methods, can be explained by a previously unobserved dark matter decay mode, n → X + γ. We perform a search for this decay mode over the allowed range of energies of the monoenergetic γray for X to be dark matter. A Compton-suppressed high-purity germanium detector is used to identify γrays from neutron decay in a nickel-phosphorous-coated stainless-steel bottle. A combination of Monte Carlo and radioactive source calibrations is used to determine the absolute efficiency for detecting γ rays arising from the dark matter decay mode. We exclude the possibility of a sufficiently strong branch to explain the lifetime discrepancy with 97% confidence
Search for the Neutron Decay \u3cem\u3en\u3c/em\u3e → \u3cem\u3eX\u3c/em\u3e+\u3cem\u3eγ\u3c/em\u3e, Where \u3cem\u3eX\u3c/em\u3e is a Dark Matter Particle
Fornal and Grinstein recently proposed that the discrepancy between two different methods of neutron lifetime measurements, the beam and bottle methods, can be explained by a previously unobserved dark matter decay mode, n → X+γ. We perform a search for this decay mode over the allowed range of energies of the monoenergetic γ ray for X to be dark matter. A Compton-suppressed high-purity germanium detector is used to identify γ rays from neutron decay in a nickel-phosphorous-coated stainless-steel bottle. A combination of Monte Carlo and radioactive source calibrations is used to determine the absolute efficiency for detecting γ rays arising from the dark matter decay mode. We exclude the possibility of a sufficiently strong branch to explain the lifetime discrepancy with 97% confidence
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