380 research outputs found
Determination of the Axial-Vector Weak Coupling Constant with Ultracold Neutrons
A precise measurement of the neutron decay -asymmetry has been
carried out using polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN) from the pulsed spallation
UCN source at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). Combining data
obtained in 2008 and 2009, we report , from which we determine the ratio of the
axial-vector to vector weak coupling of the nucleon .Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
New result for the neutron -asymmetry parameter from UCNA
The neutron -decay asymmetry parameter defines the correlation
between the spin of the neutron and the momentum of the emitted electron, which
determines , the ratio of the axial-vector to
vector weak coupling constants. The UCNA Experiment, located at the Ultracold
Neutron facility at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, is the first to
measure such a correlation coefficient using ultracold neutrons (UCN).
Following improvements to the systematic uncertainties and increased
statistics, we report the new result which yields . Combination with the previous UCNA result and
accounting for correlated systematic uncertainties produces
and .Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, updated to as-published versio
First direct constraints on Fierz interference in free neutron decay
Precision measurements of free neutron -decay have been used to
precisely constrain our understanding of the weak interaction. However the
neutron Fierz interference term , which is particularly sensitive to
Beyond-Standard-Model tensor currents at the TeV scale, has thus far eluded
measurement. Here we report the first direct constraints on this term, finding
,
consistent with the Standard Model. The uncertainty is dominated by absolute
energy reconstruction and the linearity of the beta spectrometer energy
response
First Measurement of the Neutron -Asymmetry with Ultracold Neutrons
We report the first measurement of angular correlation parameters in neutron
-decay using polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN). We utilize UCN with
energies below about 200 neV, which we guide and store for s in a Cu
decay volume. The potential of a static 7 T field
external to the decay volume provides a 420 neV potential energy barrier to the
spin state parallel to the field, polarizing the UCN before they pass through
an adiabatic fast passage (AFP) spin-flipper and enter a decay volume, situated
within a 1 T, superconducting solenoidal spectrometer. We
determine a value for the -asymmetry parameter , proportional to
the angular correlation between the neutron polarization and the electron
momentum, of .Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Student Satisfaction and Performance in an Online Teacher Certification Program
The article presents a study which demonstrates the effectiveness of an online post baccalaureate teacher certification program developed by a Wisconsin university. The case method approach employing multiple methods and multiple data sources were used to investigate the degree to which pre-service teachers were prepared to teach. It was concluded that the study supports online delivery as an effective means of teacher preparation, but it was limited in the number of students followed into their first year of teaching
Reconstructing the Inflaton Potential---in Principle and in Practice
Generalizing the original work by Hodges and Blumenthal, we outline a
formalism which allows one, in principle, to reconstruct the potential of the
inflaton field from knowledge of the tensor gravitational wave spectrum or the
scalar density fluctuation spectrum, with special emphasis on the importance of
the tensor spectrum. We provide some illustrative examples of such
reconstruction. We then discuss in some detail the question of whether one can
use real observations to carry out this procedure. We conclude that in
practice, a full reconstruction of the functional form of the potential will
not be possible within the foreseeable future. However, with a knowledge of the
dark matter components, it should soon be possible to combine
intermediate-scale data with measurements of large-scale cosmic microwave
background anisotropies to yield useful information regarding the potential.Comment: 39 pages plus 2 figures (upon request:[email protected]), LaTeX,
FNAL--PUB--93/029-A; SUSSEX-AST 93/3-
Search for neutron dark decay: n → χ + e⁺e⁻
In January, 2018, Fornal and Grinstein proposed that a previously unobserved neutron decay branch to a dark matter particle (χ) could account for the discrepancy in the neutron lifetime observed in two different types of experiments. One of the possible final states discussed includes a single χ along with an e⁺e⁻ pair. We use data from the UCNA (Ultracold Neutron Asymmetry) experiment to set limits on this decay channel. Coincident electron-like events are detected with ∼ 4π acceptance using a pair of detectors that observe a volume of stored Ultracold Neutrons (UCNs). We use the timing information of coincidence events to select candidate dark sector particle decays by applying a timing calibration and selecting events within a physically-forbidden timing region for conventional n → p + e⁻ + ν̅_e decays. The summed kinetic energy (E_(e⁺e⁻)) from such events is reconstructed and used to set limits, as a function of the χ mass, on the branching fraction for this decay channel
Clinical disorders affecting mesopic vision
Vision in the mesopic range is affected by a number of inherited and acquired clinical disorders. We review these conditions and summarize the historical background, describing the clinical characteristics alongside the genetic basis and molecular biological mechanisms giving rise to rod and cone dysfunction relevant to twilight vision. The current diagnostic gold standards for each disease are discussed and curative and symptomatic treatment strategies are summarized
- …