Precision Measurement of the π+→e+νe Branching Ratio in the PIENU Experiment

The PIENU experiment at TRIUMF aims to measure the branching ratio of the pion decay modes Rπ=[π+→e+νe(γ)]/[π+→μ+νμ(γ)] with precision of <0.1%. Precise measurement of Rπ provides a stringent test of electron-muon universality in weak interactions. The current status of the PIENU experiment and future prospects are presented

Improved Search for Heavy Neutrinos in the Decay π→eν\pi\rightarrow e\nu

A search for massive neutrinos has been made in the decay $\pi\rightarrow e^+ \nu$. No evidence was found for extra peaks in the positron energy spectrum indicative of pion decays involving massive neutrinos ($\pi\rightarrow e^+ \nu_h$). Upper limits (90 \% C.L.) on the neutrino mixing matrix element $|U_{ei}|^2$ in the neutrino mass region 60--135 MeV/$c^2$ were set, which are %representing an order of magnitude improvement over previous results

Status of the TRIUMF PIENU Experiment

The PIENU experiment at TRIUMF aims to measure the pion decay branching ratio $R={\Gamma}({\pi}^+{\rightarrow}e^+{\nu}_e({\gamma}))/{\Gamma}({\pi}^+{\rightarrow}{\mu}^+{\nu}_{\mu}({\gamma}))$ with precision $<0.1$% to provide a sensitive test of electron-muon universality in weak interactions. The current status of the PIENU experiment is presented.Comment: Talk presented CIPANP2015. 8 pages, LaTeX, 4 eps figure

Estimate of B(K -> pi nu nubar) from Standard Model fits to lambda_t

We estimate B(K -> pi nu nubar) in the context of the Standard Model by fitting for lambda_t = Vtd x V*ts of the `kaon unitarity triangle' relation. We fit data from epsilon_K, the CP-violating parameter describing K-mixing, and a_{psi K}, the CP-violating asymmetry in B -> J/psi K decays. Our estimate is independent of the CKM matrix element Vcb and of the ratio of Bs to Bd mixing frequencies. The measured value of B(K+ -> pi+ nu nubar) can be compared both to this estimate and to predictions made from the ratio of B mixing frequencies.Comment: 8 pages, including 6 figures. v3 includes an expanded discussion of correlations between SM inputs to the lambda_t fit, clarifies the discussion of the independence of this result from the ratio of B mixing frequencies, includes minor updates to the values of SM input parameters, and includes some new and some updated reference

Physics at a Fermilab Proton Driver

This report documents the physics case for building a 2 MW, 8 GeV superconducting linac proton driver at Fermilab.Comment: 52 pages, 15 figure

Search for the rare decays π+→μ+νμννˉ\pi^+ \to \mu^+\nu_\mu\nu\bar\nu and π+→e+νeννˉ\pi^+ \to e^+\nu_e\nu\bar\nu

The rare pion decays ${\pi}^+{\rightarrow}{\mu}^+{\nu}_{\mu}{\nu}\bar{\nu}$ and ${\pi}^+{\rightarrow}e^+{\nu}_{e}{\nu}\bar{\nu}$ are allowed in the Standard Model but highly suppressed. These decays were searched for using data from the PIENU experiment. A first result for ${\Gamma}({\pi}^+{\rightarrow}{\mu}^+{\nu}_{\mu}{\nu}\bar{\nu})/{\Gamma}({\pi}^+{\rightarrow}{\mu}^+{\nu}_{\mu})<8.6{\times}10^{-6}$, and an improved measurement ${\Gamma}({\pi}^+{\rightarrow}{e}^+{\nu}_{e}{\nu}\bar{\nu})/{\Gamma}({\pi}^+{\rightarrow}{\mu}^+{\nu}_{\mu})<1.6{\times}10^{-7}$ were obtained.Comment: 6 figure