Sharpening Low-Energy, Standard-Model Tests via Correlation Coefficients in Neutron Beta-Decay

The correlation coefficients a, A, and B in neutron beta-decay are proportional to the ratio of the axial-vector to vector weak coupling constants, g_A/g_V, to leading recoil order. With the advent of the next generation of neutron decay experiments, the recoil-order corrections to these expressions become experimentally accessible, admitting a plurality of Standard Model (SM) tests. The measurement of both a and A, e.g., allows one to test the conserved-vector-current (CVC) hypothesis and to search for second-class currents (SCC) independently. The anticipated precision of these measurements suggests that the bounds on CVC violation and SCC from studies of nuclear beta-decay can be qualitatively bettered. Departures from SM expectations can be interpreted as evidence for non-V-A currents.Comment: 4 pages, REVTeX, intro. broadened, typos fixed, to appear in PR

Induced pseudoscalar coupling of the proton weak interaction

The induced pseudoscalar coupling $g_p$ is the least well known of the weak coupling constants of the proton's charged--current interaction. Its size is dictated by chiral symmetry arguments, and its measurement represents an important test of quantum chromodynamics at low energies. During the past decade a large body of new data relevant to the coupling $g_p$ has been accumulated. This data includes measurements of radiative and non radiative muon capture on targets ranging from hydrogen and few--nucleon systems to complex nuclei. Herein the authors review the theoretical underpinnings of $g_p$, the experimental studies of $g_p$, and the procedures and uncertainties in extracting the coupling from data. Current puzzles are highlighted and future opportunities are discussed.Comment: 58 pages, Latex, Revtex4, prepared for Reviews of Modern Physic