Nuclear time-reversal violation and the Schiff moment of 225Ra

We present a comprehensive mean-field calculation of the Schiff moment of the nucleus 225Ra, the quantity which determines the static electric dipole moment of the corresponding atom if time-reversal (T) invariance is violated in the nucleus. The calculation breaks all possible intrinsic symmetries of the nuclear mean field and includes, in particular, both exchange and direct terms from the full finite-range T-violating nucleon-nucleon interaction, and the effects of short-range correlations. The resulting Schiff moment, which depends on three unknown T-violating pion-nucleon coupling constants, is much larger than in 199Hg, the isotope with the best current experimental limit on its atomic electric-dipole moment.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; this version (references added) to be published in PR

Exact cosmological solutions with nonminimal derivative coupling

We consider a gravitational theory of a scalar field $\phi$ with nonminimal derivative coupling to curvature. The coupling terms have the form $\kappa_1 R\phi_{,\mu}\phi^{,\mu}$ and $\kappa_2 R_{\mu\nu}\phi^{,\mu}\phi^{,\nu}$ where $\kappa_1$ and $\kappa_2$ are coupling parameters with dimensions of length-squared. In general, field equations of the theory contain third derivatives of $g_{\mu\nu}$ and $\phi$. However, in the case $-2\kappa_1=\kappa_2\equiv\kappa$ the derivative coupling term reads $\kappa G_{\mu\nu}\phi^{,mu}\phi^{,\nu}$ and the order of corresponding field equations is reduced up to second one. Assuming $-2\kappa_1=\kappa_2$, we study the spatially-flat Friedman-Robertson-Walker model with a scale factor $a(t)$ and find new exact cosmological solutions. It is shown that properties of the model at early stages crucially depends on the sign of $\kappa$. For negative $\kappa$ the model has an initial cosmological singularity, i.e. $a(t)\sim (t-t_i)^{2/3}$ in the limit $t\to t_i$; and for positive $\kappa$ the universe at early stages has the quasi-de Sitter behavior, i.e. $a(t)\sim e^{Ht}$ in the limit $t\to-\infty$, where $H=(3\sqrt{\kappa})^{-1}$. The corresponding scalar field $\phi$ is exponentially growing at $t\to-\infty$, i.e. $\phi(t)\sim e^{-t/\sqrt{\kappa}}$. At late stages the universe evolution does not depend on $\kappa$ at all; namely, for any $\kappa$ one has $a(t)\sim t^{1/3}$ at $t\to\infty$. Summarizing, we conclude that a cosmological model with nonminimal derivative coupling of the form $\kappa G_{\mu\nu}\phi^{,mu}\phi^{,\nu}$ is able to explain in a unique manner both a quasi-de Sitter phase and an exit from it without any fine-tuned potential.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. Accepted to PR

Possible doublet mechanism for a regular component of parity violation in neutron scattering

A nucleus with octupole deformation of the mean field reveals rotational doublets with the same angular momentum and opposite parity. Mediated by the Coriolis-type interaction, the doublet structure leads to a strong regular component in the parity violation caused by weak interaction. This can explain sign correlations observed in polarized neutron scattering by $^{232}$Th.Comment: 10 pages, revtex, no figure

Screening and finite size corrections to the octupole and Schiff moments

Parity (P) and time reversal (T) violating nuclear forces create P, T -odd moments in expansion of the nuclear electrostatic potential. We derive expression for the nuclear electric octupole field which includes the electron screening correction (similar to the screening term in the Schiff moment). Then we calculate the Z alpha corrections to the Schiff moment which appear due to the finite nuclear size. Such corrections are important in heavy atoms with nuclear charge Z > 50. The Schiff and octupole moments induce atomic electric dipole moments (EDM) and P, T -odd interactions in molecules which are measured in numerous experiments to test CP-violation theories