MuCap: Muon Capture on the Proton

The singlet muon capture rate \Lambda_SΛS on the proton \mu^-\ p \to \nu_\mu~nμ−p→νμn is determined in a high precision lifetime measurement. The main apparatus consists of a new hydrogen time projection chamber as muon detector, developed by PSI, surrounded by cylindrical wire chambers and a plastic scintillator hodoscope as electron detectors. The parameter \Lambda_SΛS is evaluated as the difference between the inverse \mu\,pμp lifetime and that of the free \mu^+μ+. The result \Lambda_S^\text{MuCap} = (715.6 \pm 5.4^\text{stat} \pm 5.1^\text{sys})\,\text{s}^{-1}ΛSMuCap=(715.6±5.4stat±5.1sys)s−1 is in excellent agreement with the prediction of chiral perturbation theory \Lambda_S^{\chi\text{PT}} = (715.4 \pm 6.9)\,\text{s}^{-1}ΛSχPT=(715.4±6.9)s−1. From \Lambda_S^\text{MuCap}ΛSMuCap a recent analysis derives for the induced pseudoscalar coupling g^\text{MuCap}_p = 8.23 \pm 0.83gpMuCap=8.23±0.83 whereas \bar{g}^{\chi\text{PT}}_p = 8.25 \pm 0.25g‾pχPT=8.25±0.25.

P , T -Violating and Magnetic Hyperfine Interactions in Atomic Thallium

We present state-of-the-art string-based relativistic general-excitation-rank configuration interaction and coupled cluster calculations of the electron electric dipole moment, the nucleon–electron scalar-pseudoscalar, and the magnetic hyperfine interaction constants ( α d e , α C S , A | | , respectively) for the thallium atomic ground state 2 P 1 / 2 . Our present best values are α d e = − 558 ± 28 , α C S = 6.77 ± 0.34 [ 10 − 18 e cm], and A | | = 21172 ± 1059 [MHz]. The central value of the latter constant agrees with the experimental result to within 0.7% and serves as a measurable probe of the P , T -violating interaction constants. Our findings lead to a significant reduction of the theoretical uncertainties for P , T -odd interaction constants for atomic thallium but not to stronger constraints on the electron electric dipole moment, d e , or the nucleon–electron scalar-pseudoscalar coupling constant, C S .

Weak magnetism and pseudoscalar coupling in neutrino mass mechanism of neutrinoless double beta-decay

In the calculations of the nuclear matrix element of Majorana neutrino mass mechanism of neutrinoless double beta decay so far only contributions from vector/axialvector part and weak magnetism of the nuclear current have been included, while other contributions have been neglected. In the present work we are examining the effect of weak magnetism and induced pseudoscalar coupling. We have performed calculations within the proton-neutron renormaiized quasiparticie random phase approximation and we have found that these additional contributions of the nucleon current, result in a considerable reduction of the nuclear matrix elements of all nuclei which we have considered. This reduction of the nuclear matrix element makes the extracted limits of the lepton number violating parameters ( < mu >, < g > and < 77^ >) less stringent yielding the best value for < mv > less than 0.62 eV for 76Ge.

Search for Spin-Dependent Short-Range Interaction with an 3He/129Xe Clock Comparison Experiment

We performed an experiment to search for a new spin-dependent P- and T-violating nucleon–nucleon interaction [Formula: see text] which is mediated by light pseudoscalar bosons such as axions or axionlike particles. This interaction causes a shift [Formula: see text] in the precession frequency of nuclear spin polarized gases in the presence of an unpolarized mass. In order to measure this frequency shift a 3He/[Formula: see text]Xe comagnetometer was used which is based on the detection of free precession of 3He and [Formula: see text]Xe nuclear spins using SQUIDs as detectors. For the upper limit of [Formula: see text] we obtained 7.1[Formula: see text]nHz. With this value, an upper limit of the scalar-pseudoscalar coupling of the axion to the spin of a bound neutron could be deduced within the axion mass window. For axion masses between 2 and 500[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]eV, the laboratory upper bounds were improved by up to 4 orders of magnitude.

SCALAR–PSEUDOSCALAR INTERACTIONS IN NEUTRINO–ELECTRON SCATTERING

Many extensions to the Standard Model imply the existence of new charged scalar Higgs bosons. We study the contribution of a general scalar or pseudoscalar coupling for the neutrino–electron scattering. We take a phenomenological approach in order to obtain model independent limits to the couplings that arise in this picture. We illustrate the reach of the constraints by studying the particular case of the type III two Higgs doublet model, where we have found new constraints to some elements of the Yukawa couplings mixing matrix (|Yee| ≤ 1 × 10-1 and |Yeμ| ≤ 7 × 10-2 at 90% CL).

BYPASSING THE AXIAL ANOMALIES

Many meson processes are related to the UA(1) axial anomaly, present in the Feynman graphs where fermion loops connect axial vertices with vector vertices. However, the coupling of pseudoscalar mesons to quarks does not have to be formulated via axial vertices. The pseudoscalar coupling is also possible, and this approach is especially natural on the level of the quark substructure of hadrons. In this paper we point out the advantages of calculating these processes using (instead of the anomalous graphs) the Feynman graphs where axial vertices are replaced by pseudoscalar vertices. We elaborate especially the case of the processes related to the Abelian axial anomaly of QED, but we speculate that it seems possible that effects of the non-Abelian axial anomaly of QCD can be accounted for in an analogous way.