Precision Measurements of <sup>8</sup>B Beta Decay to Set Tensor Current Limits and Determine the Neutrino Energy Spectrum

ORAL

Abstract

Studies of the beta decay of 8B provide unique sensitivity to physics beyond the Standard Model and are vital for the interpretation of solar neutrino data. A high-statistics experiment was performed at Argonne National Laboratory using the Beta-decay Paul Trap (BPT) surrounded by four double-sided silicon strip detectors to measure α and β energies from 8B → 8Be(2α) + β + ν . Through precise measurements of the kinematics of the decay products, limits on the exotic tensor current contribution to the weak interaction can be determined. At the same time, the decay product kinematics can be leveraged to reconstruct the undistorted 8B neutrino energy spectrum, a necessary ingredient for precision measurements of neutrino oscillations. Preliminary results for both the tensor current limit and the neutrino spectrum will be presented.

*Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

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Publication: Final results from this analysis will be submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett.

Presenters

  • Brenden Longfellow

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab

Authors

  • Brenden Longfellow

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab

  • Aaron Gallant

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Tsviki Hirsh

    • Soreq NRC
    • Soreq Nuclear Research Center

  • Mary Burkey

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Jason A Clark

    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Guy Savard

    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Nicholas D Scielzo

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Ralph E Segel

    • Northwestern University

  • Louis Varriano

    • University of Chicago

  • Daniel P Burdette

    • University of Notre Dame

  • Maxime Brodeur

    • University of Notre Dame

  • Daniel D Lascar

    • Northwestern University

  • Peter Mueller

    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Dwaipayan Ray

    • University of Manitoba
    • University of Manitoba / Argonne National Laboratory
    • University of Manitoba/Argonne National Laboratory
    • U. Manitoba

  • Kumar S Sharma

    • University of Manitoba

  • Adrian A Valverde

    • Argonne National Laboratory/University of Manitoba
    • University of Manitoba/Argonne National Laboratory
    • University of Manitoba

  • Gemma L Wilson

    • Louisiana State University

  • Xinliang L Yan

    • Argonne National Laboratory