CREX: Precision Measurement of the Neutral Weak Form Factor in Elastic Electron-48Ca Scattering

ORAL  · Invited

Abstract

A measurement of the neutron skin of the modestly sized, neutron rich 48Ca nucleus can provide an important benchmark for nuclear theory. The RMS radius of the neutron distribution in the nucleus is measured via the parity violating asymmetry in longitudinally polarized elastic electron-nucleus scattering. While the electroweak nature of this parity violating interaction lends itself to cleanly interpretable results it also presents considerable experimental challenges. The CREX collaboration successfully completed data collection in 2020 at Jefferson Lab employing the CEBAF accelerator. Precise measurement of the neutron skin of 48Ca provides unique experimental input to help bridge ab-initio theoretical approaches and the nuclear density functional theory. Analysis of the experimental result and our understanding of its impact regarding nuclear structure will be presented.

*We acknowledge the support of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, the National Science Foundation and NSERC (Canada).

Publication: D. Adhikari et al. (PREX Collaboration), Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of 208Pb through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering, Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 172502, April 2021
The CREX Collaboration (planned publication of CREX result, Fall 2021)

Presenters

  • Caryn Palatchi

    • University of Virginia

Authors

  • Caryn Palatchi

    • University of Virginia