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Results for “WEAK INTERACTIONS”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

The repulsive Casimir-type forces in binary mixture of weakly interacting Bose–Einstein condensates gases

Highlights: • The equations of the state of a binary mixture weakly interacting Bose gases are established based on the Lagrangian of the system. • The formulae of the Casimir-type energy and the resulting Casimir-type force are produced from the quantum part of the grand canonical energy. • The results for the Casimir-type effect in the one-field case can be re-obtained by using the results of the two-field case. Within the framework of the quantum field theory (QFT) in the one-loop approximation, we investigate the Casimir-type effect in a mixture of two-component weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) gases confined between two parallel plates at zero temperature. The Casimir-type forces in the miscible state of BECs for different boundary conditions (BCs) are discovered and compared to each other. The repulsive nature of the Casimir-type force in BECs is defined for the first time. Our calculations are finished in both grand canonical ensemble (GCE) and canonical ensemble (CE).

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Exotic modes of excitation and weak interaction rates at finite temperature

The interplay of isospin asymmetry and finite temperature in nuclei plays an important role on properties of nuclear excitations and weak interaction rates in stellar environment. Recently a fully self-consistent microscopic framework, based on Hartree-Fock plus random phase approximation using Skyrme functionals, has been introduced for description of excitations and weak-interaction cross sections at finite temperature. Another self-consistent framework involving nuclei at finite temperature has also been developed within relativistic mean field theory using effective Lagrangians with density dependent meson-nucleon vertex functions. Nuclear excitations are studied using finite temperature random phase approximation for the range of temperatures T = 0-2 MeV, as well as in nuclei far from stability. In the focus of research are the structure properties of exotic modes of excitation (e.g. pygmy dipole resonances) and charge-exchange modes (e.g. Gamow-Teller resonances and forbidden transitions). It is shown that finite temperature effects include novel low-energy multipole excitations and modifications of the Gamow-Teller transition spectra. Using a representative set of Skyrme functionals, as well as covariant energy density functional with DD-ME2 parameterization, both theory frameworks have been applied in calculations of electron-capture cross sections relevant in the stage of supernova precollapse.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Nuclear proton and neutron distributions in the detection of weak interacting massive particles

In the evaluation of weak interacting massive particles (WIMPs) detection rates, the WIMP-nucleus cross section is commonly described by using form factors extracted from charge distributions. In this work, we use different proton and neutron distributions taken from Hartree-Fock calculations. We study the effects of this choice on the total detection rates for six nuclei having different neutron excess, and taken from different regions of the nuclear chart. The use of different distributions for protons and neutrons becomes more important if isospin-dependent WIMP-nucleon interactions are considered. The need for distinct descriptions of proton and neutron densities decreases with the lowering of detection energy thresholds.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Relations between matrix elements of different weak interactions and interpretation of the parity-nonconserving and electron electric-dipole-moment measurements in atoms and molecules

The relations between matrix elements of different (P,T)-odd weak interactions are derived. We demonstrate that similar relations hold for parity-nonconserving transition amplitudes and electron electric dipole moments (EDMs) of atoms and molecules. This allows one to express P- and T-odd effects in many-electron systems caused by different symmetry-breaking mechanisms via each other using simple analytical formulas. We use these relations for the interpretation of the anapole moment measurements in cesium and thallium and for the analysis of the relative contributions of the scalar-pseudoscalar CP-odd weak interaction and electron EDMs to the EDMs of Cs, Tl, Fr, and other atoms and many polar molecules (YbF, PbO, ThO, etc.). Model-independent limits on electron EDMs and the parameter of the scalar-pseudoscalar CP-odd interaction are found from the analysis of the EDM measurements for Tl and YbF.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1978

An experiment to verify that the weak interactions satisfy the strong equivalence principle

The construction of a clock based on the beta decay process is proposed to test for any violations by the weak interaction of the strong equivalence principle bu determining whether the weak interaction coupling constant beta is spatially constant or whether it is a function of gravitational potential (U). The clock can be constructed by simply counting the beta disintegrations of some suitable source. The total number of counts are to be taken a measure of elapsed time. The accuracy of the clock is limited by the statistical fluctuations in the number of counts, N, which is equal to the square root of N. Increasing N gives a corresponding increase in accuracy. A source based on the electron capture process can be used so as to avoid low energy electron discrimination problems. Solid state and gaseous detectors are being considered. While the accuracy of this type of beta decay clock is much less than clocks based on the electromagnetic interaction, there is a corresponding lack of knowledge of the behavior of beta as a function of gravitational potential. No predictions from nonmetric theories as to variations in beta are available as yet, but they may occur at the U/sg C level.

Eby, P. B.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Search for a Light Higgs Boson Decaying to Long-Lived Weakly Interacting Particles in Proton-Proton Collisions at root s=7 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

A search for the decay of a light Higgs boson (120-140 GeV) to a pair of weakly interacting, long-lived particles in 1.94 fb{sup -1} of proton-proton collisions at {radical}s = 7 TeV recorded in 2011 by the ATLAS detector is presented. The search strategy requires that both long-lived particles decay inside the muon spectrometer. No excess of events is observed above the expected background and limits on the Higgs boson production times branching ratio to weakly interacting, long-lived particles are derived as a function of the particle proper decay length.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Enhanced correlations and superconductivity in weakly interacting partially flat-band systems: A determinantal quantum Monte Carlo study

Motivated by recent experiments realizing correlated phenomena and superconductivity in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals devices, we consider the general problem of whether correlation effects may be enhanced by modifying band structure while keeping a fixed weak interaction strength. Using determinantal quantum Monte Carlo, we study the 2D Hubbard model for two different band structures: a regular nearest-neighbor tight-binding model and a partially flat-band structure containing a nondispersing region, with identical total noninteracting bandwidth W tot . For both repulsive and attractive weak interactions (|U| $\ll$ W$_{tot}$, correlated phenomena are significantly stronger in the partially flat model. In the repulsive case, even with $U$ being an order of magnitude smaller than W$_{tot}$, we find the presence of a Mott insulating state near half filling of the flat region in momentum space. In the attractive case, where generically the ground state is superconducting, the partially flat model exhibits significantly enhanced superconducting transition temperatures. These results suggest the possibility of engineering correlation effects in materials by tuning the noninteracting electronic dispersion.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Igniting Weak Interactions in Neutron Star Postmerger Accretion Disks

The merger of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole typically results in the formation of a postmerger accretion disk. Outflows from disks may dominate the overall ejecta from mergers and be a major source of r-process nuclei in our universe. We explore the parameter space of such disks and their outflows and r-process yields by performing 3D general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations with weak interactions and approximate neutrino transport. We discuss the mapping between the initial binary parameters and the parameter space of the resulting disks, chiefly characterized by their initial accretion rate. We demonstrate the existence of an ignition threshold for weak interactions at around ~10 -3 M⊙ s -1 for typical parameters by means of analytic calculations and numerical simulations. We find a degenerate, self-regulated, neutrino-cooled regime above the threshold and an advection-dominated regime below the threshold. Excess heating in the absence of neutrino cooling below the threshold leads to ≳60% of the initial disk mass being ejected in outflows, with typical velocities of ~(0.1–0.2)c, compared to ≲40% at ~(0.1–0.15)c above the threshold. While disks below the threshold show suppressed production of light r-process elements, disks above the threshold can produce the entire range of r-process elements, in good agreement with the observed solar system abundances. Disks below the ignition threshold may produce an overabundance of actinides seen in actinide-boost stars. As gravitational-wave detectors start to sample the neutron star merger parameter space, different disk realizations may be observable via their associated kilonova emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Search for Low-Mass Weakly Interacting Massive Particles with SuperCDMS

We report a first search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) using the background rejection capabilities of SuperCDMS. An exposure of 577 kg-days was analyzed for WIMPs with mass < 30 GeV/c2, with the signal region blinded. Eleven events were observed after unblinding. We set an upper limit on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross section of 1:2 10-42cm2 at 8 GeV/c2. This result is in tension with WIMP interpretations of recent experiments and probes new parameter space for WIMP-nucleon scattering for WIMP masses < 6 GeV/c2.

Search for Low-Mass WIMPs with SuperCDMS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Using parity-violating weak interaction to measure neutron matter density and search for new physics

The weak interaction is the only fundamental interaction in nature that violates parity symmetry. Parity-violation produces asymmetric outcomes in mirror image experiments. The high-precision asymmetry measurements, using electrons with rapidly flipping polarization as probes, have extraordinary scientific reach across various sub-fields. PREX-2 and MOLLER are two such experiments that can only be conducted at the state-of-the-art Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.

Rahman, Sakib↗
DOE OSTI2016

Results on the spin-dependent scattering of weakly interacting massive particles on nucleons from the Run 3 Data of the LUX Experiment

Here, we present experimental constraints on the spin-dependent WIMP (weakly interacting massive particle)-nucleon elastic cross sections from LUX data acquired in 2013. LUX is a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber operating at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (Lead, South Dakota), which is designed to observe the recoil signature of galactic WIMPs scattering from xenon nuclei. A profile likelihood ratio analysis of 1.4 × 10 4 kg day of fiducial exposure allows 90% C.L. upper limits to be set on the WIMP-neutron (WIMP-proton) cross section of σ n = 9.4 × 10 –41 cm 2 (σ p = 2.9 × 10 –39 cm 2 ) at 33 GeV/c 2 . The spin-dependent WIMP-neutron limit is the most sensitive constraint to date.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Early Career: The search for weakly interacting dark matter with liquid xenon

We report results from a search for weakly interacting dark matter particles obtained with the LUX experiment. LUX was located at a depth of 4850 feet at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota from 2013 through 2016. It found no evidence for dark matter particle interactions and set new constraints on the properties of such particles for masses between 6 GeV and 100 TeV. The work reported here also characterized the performance of such experiments by developing a new calibration technique based upon a tritium beta decay source.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Improved limits on scattering of weakly interacting massive particles from reanalysis of 2013 LUX data

Here, we present constraints on weakly interacting massive particles (WIMP)-nucleus scattering from the 2013 data of the Large Underground Xenon dark matter experiment, including 1.4 × 10 4 kg day of search exposure. This new analysis incorporates several advances: single-photon calibration at the scintillation wavelength, improved event-reconstruction algorithms, a revised background model including events originating on the detector walls in an enlarged fiducial volume, and new calibrations from decays of an injected tritium β source and from kinematically constrained nuclear recoils down to 1.1 keV. Sensitivity, especially to low-mass WIMPs, is enhanced compared to our previous results which modeled the signal only above a 3 keV minimum energy. Under standard dark matter halo assumptions and in the mass range above 4 GeV c –2 , these new results give the most stringent direct limits on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross section. The 90% C.L. upper limit has a minimum of 0.6 zb at 33 GeV c –2 WIMP mass.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗