Large experimental programmes in the fields of nuclear and particle physics search for evidence of physics beyond that explained by current theories. The observation of the Higgs boson completed the ...set of particles predicted by the standard model, which currently provides the best description of fundamental particles and forces. However, this theory's limitations include a failure to predict fundamental parameters, such as the mass of the Higgs boson, and the inability to account for dark matter and energy, gravity, and the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe, among other phenomena. These limitations have inspired searches for physics beyond the standard model in the post-Higgs era through the direct production of additional particles at high-energy accelerators, which have so far been unsuccessful. Examples include searches for supersymmetric particles, which connect bosons (integer-spin particles) with fermions (half-integer-spin particles), and for leptoquarks, which mix the fundamental quarks with leptons. Alternatively, indirect searches using precise measurements of well predicted standard-model observables allow highly targeted alternative tests for physics beyond the standard model because they can reach mass and energy scales beyond those directly accessible by today's high-energy accelerators. Such an indirect search aims to determine the weak charge of the proton, which defines the strength of the proton's interaction with other particles via the well known neutral electroweak force. Because parity symmetry (invariance under the spatial inversion (x, y, z) → (-x, -y, -z)) is violated only in the weak interaction, it provides a tool with which to isolate the weak interaction and thus to measure the proton's weak charge
. Here we report the value 0.0719 ± 0.0045, where the uncertainty is one standard deviation, derived from our measured parity-violating asymmetry in the scattering of polarized electrons on protons, which is -226.5 ± 9.3 parts per billion (the uncertainty is one standard deviation). Our value for the proton's weak charge is in excellent agreement with the standard model
and sets multi-teraelectronvolt-scale constraints on any semi-leptonic parity-violating physics not described within the standard model. Our results show that precision parity-violating measurements enable searches for physics beyond the standard model that can compete with direct searches at high-energy accelerators and, together with astronomical observations, can provide fertile approaches to probing higher mass scales.
The Q(weak) experiment has measured the parity-violating asymmetry in ep elastic scattering at Q(2)=0.025(GeV/c)(2), employing 145 μA of 89% longitudinally polarized electrons on a 34.4 cm long ...liquid hydrogen target at Jefferson Lab. The results of the experiment's commissioning run, constituting approximately 4% of the data collected in the experiment, are reported here. From these initial results, the measured asymmetry is A(ep)=-279±35 (stat) ± 31 (syst) ppb, which is the smallest and most precise asymmetry ever measured in ep scattering. The small Q(2) of this experiment has made possible the first determination of the weak charge of the proton Q(W)(p) by incorporating earlier parity-violating electron scattering (PVES) data at higher Q(2) to constrain hadronic corrections. The value of Q(W)(p) obtained in this way is Q(W)(p)(PVES)=0.064±0.012, which is in good agreement with the standard model prediction of Q(W)(p)(SM)=0.0710±0.0007. When this result is further combined with the Cs atomic parity violation (APV) measurement, significant constraints on the weak charges of the up and down quarks can also be extracted. That PVES+APV analysis reveals the neutron's weak charge to be Q(W)(n)(PVES+APV)=-0.975±0.010.
The Q-weak experiment at Jefferson Laboratory measured the parity violating asymmetry (
A
P
V
) in elastic electron-proton scattering at small momentum transfer squared (
Q
2
=0.025 (
G
e
V
/
c
)
2
...), with the aim of extracting the proton’s weak charge (
Q
W
p
) to an accuracy of 5 %. As one of the major uncertainty contribution sources to
Q
W
p
,
Q
2
needs to be determined to ∼1 % so as to reach the proposed experimental precision. For this purpose, two sets of high resolution tracking chambers were employed in the experiment, to measure tracks before and after the magnetic spectrometer. Data collected by the tracking system were then reconstructed with dedicated software into individual electron trajectories for experimental kinematics determination. The Q-weak kinematics and the analysis scheme for tracking data are briefly described here. The sources that contribute to the uncertainty of
Q
2
are discussed, and the current analysis status is reported.
The Qweak experiment, which took data at Jefferson Lab in the period 2010 - 2012, will precisely determine the weak charge of the proton by measuring the parity-violating asymmetry in elastic e-p ...scattering at 1.1 GeV using a longitudinally polarized electron beam and a liquid hydrogen target at a low momentum transfer of Q2 = 0.025 (GeV/c)2. The weak charge of the proton is predicted by the Standard Model and any significant deviation would indicate physics beyond the Standard Model. The technical challenges and experimental apparatus for measuring the weak charge of the proton will be discussed, as well as the method of extracting the weak charge of the proton. The results from a small subset of the data, that has been published, will also be presented. Furthermore an update will be given of the current status of the data analysis.
A beam-normal single-spin asymmetry generated in the scattering of transversely polarized electrons from unpolarized nucleons is an observable related to the imaginary part of the two-photon exchange ...process. We report a 2% precision measurement of the beam-normal single-spin asymmetry in elastic electron-proton scattering with a mean scattering angle of θlab=7.9° and a mean energy of 1.149 GeV. The asymmetry result is Bn=−5.194±0.067(stat)±0.082 (syst) ppm. This is the most precise measurement of this quantity available to date and therefore provides a stringent test of two-photon exchange models at far-forward scattering angles (θlab→0) where they should be most reliable.
We report measurements of the parity-conserving beam-normal single-spin elastic scattering asymmetries Bn on 12C and 27Al, obtained with an electron beam polarized transverse to its momentum ...direction. These measurements add an additional kinematic point to a series of previous measurements of Bn on 12C and provide a first measurement on 27Al. The experiment utilized the Qweak apparatus at Jefferson Lab with a beam energy of 1.158 GeV. The average lab scattering angle for both targets was 7.7°, and the average Q2 for both targets was 0.02437 GeV2 (Q = 0.1561 GeV). The asymmetries are Bn = -10.68 ± 0.90 (stat) ± 0.57 (syst) ppm 12C and Bn = -12.16 ± 0.58 (stat) ± 0.62 (syst) ppm for 27Al. The results are consistent with theoretical predictions, and are compared to existing data. When scaled by Z/A, the Q dependence of all the far-forward angle (θ < 10°) data from 1H to 27Al can be described by the same slope out to Q ≈ 0.35 GeV. Larger-angle data from other experiments in the same Q range are consistent with a slope about twice as steep.
We report measurements of the parity-conserving beam-normal single-spin elastic scattering asymmetries Bn on 12C and 27Al, obtained with an electron beam polarized transverse to its momentum ...direction. These measurements add an additional kinematic point to a series of previous measurements of Bn on 12C and provide a first measurement on 27Al. The experiment utilized the Qweak apparatus at Jefferson Lab with a beam energy of 1.158 GeV. The average lab scattering angle for both targets was 7.7°, and the average Q2 for both targets was 0.02437 GeV2 (Q = 0.1561 GeV). The asymmetries are Bn = -10.68 ± 0.90 (stat) ± 0.57 (syst) ppm 12C and Bn = -12.16 ± 0.58 (stat) ± 0.62 (syst) ppm for 27Al. The results are consistent with theoretical predictions, and are compared to existing data. When scaled by Z/A, the Q dependence of all the far-forward angle (θ < 10°) data from 1H to 27Al can be described by the same slope out to Q ≈ 0.35 GeV. Larger-angle data from other experiments in the same Q range are consistent with a slope about twice as steep.
We report the measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry for the inelastic scattering of electrons from the proton, at $Q^2 = 0.082$ GeV$^2$ and $ W = 2.23$ GeV, above the resonance region. The ...result $A_{\rm Inel} = - 13.5 \pm 2.0 ({\rm stat}) \pm 3.9 ({\rm syst})$ ppm agrees with theoretical calculations, and helps to validate the modeling of the $\gamma Z$ interference structure functions $F_1^{\gamma Z}$ and $F_2^{\gamma Z}$ used in those calculations, which are also used for determination of the two-boson exchange box diagram ($\Box_{\gamma Z}$) contribution to parity-violating elastic scattering measurements. A positive parity-violating asymmetry for inclusive $\pi^-$ production was observed, as well as positive beam-normal single-spin asymmetry for scattered electrons and a negative beam-normal single-spin asymmetry for inclusive $\pi^-$ production.
A subset of results from the recently completed Jefferson Lab Qweak experiment are reported. This experiment, sensitive to physics beyond the Standard Model, exploits the small parity-violating ...asymmetry in elastic e→p$\vec e{\rm{p}}$ scattering to provide the first determination of the proton’s weak charge Qwp$Q_w^p$. The experiment employed a 180 μA longitudinally polarized 1.16 GeV electron beam on a 35 cm long liquid hydrogen target. Scattered electrons in the angular range 6° < θ < 12° corresponding to Q2 = 0.025 GeV2 were detected in eight Cerenkov detectors arrayed symmetrically around the beam axis. The goals of the experiment were to provide a measure of e→p$\vec e{\rm{p}}$ to 4.2% (combined statisstatistical and systematic error), which implies a measure of sin2(θw) at the level of 0.3%, and to help constrain the vector weak quark charges C1u and C1d. The experimental method is described, with particular focus on the challenges associated with the world’s highest power LH2 target. The new constraints on C1u and C1d provided by the subset of the experiment’s data analyzed to date will also be shown, together with the extracted weak charge of the neutron.
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