We report the first observation of the parity-violating gamma-ray asymmetry A_{γ}^{np} in neutron-proton capture using polarized cold neutrons incident on a liquid parahydrogen target at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. A_{γ}^{np} isolates the ΔI=1, ^{3}S_{1}→^{3}P_{1} component of the weak nucleon-nucleon interaction, which is dominated by pion exchange and can be directly related to a single coupling constant in either the DDH meson exchange model or pionless effective field theory. We measured A_{γ}^{np}=[-3.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith the aim of reducing analysis time of radiopharmaceuticals, especially for carbon-11 and fluorine-18, radio-high performance liquid chromatography (radio-HPLC) is the analysis method of choice. Faster and more sensitive analytic methods are needed. Recently, ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) has become an accepted analysis method but has not yet been established in radiopharmacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe NPDGamma γ-ray detector has been built to measure, with high accuracy, the size of the small parity-violating asymmetry in the angular distribution of gamma rays from the capture of polarized cold neutrons by protons. The high cold neutron flux at the Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center (LANSCE) spallation neutron source and control of systematic errors require the use of current mode detection with vacuum photodiodes and low-noise solid-state preamplifiers. We show that the detector array operates at counting statistics and that the asymmetries due to B4C and (27)Al are zero to with- in 2 × 10(-6) and 7 × 10(-7), respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Res Natl Inst Stand Technol
June 2016
The NPDGamma experiment will measure the parity-violating directional gamma ray asymmetry A γ in the reaction [Formula: see text]. Ultimately, this will constitute the first measurement in the neutron-proton system that is sensitive enough to challenge modern theories of nuclear parity violation, providing a theoretically clean determination of the weak pion-nucleon coupling. A new beam-line at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) delivers pulsed cold neutrons to the apparatus, where they are polarized by transmission through a large volume polarized (3)He spin filter and captured in a liquid para-hydrogen target.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Res Natl Inst Stand Technol
June 2016
A new pulsed neutron source is under construction at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF). Neutrons are produced via (p,n) reactions by a low-energy proton beam incident on a thin beryllium target. The source is tightly coupled to a cold methane moderator held at a temperature of 20 K or below.
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