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At least 1,315 records · Page 73

Repulsive Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid in the quasi-one-dimensional alternating spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ antiferromagnet NaVOPO 4

Here, we probe the magnetic field-induced Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) state in the bond-alternating spin1/2 antiferromagnetic (AFM) chain compound NaVOPO 4 using thermodynamic as well as local μSR and 31 P NMR probes down to mK temperatures in magnetic fields up to 14 T. The μSR and NMR relaxation rates in the gapless TLL regime decay slowly following characteristic power-law behavior, enabling us to directly determine the interaction parameter K as a function of the magnetic field. These estimates are crosschecked using magnetization and specific heat data. The field-dependent K lies in the range of 0.4 < K < 1 and indicates the repulsive nature of interactions between the spinless fermions, in line with the theoretical predictions. This renders NaVOPO 4 the first experimental realization of TLL with repulsive fermionic interactions in hitherto studied S = 1/2 bond-alternating AFM-AFM chain compounds.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Measurement of beam asymmetry for π – Δ ++ photoproduction on the proton at E γ = 8.5 GeV

We report a measurement of the $\pi^-$ photoproduction beam asymmetry for the reaction $\vec{\gamma} p \rightarrow \pi^- \Delta^{++}$ using data from the GlueX experiment in the photon beam energy range 8.2--8.8 GeV. The asymmetry $\Sigma$ is measured as a function of four-momentum transfer $t$ to the $\Delta^{++}$ and compared to phenomenological models. We find that $\Sigma$ varies as a function of $t$: negative at smaller values and positive at higher values of $|t|$. The reaction can be described theoretically by $t$-channel particle exchange requiring pseudoscalar, vector, and tensor intermediaries. In particular, this reaction requires charge exchange, allowing us to probe pion exchange and the significance of higher-order corrections to one-pion exchange at low momentum transfer. Constraining production mechanisms of conventional mesons may aid in the search for and study of unconventional mesons. Furthermore, this is the first measurement of the process at this energy.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Origin of single transverse-spin asymmetries in high-energy collisions

In this paper, we perform the first simultaneous QCD global analysis of data from semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering, Drell-Yan, e + e - annihilation into hadron pairs, and proton-proton collisions. Consequently, we are able to extract a universal set of nonperturbative functions that describes the observed asymmetries in these reactions. The outcome of our analysis indicates single transverse-spin asymmetries in high-energy collisions have a common origin. Furthermore, we achieve the first phenomenological agreement with lattice QCD on the up and down quark tensor charges.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Cosmogenic production of 37 Ar in the context of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment

We estimate the amount of 37 Ar produced in natural xenon via cosmic-ray-induced spallation, an inevitable consequence of the transportation and storage of xenon on the Earth’s surface. We then calculate the resulting 37 Ar concentration in a 10-tonne payload (similar to that of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment) assuming a representative schedule of xenon purification, storage, and delivery to the underground facility. Using the spallation model by Silberberg and Tsao, the sea-level production rate of 37 Ar in natural xenon is estimated to be 0.024 atoms/kg/day. Assuming the xenon is successively purified to remove radioactive contaminants in 1-tonne batches at a rate of 1 tonne/month, the average 37 Ar activity after 10 tons are purified and transported underground is 0.058 − 0.090 𝜇⁢Bq/kg, depending on the degree of argon removal during above-ground purification. Such cosmogenic 37 Ar will appear as a noticeable background in the early science data, while decaying with a 35-day half-life. This newly noticed production mechanism of 37 Ar should be considered when planning for future liquid-xenon-based experiments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Interfacing electron and neutrino quasielastic scattering cross sections with the spectral function in GENIE

Progress in neutrino-nucleus cross section models is being driven by the need for highly accurate predictions for the neutrino oscillation community. These sophisticated models are being developed within a microscopic description of the nucleus with the goal of encompassing all reaction modes relevant for the accelerator neutrino program. The disconnect between these microscopic models and the event generators that will be used in the next generation of experiments represents a critical obstacle that must be overcome in order to precisely measure the neutrino oscillation parameters. To this end we have developed a hadron tensor interface for lepton-nucleus quasielastic (QE) scattering within the GENIE event generator as a proof of principle, with the broader goal of creating an efficient pipeline for incorporating advanced theoretical models in event generators. As a demonstration of this interface we have implemented the spectral function model into GENIE by connecting theorist provided fortran code through the hadron tensor interface. The spectral function model offers a more complete description of the nuclear ground state, as well as the ability to provide quantifiable theoretical uncertainties. Finally, we validate this implementation and compare its predictions against data and against QE models already available in GENIE.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Results from the Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST)

The Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST) was designed to investigate the deficit of electron neutrinos 𝜈𝑒 observed in previous gallium-based radiochemical measurements with high-intensity neutrino sources, commonly referred to as the “gallium anomaly,” which could be interpreted as evidence for oscillations between 𝜈𝑒 and sterile neutrino (𝜈 𝑠 ) states. A 3.414-MCi 51 Cr 𝜈 𝑒 source was placed at the center of two nested Ga volumes and measurements were made of the production of 71 Ge through the charged current reaction, 71 Ga ⁢(𝜈 𝑒 ,𝑒 − ) ⁢71 Ge, at two average distances. The measured production rates for the inner and the outer targets, respectively, are [54.9$^{+2.5}_{−2.4}$⁢(stat) ± 1.4⁢(syst)] and [55.6$^{+2.7}_{−2.6}$⁢(stat) ± 1.4⁢(syst)] atoms of 71 Ge/𝑑. The ratio (𝑅) of the measured rate of 71 Ge production at each distance to the expected rate from the known cross section and experimental efficiencies are 𝑅 in = 0.79 ± 0.05 and 𝑅 out = 0.77 ± 0.05. The ratio of the outer to the inner result is 0.97 ± 0.07, which is consistent with unity within uncertainty. The rates at each distance were found to be similar, but 20%–24% lower than expected, thus reaffirming the anomaly. Furthermore, these results are consistent with 𝜈 𝑒 → 𝜈 𝑠 oscillations with a relatively large Δ⁢𝑚 2 (>0.5 eV 2 ) and mixing sin 2 ⁡2⁢𝜃 (≈ 0.4).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Trace Anomaly as Signature of Conformality in Neutron Stars

We discuss an interpretation that a peak in the sound velocity in neutron star matter, as suggested by the observational data, signifies strongly coupled conformal matter. Here, the normalized trace anomaly is a dimensionless measure of conformality leading to the derivative and the nonderivative contributions to the sound velocity. We find that the peak in the sound velocity is attributed to the derivative contribution from the trace anomaly that steeply approaches the conformal limit. Smooth continuity to the behavior of high-density QCD implies that the matter part of the trace anomaly may be positive definite. We discuss a possible implication of the positivity condition of the trace anomaly on the M–R relation of the neutron stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Cosmogenic neutron production in water at SNO+

Accurate measurement of the cosmogenic muon-induced neutron yield is crucial for constraining a significant background in a wide range of low-energy physics searches. Although previous underground experiments have measured this yield across various cosmogenic muon energies, SNO+ is uniquely positioned due to its exposure to one of the highest average cosmogenic muon energies at 364 GeV. Using ultrapure water, we have determined a neutron yield of 𝑌 𝑛 = (3.3⁢8$^{+0.23}_{−0.30}$) × 10 −4 cm 2 g −1 𝜇 −1 at SNO+. Comparison with simulations demonstrates clear agreement with the FLUKA neutron production model, highlighting discrepancies with the widely used GEANT 4 model. Furthermore, this measurement reveals a lower cosmogenic neutron yield than that observed by the SNO experiment, which used heavy water under identical muon flux conditions. This result provides new evidence that nuclear structure and target material composition significantly influence neutron production by cosmogenic muons, offering fresh insight with important implications for the design and background modeling of future underground experiments.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

New physics contamination to precision luminosity measurements at future 𝑒 +⁢ 𝑒 − colliders

Several key observables of the high-precision physics program at future lepton colliders will critically depend on the knowledge of the absolute machine luminosity. The determination of the luminosity relies on the precise knowledge of some reference process, which is, in principle, not affected by unknown physics, so that its cross section can be computed within a well-established theory, like the Standard Model. Quantifying the uncertainties induced by possible new physics effects on such processes is, therefore, crucial. We present an investigation of light and heavy new physics contributions to the small-angle Bhabha process at future 𝑒 + ⁢𝑒 − colliders, and we discuss possible strategies to remove the contamination due to heavy degrees of freedom by relying on observables that are independent of the absolute luminosity.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗