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At least 1,531 records · Page 85

Decay branching ratios of excited Mg 24

Here, the nuclear reactions 12 C( 12 C, α) 20 Ne, 12 C( 12 C, p) 23 Na, and 12 C( 12 C, n) 23 Mg are the primary reactions in carbon burning, which occurs as part of several stellar processes. The Gamow window, which describes the energy range where most of these reactions take place, is typically around 1.5 MeV in the center-of-mass frame. Direct measurements of the cross sections at this energy are difficult due to the large Coulomb barrier present between the carbon nuclei; however, a successful surrogate measurement can provide the branching ratios between these reactions while avoiding the 12 C + 12 C Coulomb barrier. Finally, an experiment was performed using inelastic scattering of 40 MeV α particles on 24 Mg as a possible surrogate for the 12 C + 12 C compound nucleus.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Beam-target double-spin asymmetry in quasielastic electron scattering off the deuteron with CLAS

The deuteron plays a pivotal role in nuclear and hadronic physics, as both the simplest bound multinucleon system and as an effective neutron target. Quasielastic electron scattering on the deuteron is a benchmark reaction to test our understanding of deuteron structure and the properties and interactions of the two nucleons bound in the deuteron. The experimental data presented here can be used to test state-of-the-art models of the deuteron and the two-nucleon interaction in the final state after two-body breakup of the deuteron. Focusing on polarization degrees of freedom, we gain information on spin-momentum correlations in the deuteron ground state (due to the D-state admixture) and on the limits of the impulse approximation (IA) picture as it applies to measurements of spin-dependent observables like spin structure functions for bound nucleons. Information on this reaction can also be used to reduce systematic uncertainties on the determination of neutron form factors or deuteron polarization through quasielastic polarized electron scattering. Furthermore, we measured the beam-target double-spin asymmetry (A || ) for quasielastic electron scattering off the deuteron at several beam energies (1.6–1.7, 2.5, 4.2, and 5.6–5.8GeV), using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The deuterons were polarized along (or opposite to) the beam direction. The double-spin asymmetries were measured as a function of photon virtuality Q 2 (0.13–3.17(GeV/c) 2 ), missing momentum (p m =0.0–0.5GeV/c), and the angle between the (inferred) spectator neutron and the momentum transfer direction (θ nq ). We compare our results with a recent model that includes final-state interactions (FSI) using a complete parametrization of nucleon-nucleon scattering, as well as a simplified model using the plane wave impulse approximation (PWIA). We find overall good agreement with both the PWIA and FSI expectations at low to medium missing momenta (p m ≤0.25GeV/c), including the change of the asymmetry due to the contribution of the deuteron D state at higher momenta. At the highest missing momenta, our data clearly agree better with the calculations including FSI. Final-state interactions seem to play a lesser role for polarization observables in deuteron two-body electrodisintegration than for absolute cross sections. Our data, while limited in statistical power, indicate that PWIA models work reasonably well to understand the asymmetries at lower missing momenta. In turn, this information can be used to extract the product of beam and target polarization (P b P t ) from quasielastic electron-deuteron scattering, which is useful for measurements of spin observables in electron-neutron inelastic scattering. But, at the highest missing (neutron) momenta, FSI effects become important and must be accounted for.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Multiplicity dependence of light-flavor hadron production in p p collisions at s = 7 TeV

Comprehensive results on the production of unidentified charged particles, $π^±, K^±, K^0_S, K^*(892)^0, p,$ $\bar{p}$, $\phi$ (1020), Λ, $\bar{Λ}$, $\Xi^-$, $\bar{\Xi}^+$, $Ω^-$, and $\bar{Ω}^+$ hadrons in proton-proton ($pp$) collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV at midrapidity ($|y|$ < 0.5) as a function of charged-particle multiplicity density are presented. In order to avoid autocorrelation biases, the actual transverse momentum ($p$ T ) spectra of the particles under study and the event activity are measured in different rapidity windows. In the highest multiplicity class, the charged-particle density reaches about 3.5 times the value measured in inelastic collisions. While the yield of protons normalized to pions remains approximately constant as a function of multiplicity, the corresponding ratios of strange hadrons to pions show a significant enhancement that increases with increasing strangeness content. Furthermore, all identified particle-to-pion ratios are shown to depend solely on charged-particle multiplicity density, regardless of system type and collision energy. The evolution of the spectral shapes with multiplicity and hadron mass shows patterns that are similar to those observed in $p$-Pb and Pb-Pb collisions at Large Hadron Collider energies. The obtained $p$ T distributions and yields are compared to expectations from QCD-based $pp$ event generators as well as to predictions from thermal and hydrodynamic models. These comparisons indicate that traces of a collective, equilibrated system are already present in high-multiplicity $pp$ collisions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

𝐽/𝜓 photoproduction and polarization in 𝑒 + 𝑝 collisions in the improved color evaporation model

We calculate the production and polarization of direct 𝐽/𝜓 in the improved color evaporation model in 𝑒 + 𝑝 photoproduction. We present the production as functions of transverse momentum, mass of the hadronic final state, and inelasticity. We also present the polarization parameters 𝜆 𝜗 , 𝜆 𝜑 , and 𝜆 𝜗⁢𝜑 in the helicity and the Collins-Soper frames, as well as the frame-invariant polarization parameter $\tilde{𝜆}$ as a function of transverse momentum and inelasticity. We find agreement with both 𝐽/𝜓 unpolarized cross sections and the invariant polarization parameters as a function of 𝑝𝑇.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

QED nuclear medium effects at EIC energies

Here, we present the first calculation of quantum electrodynamics (QED) nuclear medium effects under the experimental conditions of future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) experiments. Our work offers numerical estimates, particularly in the context of inclusive deep inelastic scattering on a $^{208}_{82}$Pb nucleus. While prior studies have predominantly focused on elastic scattering, our investigation extends to the more complex scenarios of inelastic processes within a nuclear medium. Our findings suggest that the cross section corrections due to QED nuclear medium effects could be substantial, reaching or exceeding the level of experimental precision. This work further compares the effects of single rescattering events with those of multiple rescatterings, as particles travel the nuclear volume. We estimate the dominant source of the uncertainties associated with our formalism by varying the scale of the atomic physics where the screening of the electric field of the nucleus happens. This calculation not only contributes to the understanding of QED nuclear medium effects, but also offers a path to a more precise extraction of the process-independent nonperturbative structure of nuclei.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Scattering of dark particles with light mediators

We present a treatment of the high energy scattering of dark Dirac fermions from nuclei, mediated by the exchange of a light vector boson. The dark fermions are produced by proton-nucleus interactions in a fixed target and, after traversing shielding that screens out strongly interacting products, appear similarly to neutrino neutral current scattering in a detector. Using the Fermilab experiment E613 as an example, we place limits on a secluded dark matter scenario. Visible scattering in the detector includes both the familiar regime of large momentum transfer to the nucleus (Q 2 ) described by deeply inelastic scattering, as well as small Q 2 kinematics described by the exchanged vector mediator fluctuating into a quark-antiquark pair whose interaction with the nucleus is described by a saturation model. Here, we find that the improved description of the low Q 2 scattering leads to important corrections, resulting in more robust constraints in a regime where a description entirely in terms of deeply inelastic scattering cannot be trusted.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Nuclear structure aspects of spin-independent WIMP scattering off xenon

We study the structure factors for spin-independent WIMP scattering off xenon based on state-of-the-art large-scale shell-model calculations, which are shown to yield a good spectroscopic description of all experimentally relevant isotopes. Our results are based on the leading scalar one-body currents only. At this level and for the momentum transfers relevant to direct dark matter detection, the structure factors are in very good agreement with the phenomenological Helm form factors used to give experimental limits for WIMP- nucleon cross sections. In contrast to spin-dependent WIMP scattering, the spin-independent channel, at the one-body level, is less sensitive to nuclear structure details. In addition, we explicitly show that the structure factors for inelastic scattering are suppressed by ∼10 −4 compared to the coherent elastic scattering response. Here, this implies that the detection of inelastic scattering will be able to discriminate clearly between spin- independent and spin-dependent scattering. Finally, we provide fits for all calculated structure factors.

Vietze, L.↗

Measurement of muon plus proton final states in ν μ interactions on hydrocarbon at < E ν > = 4.2 GeV

A study of charged-current muon neutrino scattering on hydrocarbon in which the final state includes a muon, at least one proton, and no pions is presented. Although this signature has the topology of neutrino quasielastic scattering from neutrons, the event sample contains contributions from quasielastic and inelastic processes where pions are absorbed in the nucleus. The analysis accepts events with muon production angles up to 70° and proton kinetic energies greater than 110 MeV. The cross section, when based completely on hadronic kinematics, is well described by a relativistic Fermi gas nuclear model including the neutrino event generator modeling for inelastic processes and particle transportation through the nucleus. This is in contrast to the quasielastic cross section based on muon kinematics, which is best described by an extended model that incorporates multinucleon correlations. As a result, this measurement guides the formulation of a complete description of neutrino-nucleus interactions that encompasses the hadronic as well as the leptonic aspects of this process.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Pion structure function from leading neutron electroproduction and SU(2) flavor asymmetry

In this paper, we examine the efficacy of pion exchange models to simultaneously describe leading neutron electroproduction at HERA and the $\bar{d}-\bar{u}$ flavor asymmetry in the proton. A detailed $\chi^2$ analysis of the ZEUS and H1 cross sections, when combined with constraints on the pion flux from Drell-Yan data, allows regions of applicability of one-pion exchange to be delineated. The analysis disfavors several models of the pion flux used in the literature, and yields an improved extraction of the pion structure function and its uncertainties at parton momentum fractions in the pion of $4 \times 10^{-4} \lesssim x_\pi \lesssim 0.05$ at a scale of $Q^2$=10 GeV$^2$. Also, we provide estimates for leading proton structure functions in upcoming tagged deep-inelastic scattering experiments on the deuteron with forward protons, based on the fit results, at Jefferson Lab.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Hidden sector hydrogen as dark matter: Small-scale structure formation predictions and the importance of hyperfine interactions

Here, we study the atomic physics and the astrophysical implications of a model in which the dark matter is the analog of hydrogen in a secluded sector. The self interactions between dark matter particles include both elastic scatterings as well as inelastic processes due to a hyperfine transition. The self-interaction cross sections are computed by numerically solving the coupled Schrödinger equations for this system. We show that these self interactions exhibit the right velocity dependence to explain the low dark matter density cores seen in small galaxies while being consistent with all constraints from observations of clusters of galaxies. For a viable solution, the dark hydrogen mass has to be in 10--100 GeV range and the dark fine-structure constant has to be larger than 0.02. Precisely for this range of parameters, we show that significant cooling losses may occur due to inelastic excitations to the hyperfine state and subsequent decays, with implications for the evolution of low-mass halos and the early growth of supermassive black holes. Cooling from excitations to higher n levels of dark hydrogen and subsequent decays is possible at the cluster scale, with a strong dependence on halo mass. We show that the minimum halo mass is in the range of 10 3.5 to 10 7 M ⊙ for the viable regions of parameter space, significantly larger than the typical predictions for weakly-interacting dark matter models. Finally, this pattern of observables in cosmological structure formation is unique to this model, making it possible to rule in or rule out hidden sector hydrogen as a viable dark matter model.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Interaction Driven Subgap Spin Exciton in the Kondo Insulator SmB 6

In this paper, using inelastic neutron scattering, we map a 14 meV coherent resonant mode in the topological Kondo insulator SmB 6 and describe its relation to the low energy insulating band structure. The resonant intensity is confined to the X and R high symmetry points, repeating outside the first Brillouin zone and dispersing less than 2 meV, with a 5d-like magnetic form factor. We present a slave-boson treatment of the Anderson Hamiltonian with a third neighbor dominated hybridized band structure. This approach produces a spin exciton below the charge gap with features that are consistent with the observed neutron scattering. Finally, we find that maxima in the wave vector dependence of the inelastic neutron scattering indicate band inversion.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Quantum Tunneling of Water in Beryl. A New State of the Water Molecule

When using neutron scattering and ab initio simulations, we document the discovery of a new “quantum tunneling state” of the water molecule confined in 5 Å channels in the mineral beryl, characterized by extended proton and electron delocalization. We observed a number of peaks in the inelastic neutron scattering spectra that were uniquely assigned to water quantum tunneling. Additionally, the water proton momentum distribution was measured with deep inelastic neutron scattering, which directly revealed coherent delocalization of the protons in the ground state.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Anisotropic Exchange within Decoupled Tetrahedra in the Quantum Breathing Pyrochlore Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11

The low energy spin excitation spectrum of the breathing pyrochlore Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 has been investigated with inelastic neutron scattering. Several nearly resolution limited modes with no observable dispersion are observed at 250 mK while, at elevated temperatures, transitions between excited levels become visible. To gain deeper insight, a theoretical model of isolated Yb 3+ tetrahedra parametrized by four anisotropic exchange constants is constructed. The model reproduces the inelastic neutron scattering data, specific heat, and magnetic susceptibility with high fidelity. The fitted exchange parameters reveal a Heisenberg antiferromagnet with a very large Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Ultimately, using this model, we predict the appearance of an unusual octupolar paramagnet at low temperatures and speculate on the development of inter-tetrahedron correlations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Electromagnetic response of C 12 : A first-principles calculation

Here, the longitudinal and transverse electromagnetic response functions of $^{12}$C are computed in a ``first-principles'' Green's function Monte Carlo calculation, based on realistic two- and three-nucleon interactions and associated one- and two-body currents. We find excellent agreement between theory and experiment and, in particular, no evidence for the quenching of measured versus calculated longitudinal response. This is further corroborated by a re-analysis of the Coulomb sum rule, in which the contributions from the low-lying $J^\pi\,$=$\, 2^+$, $0^+$ (Hoyle), and $4^+$ states in $^{12}$C are accounted for explicitly in evaluating the total inelastic strength.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Spin-Orbit Coupling Controlled J = 3 / 2 Electronic Ground State in 5 d 3 Oxides

Spin-orbit entanglement in 5d-based transition metal oxides (TMOs) has been identified as a route to a host of unconventional physical states including quantum spin liquids, Weyl semimetals, and axion insulators. Yet despite intense interest, no clear rules have emerged for the treatment of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in 5d TMOs outside of idealised LS or jj coupling paradigms. This is exemplified in 5d 3 oxides in which an orbitally-quenched singlet ground state is anticipated, yet SOC is manifest in the observed magnetic properties. Here we solve this long-outstanding puzzle by revealing that the electronic ground state of Os5+ 5d 3 ions is an unquenched J = 3/2 state. Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) in Ca3LiOsO6 and Ba 2 YOsO 6 exposes a SOC-controlled splitting of the t 2g manifold. The results are successfully described using an intermediate-coupling framework in which oxygen hybridisation promotes the breakdown of the orbital singlet. This framework opens the door to realistic treatment of SOC across a range of 5d TMOs beyond the 5d 3 case.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Quantum Spin Liquid Intertwining Nematic and Superconducting Order in Fese

Despite its seemingly simple composition and structure, the pairing mechanism of FeSe remains an open problem due to several striking phenomena. Among them are nematic order without magnetic order, nodeless gap and unusual inelastic neutron spectra with a broad continuum, and gap anisotropy consistent with orbital selection of unknown origin. Here we propose a microscopic description of a nematic quantum spin liquid that reproduces key features of neutron spectra. We then study how the spin fluctuations of the local moments lead to pairing within a spin-fermion model. We find the resulting superconducting order parameter to be nodeless s ± d wave within each domain. Further we show that orbital dependent Kondo-like coupling can readily capture observed gap anisotropy. Furthermore, our prediction calls for inelastic neutron scattering in a detwinned sample.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Critical Fluorescence of a Transmon at the Schmid Transition

Here, we investigate inelastic microwave photon scattering by a transmon qubit embedded in a high-impedance circuit. The transmon undergoes a charge-localization (Schmid) transition upon the impedance reaching the critical value. Due to the unique transmon level structure, the fluorescence spectrum carries a signature of the transition point. At higher circuit impedance, quasielastic photon scattering may account for the main part of the inelastic scattering cross-section; we find its dependence on the qubit and circuit parameters.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗