First Test of Lorentz Invariance in the Weak Decay of Polarized Nuclei

Dijck, E. A.; Bekker, H.; Berg, J. E. van den; Böll, O.; Hoekstra, S.; Jungmann, K.; Meinema, C.; Noordmans, J. P.; Nunez Portela, M.; Onderwater, C. J. G.; Pijpker, C.; Poel, A. P. P. van der; Santra, B.; Sytema, A.; Timmermans, R. G. E.; Versolato, O. O.; Willmann, L.; Wilschut, H. W.; Yai, K.; Müller, S. E.

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.88.071901

First Test of Lorentz Invariance in the Weak Decay of Polarized Nuclei

Dijck, E. A.; Bekker, H.; van den Berg, J. E.; Böll, O.; Hoekstra, S.; Jungmann, K.; Meinema, C.; Noordmans, J. P.; Nunez Portela, M.; Onderwater, C. J. G.; Pijpker, C.; van der Poel, A. P. P.; Santra, B.; Sytema, A.; Timmermans, R. G. E.; Versolato, O. O.; Willmann, L.; Wilschut, H. W.; Yai, K.; Müller, S. E.

A new test of Lorentz invariance in the weak interactions has been made by searching for variations in the decay rate of spin-polarized 20Na nuclei. This test is unique to Gamow-Teller transitions, as was shown in the framework of a recently developed theory that assumes a Lorentz symmetry breaking background field of tensor nature. The nuclear spins were polarized in the up and down direction, putting a limit on the amplitude of sidereal variations of the form |(Γup − Γdown)|/(Γup + Γdown) < 3 × 10−3. This measurement shows a possible route toward a more detailed testing of Lorentz symmetry in weak interactions.

Keywords: PACS numbers: 11.30.Cp; 24.80.+y; 23.40.Bw

Physical Review D 88(2013)7, 071901
Online First (2013) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.88.071901
Cited 20 times in Scopus

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