Determination of the Neutron Lifetime using Magnetically Trapped Neutrons

使用磁俘获中子测定中子寿命

• 批准号: 0855593
• 负责人: Paul Huffman
• 金额: $ 17.3万
• 依托单位: North Carolina State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2012-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0855593&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Determination; Neutron; Lifetime; using; Magnetically

The neutron is stable when confined inside a nucleus. Once removed however, it is known to live for only about 15 minutes, decaying into a proton, electron, and neutrino. Scientists would like a more accurate and reliable value of the lifetime for understanding both the early days of the universe and the forces that govern many of the processes that we observe each day. We are in the process of measuring the lifetime of the neutron by confining them using magnetic fields. Once confined, we are able to directly observe each neutron decay, allowing us to measure the lifetime with improved accuracy.This collaborative effort provides an excellent opportunity for both graduate and undergraduate students to participate in a broad spectrum of research that encompasses the areas of nuclear, low-temperature, atomic, and condensed matter physics. Training future researchers in the field of neutron physics is also essential to insure the ultimate success of new neutron facilities being construted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Many of the techniques developed will enable other experiments that seek to improve our understanding of the Standard Model of Physics, which describes all particles and their interactions in the world in which we live.

当局部内部局部时，中子是稳定的。 然而，一旦去除，就可以生存约15分钟，腐烂成质子，电子和中微子。 科学家希望一生的更准确和可靠的价值来理解宇宙的早期和管理我们每天观察到的许多过程的力量。我们正在通过使用磁场限制中子来测量中子的寿命。 一旦受到限制，我们就可以直接观察每个中子衰减，使我们能够以提高准确性来测量生命周期。这项协作的努力为研究生和本科生提供了一个绝佳的机会，可以参与广泛的研究，包括核，低温，原子质和浓缩物质的核，低温和凝分物理学。 培训中子物理学领域的未来研究人员对于确保在橡树岭国家实验室和国家标准技术研究所被限制的新中子设施的最终成功也至关重要。 开发的许多技术将使其他实验试图提高我们对物理学标准模型的理解，该实验描述了我们所生活的世界上的所有粒子及其相互作用。