2010/04/11 by V. Andreev, V. A. Andreev, R. M. Carey +64 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Neutrino Physics Research #Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex) #Nuclear Theory (nucl-th) #Nuclear physics research studies #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #nucl-ex #nucl-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1004.1754
Proposal for PSI Experiment R-08-01, submitted February 8, 2008
arxiv created 2010/04/11 · openalex publication_date 2010/04/11 · arxiv updated 2010/04/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We propose to measure the rate \Rd for muon capture on the deuteron to better than 1.5% precision. This process is the simplest weak interaction process on a nucleus that can both be calculated and measured to a high degree of precision. The measurement will provide a benchmark result, far more precise than any current experimental information on weak interaction processes in the two-nucleon system. Moreover, it can impact our understanding of fundamental reactions of astrophysical interest, like solar pp fusion and the ν+d reactions observed by the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. Recent effective field theory calculations have demonstrated, that all these reactions are related by one axial two-body current term, parameterized by a single low-energy constant. Muon capture on the deuteron is a clean and accurate way to determine this constant. Once it is known, the above mentioned astrophysical, as well as other important two-nucleon reactions, will be determined in a model independent way at the same precision as the measured muon capture reaction.