Neutron beta decay and the current determination of Vud

2000/06/19 by A. Garcia, A. Garcı́a, J. L. Garcia-Luna +3 · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Neutrino Physics Research #Radioactive Decay and Measurement Techniques #hep-ph #nucl-ex #nucl-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/s0370-2693(01)00051-x

published as Phys.Lett.B500:66-74,2001 · 14 latex pages, 1 eps figure, submitted to Physics Letter B

arxiv created 2000/06/19 · openalex publication_date 2001/02/01 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Measurements of neutron beta decay observables required to determine |V_ud| are reaching the 0.1% accuracy. In this paper we review the calculation of the decay rate of this process, discuss its relevant uncertainties, and obtain an expression that is precise at the 10^-4 level. Our analysis clearly shows the necessity of measurements of λ, the ratio of axial/vector couplings. The current situation in neutron beta decay is that one cannot yet quote a single consistent value for |V_ud| from it. We also discuss the region of parameter space in the |V_ud|--λ plane where new physics effects should lie, if they contribute to neutron beta decay.

Citations

• General Properties of the Electromagnetic Corrections to the Beta Decay of a Physical Nucleon
• Current algebra formulation of radiative corrections in gauge theories and the universality of the weak interactions
• CP-Violation in the Renormalizable Theory of Weak Interaction
• Review of Particle Physics

Cited by

• Improved predictions of the standard model and the detection of new physics in neutron beta decay
• Tests of the standard electroweak model in nuclear beta decay