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Jay D. Tasson

Publications and source records attributed to Jay D. Tasson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Complete-Coverage Searches for Lorentz Violation in the Minimal Matter Sector

Over the past several decades, dozens of tests have sought the 132 Lorentz-violating degrees of freedom in the nonrelativistic limit of the minimal matter sector of the Standard-Model Extension, yet 43 remained unconstrained. In this Letter, we limit all previously unconstrained degrees of freedom and make improvements on 13 prior limits. The approach introduced here offers the potential of further improvements for 49 degrees of freedom in suitable future experiments, along with additional discovery potential offered by combining data from experiments performed in different locations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2026

Achieving Full Coverage of the SME Minimal Matter Sector

Existing experiments and data sets can be leveraged to obtain additional sensitivities to Lorentz violation, beyond those originally sought, through a more precise consideration of the boost of the experiment through the background. In fact, access to the full coefficient space of the flat-spacetime single-fermion limit of the minimal matter sector of the Standard-Model Extension can be obtained. In this work we present this coverage for a sample particle in the context of a simplified model of Earth's motion.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2025

Expanding the Reach of Laboratory SME Searches Using Higher-Precision Boost Transformations

Additional sensitivities to Lorentz violation can be obtained from existing experiments by considering additional boost-suppressed effects. The additional Lorentz-violating signals arise as variations in experimental observables at the commonly-used sidereal frequency as well as more novel frequencies. In this work we provide some examples that serve to illustrate how interesting signals arise from the structure of the relevant boost transformations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2025

Computation and Experimentation as Equal Partners in a Modern Physics Lab Exercise

Experience with experimental and computational work are important components of students' understanding of the practice of physics. Physics departments typically use specific experimental lab courses and computational lab courses to develop students' skills in these areas. However these siloed experiences do not accurately represent the nuanced interplay between the theory, computation, and experiment that occurs outside of the curricular setting when physicists are building and testing models of the physical world. To expose students to this interplay, we have integrated computational and experimental work as equal partners within two radioactivity labs that occur within our modern physics lab course - the decay of $^{137}{\rm Ba}$ and the simultaneous decay of two silver isotopes in pre-1965 quarters. We present both of these labs and potential extensions that allow students to iterate on their theoretical, computational and/or experimental models based on what they learn from their initial investigation.

physics.ed-ph↗
arXiv2024

Measuring Gravitational Wave Speed and Lorentz Violation with the First Three Gravitational-Wave Catalogs

The speed of gravitational waves $v_g$ can be measured with the time delay between gravitational-wave detectors. Our study provides a more precise measurement of $v_g$ using gravitational-wave signals only, compared with previous studies. We select 52 gravitational-wave events that were detected with high confidence by at least two detectors in the first three observing runs (O1, O2, and O3) of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo. We use Markov chain Monte Carlo and nested sampling to estimate the $v_g$ posterior distribution for each of those events. We then combine their posterior distributions to find the 90% credible interval of the combined $v_g$ distribution for which we obtain $0.99^{+0.02}_{-0.02}c$ without the use of more accurate sky localization from the electromagnetic signal associated with GW170817. Restricting attention to the 50 binary black hole events generates the same result, while the use of the electromagnetic sky localization for GW170817 gives a tighter constraint of $0.99^{+0.01}_{-0.02}c$. The abundance of gravitational wave events allows us to apply hierarchical Bayesian inference on the posterior samples to simultaneously constrain all nine coefficients for Lorentz violation in the nondispersive, nonbirefringent limit of the gravitational sector of the Standard-Model Extension test framework. We compare the hierarchical Bayesian inference method with other methods of combining limits on Lorentz violation in the gravity sector that are found in the literature.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2023

Search for anisotropic, birefringent spacetime-symmetry breaking in gravitational wave propagation from GWTC-3

An effective field theory framework, the Standard-Model Extension, is used to investigate the existence of Lorentz and CPT-violating effects during gravitational wave propagation. We implement a modified equation for the dispersion of gravitational waves, that includes isotropic, anisotropic and birefringent dispersion. Using the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA algorithm library suite, we perform a joint Bayesian inference of the source parameters and coefficients for spacetime symmetry breaking. From a sample of 45 high confidence events selected in the GWTC-3 catalog, we obtain a maximal bound of $3.19 \times 10^{-15}$~m at 90\% CI for the isotropic coefficient $k_{(V)00}^{(5)}$ when assuming the anisotropic coefficients to be zero. The combined measurement of all the dispersion parameters yields limits on the order of $10^{-13}$~m for the 16 $k_{(V)ij}^{(5)}$ coefficients. We study the robustness of our inference by comparing the constraints obtained with different waveform models, and find that a lack of physics in the simulated waveform may appear as spacetime symmetry breaking-induced dispersion for a subset of events.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2022

SME Gravity: Structure and Progress

This proceedings contribution outlines the current structure of the gravity sector of the Standard-Model Extension and summaries recent progress in gravitational wave analysis.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2020

Measuring the Speed of Gravitational Waves from the First and Second Observing Run of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo

The speed of gravitational waves for a single observation can be measured by the time delay among gravitational-wave detectors with Bayesian inference. Then multiple measurements can be combined to produce a more accurate result. From the near simultaneous detection of gravitational waves and gamma rays originating from GW170817/GRB 170817A, the speed of gravitational wave signal was found to be the same as the the speed of the gamma rays to approximately one part in $10^{15}$. Here we present a different method of measuring the speed of gravitational waves, not based on an associated electromagnetic signal but instead by the measured transit time across a geographically separated network of detectors. While this method is far less precise, it provides an independent measurement of the speed of gravitational waves. For GW170817 a binary neutron star inspiral observed by Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo, by fixing sky localization of the source at the electromagnetic counterpart the speed of gravitational waves is constrained to 90% confidence interval (0.97c, 1.02c), where c is the speed of light in a vacuum. By combing seven BBH events and the BNS event from the second observing run of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo, the 90% confidence interval is narrowed down to (0.97c, 1.01c). The accurate measurement of the speed of gravitational waves allows us to test the general theory of relativity. We further interpret these results within the test framework provided by the gravitational Standard-Model Extension (SME). In doing so, we obtain simultaneous constraints on 4 of the 9 nonbirefringent, nondispersive coefficients for Lorentz violation in the gravity sector of the SME and place limits on the anisotropy of the speed of gravity.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2019

New test of Lorentz invariance using the MICROSCOPE space mission

We use data from the T-SAGE instrument on board the MICROSCOPE space mission to search for Lorentz violation in matter-gravity couplings as described by the Lorentz violating Standard-Model Extension (SME) coefficients $(\bar{a}_\text{eff})_μ^w$, where ($μ= T,X,Y,Z$) and ($w = e,p,n$) for the electron, proton and neutron. One of the phenomenological consequences of a non-zero value of those coefficients is that test bodies of different composition fall differently in an external gravitational field. This is similar to "standard" tests of the universality of free fall, but with a specific signature that depends on the orbital velocity and rotation of the Earth. We analyze data from five measurement sessions of MICROSCOPE spread over a year finding no evidence for such a signature, but setting constraints on linear combinations of the SME coefficients that improve on best previous results by one to two orders of magnitude. Additionally, our independent linear combinations are different from previous ones, which increases the diversity of available constraints, paving the way towards a full decorrelation of the individual coefficients.

physics.space-ph↗
arXiv2019

Lorentz Violation and Sagnac Gyroscopes

Sagnac gyroscopes with increased sensitivity are being developed and operated with a variety of goals including the measurement of General-Relativistic effects. We show that such systems can be used to search for Lorentz violation within the field-theoretic framework of the Standard-Model Extension, and that competitive sensitivities can be achieved. Special deviations from the inverse square law of gravity are among the phenomena that can be effectively sought with these systems. We present the necessary equations to obtain sensitivities to Lorentz violation in relevant experiments.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2019

Maximal Tests in Minimal Gravity

Recent tests have generated impressive reach in the gravity sector of the Standard-Model Extension. This contribution to the CPT'19 proceedings summarizes this progress and maps the structure of work in the gravity sector.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2019

Ring Laser Gyroscope Tests of Lorentz Symmetry

Interferometric gyroscope systems are being developed with the goal of measuring general-relativistic effects including frame-dragging effects. Such devices are also capable of performing searches for Lorentz violation. We summarize efforts that relate gyroscope measurements to coefficients for Lorentz violation in the gravity sector of the Standard-Model Extension.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2017

Superconducting-Gravimeter Tests of Local Lorentz Invariance

Superconducting-gravimeter measurements are used to test the local Lorentz invariance of the gravitational interaction and of matter-gravity couplings. The best laboratory sensitivities to date are achieved via a maximum-reach analysis for 13 Lorentz-violating operators, with some improvements exceeding an order of magnitude.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2017

Antimatter, Lorentz Symmetry, and Gravity

A brief introduction to the Standard-Model Extension (SME) approach to testing CPT and Lorentz symmetry is provided. Recent proposals for tests with antimatter are summarized, including gravitational and spectroscopic tests.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2016

The Standard-Model Extension and Gravitational Tests

The Standard-Model Extension (SME) provides a comprehensive effective field-theory framework for the study of CPT and Lorentz symmetry. This work reviews the structure and philosophy of the SME and provides some intuitive examples of symmetry violation. The results of recent gravitational tests performed within the SME are summarized including analysis of results from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), sensitivities achieved in short-range gravity experiments, constraints from cosmic-ray data, and results achieved by studying planetary ephemerids. Some proposals and ongoing efforts will also be considered including gravimeter tests, tests of the Weak Equivalence Principle, and antimatter experiments. Our review of the above topics is augmented by several original extensions of the relevant work. We present new examples of symmetry violation in the SME and use the cosmic-ray analysis to place first-ever constraints on 81 additional operators.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2016

Laser Gyroscopes, Gravity, and the SME

In this contribution to the CPT'16 proceedings, we illustrate the potential use of ring-laser systems in searching for Lorentz violation in the framework of the Standard-Model Extension. We present expressions for the Lorentz-violating contribution to the ring-laser signal for a sample system and make sensitivity estimates for the GINGER project.

gr-qc↗