arXiv subjects

M. Nichols

Publications and source records attributed to M. Nichols.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Laser spectroscopy and CP-violation sensitivity of actinium monofluoride

The apparent invariance of the strong nuclear force under combined charge conjugation and parity (CP) remains an open question in modern physics. Precision experiments with heavy atoms and molecules can provide stringent constraints on CP violation via searches for effects due to permanent electric dipole moments and other CP-odd properties in leptons, hadrons, and nuclei. Radioactive molecules have been proposed as highly sensitive probes for such searches, but experiments with most such molecules have so far been beyond technical reach. Here we report the first production and spectroscopic study of a gas-phase actinium molecule, $^{227}$AcF. We observe the predicted strongest electronic transition from the ground state, which is necessary for efficient readout in searches of symmetry-violating interactions. Furthermore, we perform electronic- and nuclear-structure calculations for $^{227}$AcF to determine its sensitivity to various CP-violating parameters, and find that a realistic, near-term experiment with a precision of 1 mHz would improve current constraints on the CP-violating parameter hyperspace by three orders of magnitude. Our results thus highlight the potential of $^{227}$AcF for exceptionally sensitive searches of CP violation.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2024

Ionization potential of radium monofluoride

The ionization potential (IP) of radium monofluoride (RaF) was measured to be 4.969(2)[10] eV, revealing a relativistic enhancement in the series of alkaline earth monofluorides. The results are in agreement with a relativistic coupled-cluster prediction of 4.969[7] eV, incorporating up to quantum electrodynamics corrections. Using the same computational methodology, an improved calculation for the dissociation energy ($D_{0}$) of 5.54[5] eV is presented. This confirms that radium monofluoride joins the small group of diatomic molecules for which $D_{0}>\mathrm{IP}$, paving the way for precision control and interrogation of its Rydberg states.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2023

Observation of the distribution of nuclear magnetization in a molecule

Rapid progress in the experimental control and interrogation of molecules, combined with developments in precise calculations of their structure, are enabling new opportunities in the investigation of nuclear and particle physics phenomena. Molecules containing heavy, octupole-deformed nuclei such as radium are of particular interest for such studies, offering an enhanced sensitivity to the properties of fundamental particles and interactions. Here, we report precision laser spectroscopy measurements and theoretical calculations of the structure of the radioactive radium monofluoride molecule, $^{225}$Ra$^{19}$F. Our results allow fine details of the short-range electron-nucleus interaction to be revealed, indicating the high sensitivity of this molecule to the distribution of magnetization, currently a poorly constrained nuclear property, within the radium nucleus. These results provide a direct and stringent test of the description of the electronic wavefunction inside the nuclear volume, highlighting the suitability of these molecules to investigate subatomic phenomena.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2023

Pinning down electron correlations in RaF via spectroscopy of excited states and high-accuracy relativistic quantum chemistry

We report the spectroscopy of the 14 lowest excited electronic states in the radioactive molecule radium monofluoride (RaF). The observed excitation energies are compared with fully relativistic state-of-the-art Fock-space coupled cluster (FS-RCC) calculations, which achieve an agreement of >=99.64% (within ~12 meV) with experiment for all states. Guided by theory, a firm assignment of the angular momentum and term symbol is made for 10 states and a tentative assignment for 4 states. The role of high-order electron correlation and quantum electrodynamics effects in the excitation energy of excited states is studied, found to be important for all states. Establishing the simultaneous accuracy and precision of calculations is an important step for research at the intersection of particle, nuclear, and chemical physics, including searches of physics beyond the Standard Model, for which RaF is a promising probe.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2009

The Smith Cloud: high-velocity accretion and dark-matter confinement

The Smith Cloud is a massive system of metal-poor neutral and ionized gas M_gas >= 2x10^6 M_sun) that is presently moving at high velocity (V_GSR ~300 km s^-1) with respect to the Galaxy at a distance of 12 kpc from the Sun. The kinematics of the cloud's cometary tail indicates that the gas is in the process of accretion onto the Galaxy, as first discussed by Lockman et al. (2008). Here, we re-investigate the cloud's orbit by considering the possibility that the cloud is confined by a dark matter halo. This is required for the cloud to survive its passage through the Galactic corona. We consider three possible models for the dark matter halo (NFW, Einasto, Burkert) including the effects of tidal disruption and ram-pressure stripping during the cloud's infall onto and passage through the Galactic disk. For the NFW and Einasto dark-matter models, we are able to determine reasonable initial conditions for the Smith Cloud, although this is only marginally possible with the Burkert model. For all three models, the progenitor had an initial (gas+dark matter) mass that was an order of magnitude higher than inferred today. In agreement with Lockman et al. (2008), the cloud appears to have punched through the disk ~70 Myr ago. For our most successful models, the baryon to dark matter ratio is fairly constant during an orbital period but drops by a factor of 2-5 after transiting the disk. The cloud appears to have only marginally survived its transit, and is unlikely to retain its integrity during the next transit ~30 Myr from now.

astro-ph.GA↗