arXiv subjects

R. D. McKeown

Publications and source records attributed to R. D. McKeown.

54 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

3He Spin-Dependent Cross Sections and Sum Rules

We present a measurement of the spin-dependent cross sections for the \vec{^3He}(\vec{e},e')X} reaction in the quasielastic and resonance regions at four-momentum transfer 0.1 < Q^2< 0.9 GeV^2. The spin-structure functions have been extracted and used to evaluate the nuclear Burkhardt--Cottingham and extended GDH sum rules for the first time. Impulse approximation and exact three-body Faddeev calculations are also compared to the data in the quasielastic region.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2008

Relaxation of Spin Polarized $^3$He in Mixtures of $^3$He and $^4$He Below the $^4$He Lambda Point

We report the first study of the depolarization behavior of spin polarized 3He in a mixture of 3He-4He at a temperature below the 4He Lambda point in a deuterated TetraPhenyl Butadiene-doped deuterated PolyStyrene (dTPB-dPS) coated acrylic cell. In our experiment the measured 3He relaxation time is due to the convolution of the 3He longitudinal relaxation time, T1, and the diffusion time constant of 3He in superfluid 4He since depolarization takes place on the walls. We have obtained a 3He relaxation time ~3000 seconds at a temperature around 1.9K. We have shown that it's possible to achieve values of wall depolarization probability on the order of (1-2)x10^-7 for polarized 3He in the superfluid 4He from a dTPB-dPS coated acrylic surface.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2005

Studies of Air Showers above 10^18 eV with the CHICOS Array

CHICOS (California HIgh school Cosmic ray ObServatory) is presently an array of more than 140 detectors distributed over a large area (~400 km^2) of southern California, and will consist of 180 detectors at 90 locations in the near future. These sites, located at area schools, are equipped with computerized data acquisition and automatic nightly data transfer (via internet) to our Caltech lab. The installed sites make up the largest currently operating ground array for ultra-high energy cosmic ray research in the northern hemisphere. The goal of CHICOS is to provide data related to the flux and distribution of arrival directions for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. We have performed detailed Monte-Carlo calculations to determine the density and arrival-time distribution of charged particles in extensive air showers for the CHICOS array. Calculations were performed for proton primaries with energies 10^18 to 10^21 eV and zenith angles out to 50 degrees. We have developed novel parameterizations for both distributions as functions of distance from the shower axis, primary energy, and incident zenith angle. These parameterizations are used in aperture calculations and reconstruction of shower data, enabling preliminary analysis of ultra-high energy shower data from CHICOS.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Search for Correlated High Energy Cosmic Ray Events with CHICOS

We present the results of a search for time correlations in high energy cosmic ray data (primary E > 10^14 eV) collected by the California HIgh school Cosmic ray ObServatory (CHICOS) array. Data from 69 detector sites spread over an area of 400 km^2 were studied for evidence of isolated events separated by more than 1 km with coincidence times ranging from 1 microseconds up to 1 second. We report upper limits for the coincidence probability as a function of coincidence time.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

The Cryogenic Target for the G$^0$ Experiment at Jefferson Lab

A cryogenic horizontal single loop target has been designed, built, tested and operated for the G$^0$ experiment in Hall C at Jefferson Lab. The target cell is 20 cm long, the loop volume is 6.5 l and the target operates with the cryogenic pump fully immersed in the fluid. The target has been designed to operate at 30 Hz rotational pump speed with either liquid hydrogen or liquid deuterium. The high power heat exchanger is able to remove 1000 W of heat from the liquid hydrogen, while the nominal electron beam with current of 40 $μ$A and energy of 3 GeV deposits about 320 W of heat into the liquid. The increase in the systematic uncertainty due to the liquid hydrogen target is negligible on the scale of a parity violation experiment. The global normalized yield reduction for 40 $μ$A beam is about 1.5 % and the target density fluctuations contribute less than 238 ppm (parts per million) to the total asymmetry width, typically about 1200 ppm, in a Q$^2$ bin.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2005

Search for Correlated High Energy Cosmic Ray Events with CHICOS

We present the results of a search for time correlations in high energy cosmic ray data (primary E > 10^{14} eV) collected by the California HIgh school Cosmic ray ObServatory (CHICOS) array. Data from 60 detector sites spread over an area of 400 km^2 were studied for evidence of correlated events separated by more than 1 km with coincidence times ranging from 1 microsec up to 1 second. All searches were consistent with the absence of excess coincidences except for a 2.9 sigma excess observed for coincidence times less than 10 microsec. We report upper limits for the coincidence probability as a function of coincidence time.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Neutrino Masses and Oscillations: Triumphs and Challenges

The recent progress in establishing the existence of finite neutrino masses and mixing between generations of neutrinos has been remarkable, if not astounding. The combined results from studies of atmospheric neutrinos, solar neutrinos, and reactor antineutrinos paint an intriguing picture for theorists and provide clear motivation for future experimental studies. In this review, we summarize the status of experimental and theoretical work in this field and explore the future opportunities that emerge in light of recent discoveries.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2003

Novel Technique for Ultra-sensitive Determination of Trace Elements in Organic Scintillators

A technique based on neutron activation has been developed for an extremely high sensitivity analysis of trace elements in organic materials. Organic materials are sealed in plastic or high purity quartz and irradiated at the HFIR and MITR. The most volatile materials such as liquid scintillator (LS) are first preconcentrated by clean vacuum evaporation. Activities of interest are separated from side activities by acid digestion and ion exchange. The technique has been applied to study the liquid scintillator used in the KamLAND neutrino experiment. Detection limits of <2.4X10**-15 g 40K/g LS, <5.5X10**-15 g Th/g LS, and <8X10**-15 g U/g LS have been achieved.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2002

The Nucleon's Mirror Image: Revealing the Strange and Unexpected

A remarkably successful program of parity-violating electron scattering experiments is providing new insight into the structure of the nucleon. Measurement of the vector form factors enables a definitive study of potential strange quark-antiquark contributions to the electromagnetic structure such as the magnetic moment and charge distribution. Recent experimental results have already indicated that effects of strangeness are much smaller than theoretically expected. In addition, the neutral axial form factor appears to display substantial corrections as one might expect from an anapole effect.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2001

Parity-Violating Electron Scattering and Neucleon Structure

The measurement of parity violation in the helicity dependence of electron-nucleon scattering provides unique information about the basic quark structure of the nucleons. In this review, the general formalism of parity-violating electron scattering is presented, with emphasis on elastic electron-nucleon scattering. The physics issues addressed by such experiments is discussed, and the major goals of the presently envisioned experimental program are identified. %General aspects of the experimental technique are reviewed and A summary of results from a recent series of experiments is presented and the future prospects of this program are also discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2001

x- and xi-scaling of the Nuclear Structure Function at Large x

Inclusive electron scattering data are presented for ^2H and Fe targets at an incident electron energy of 4.045 GeV for a range of momentum transfers from Q^2 = 1 to 7 (GeV/c)^2. Data were taken at Jefferson Laboratory for low values of energy loss, corresponding to values of Bjorken x greater than or near 1. The structure functions do not show scaling in x in this range, where inelastic scattering is not expected to dominate the cross section. The data do show scaling, however, in the Nachtmann variable ξ. This scaling may be the result of Bloom Gilman duality in the nucleon structure function combined with the Fermi motion of the nucleons in the nucleus. The resulting extension of scaling to larger values of ξopens up the possibility of accessing nuclear structure functions in the high-x region at lower values of Q^2 than previously believed.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2000

Measurement of the vector analyzing power in elastic electron-proton scattering as a probe of double photon exchange amplitudes

We report the first measurement of the vector analyzing power in inclusive transversely polarized elastic electron-proton scattering at Q^2 = 0.1 (GeV/c)^2 and large scattering angles. This quantity should vanish in the single virtual photon exchange, plane wave impulse approximation for this reaction, and can therefore provide information on double photon exchange amplitudes for electromagnetic interactions with hadronic systems. We find a non-zero value of A=-15.4+/-5.4 ppm. No calculations of this observable for nuclei other than spin 0 have been carried out in these kinematics, and the calculation using the spin orbit interaction from a charged point nucleus of spin 0 cannot describe these data.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1999

An Energy Feedback System for the MIT/Bates Linear Accelerator

We report the development and implementation of an energy feedback system for the MIT/Bates Linear Accelerator Center. General requirements of the system are described, as are the specific requirements, features, and components of the system unique to its implementation at the Bates Laboratory. We demonstrate that with the system in operation, energy fluctuations correlated with the 60 Hz line voltage and with drifts of thermal origin are reduced by an order of magnitude.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1997

Measurement of the Proton's Neutral Weak Magnetic Form Factor

We report the first measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry in elastic electron scattering from the proton. The asymmetry depends on the neutral weak magnetic form factor of the proton which contains new information on the contribution of strange quark-antiquark pairs to the magnetic moment of the proton. We obtain the value $G_M^Z= 0.34 \pm 0.09 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.05$ n.m. at $Q^2=0.1$ (GeV/c)${}^2$.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1996

Should the Strange Magnetic Moment of the Nucleon be Positive?

The strange magnetic moment of the nucleon ($μ_s$) is examined as part of the nucleon's isoscalar anomalous moment. The dominant up and down quark effects in the anomalous moment may actually tend to favor $μ_s >0$, which is contrary to the negative values that generally result from model calculations. The possible origins of this apparent discrepancy are considered.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1996

A High Power Hydrogen Target for Parity Violation Experiments

Parity-violating electron scattering measurements on hydrogen and deuterium, such as those underway at the Bates and CEBAF laboratories, require luminosities exceeding $10^{38}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$, resulting in large beam power deposition into cryogenic liquid. Such targets must be able to absorb 500 watts or more with minimal change in target density. A 40~cm long liquid hydrogen target, designed to absorb 500~watts of beam power without boiling, has been developed for the SAMPLE experiment at Bates. In recent tests with 40~$μ$A of incident beam, no evidence was seen for density fluctuations in the target, at a sensitivity level of better than 1\%. A summary of the target design and operational experience will be presented.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1996

SAMPLE: Parity Violating Electron Scattering from Hydrogen and Deuterium

Recently, there has been considerable theoretical interest in determining strange quark contributions to hadronic matrix elements. Such matrix elements can be accessed through the nucleon's neutral weak form factors as determined in parity violating electron scattering. The SAMPLE experiment will measure the strange magnetic form factor $G_M^s$ at low momentum transfer. By combining measurements from hydrogen and deuterium the theoretical uncertainties in the measurement can be greatly reduced and the result will be limited by experimental errors only. A summary of recent progress on the SAMPLE experiment is presented.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1995

Inclusive Electron Scattering from Nuclei at $x \simeq 1$

The inclusive A(e,e') cross section for $x \simeq 1$ was measured on $^2$H, C, Fe, and Au for momentum transfers $Q^2$ from 1-7 (GeV/c)$^2$. The scaling behavior of the data was examined in the region of transition from y-scaling to x-scaling. Throughout this transitional region, the data exhibit $ξ$-scaling, reminiscent of the Bloom-Gilman duality seen in free nucleon scattering.

nucl-ex↗