arXiv subjects

V. V. Flambaum

Publications and source records attributed to V. V. Flambaum.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Ultralight dark photon as a model for early universe dark matter

Dark photon is a massive vector field which interacts only with the physical photon through the kinetic mixing. This coupling is assumed to be weak so that the dark photon becomes almost unobservable in processes with elementary particles, but can serve as a dark matter particle. We argue that in very early Universe ($z>3000$) this vector field may have the equation of state of radiation ($w=1/3$) but later behaves as cold dark matter ($w=0$). This may slightly change the expansion rate of the Universe at early time and reduce the value of the sound horizon of baryon acoustic oscillations (standard ruler). As a result, in this model the value of the Hubble constant appears to be larger than that in the standard $Λ$CDM model. In particular, it is sufficient to have the dark photon mass of order $m\sim 10^{-27}-10^{-25}$ eV to fit the value of the Hubble constant to $H_0 = 73$ km$\cdot$s$^{-1}$Mpc$^{-1}$ thus resolving the Hubble tension.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

Sensitivity of isotope shift to distribution of nuclear charge density

It is usually assumed that the field isotope shift (FIS) is completely determined by the change of the averaged squared values of the nuclear charge radius $\langle r^2\rangle$. Relativistic corrections modify the expression for FIS, which is actually described by the change of $\langle r^{2 γ}\rangle$, where $γ=\sqrt{1 - Z^2 α^2}$. In the present paper we consider corrections to FIS which are due to the nuclear deformation and due to the predicted reduced charge density in the middle of the superheavy nuclei produced by a very strong proton repulsion (hole in the nuclear centre). Specifically, we investigate effects which can not be completely reduced to the change of $\langle r^2 \rangle$ or $\langle r^{2 γ}\rangle$.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2019

Isotopic variation of parity violation in atomic ytterbium: method of measurements and analysis of systematic effects

We present a detailed description of experimental studies of the parity violation effect in an isotopic chain of atomic ytterbium (Yb), whose results were reported in a recent Letter [Antypas et al., Nat. Phys. 15, 120 (2019)]. We discuss the principle of these measurements, made on the Yb 6s$^2$ $^1$S$_0 \rightarrow $5d6s $^3$D$_1$ optical transition at 408 nm, describe the experimental apparatus, and give a detailed account of our studies of systematic effects in the experiment. Our results offer the first direct observation of the isotopic variation in the atomic parity violation effect, a variation which is in agreement with the prediction of the Standard Model. These measurements are used to constrain electron-proton and electron-neutron interactions, mediated by a light $Z'$ boson.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2019

Interference-assisted detection of dark photon using atomic transitions

Dark photon is a massive vector particle which couples to the physical photon through the kinetic mixing term. Such particles, if exist, are produced in photon beams and, in particular, in laser radiation. Due to the oscillations between the physical photon and the dark photon, the latter may be, in principle, detected in the light-shining-through-a-wall experiment. We propose a variant of this experiment where the detection of dark photons is based on the atomic transitions. The key feature of this scheme is that the detection probability is first order in the coupling constant due to the interference term in the photon and dark photon absorption amplitudes. We expect that such experiment may give new constraints on dark photon coupling constant in the mass region $10^{-3}< m < 10^{-2}$ eV.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Theoretical study of electron structure of superheavy elements with an open $6d$-shell, Sg, Bh, Hs and Mt

We use recently developed efficient versions of the configuration interaction method to perform {\em ab initio} calculations of the spectra of superheavy elements seaborgium (Sg, $Z=106$), bohrium (Bh, $Z=107$), hassium (Hs, $Z=108$) and meitnerium (Mt, $Z=109$). We calculate energy levels, ionization potentials, isotope shifts and electric dipole transition amplitudes. Comparison with lighter analogs reveals significant differences caused by strong relativistic effects in superheavy elements. Very large spin-orbit interaction distinguishes subshells containing orbitals with a definite total electron angular momentum $j$. This effect replaces Hund's rule holding for lighter elements.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2019

Dependence of atomic parity-violation effects on neutron skins and new physics

We estimate the relative contribution of nuclear structure and new physics couplings to the parity non-conserving spin-independent effects in atomic systems, for both single isotopes and isotopic ratios. General expressions are presented to assess the sensitivity of isotopic ratios to neutron skins and to couplings beyond standard model at tree level. The specific coefficients for these contributions are calculated assuming Fermi distribution for proton and neutron nuclear densities for isotopes of Cs, Ba, Sm, Dy, Yb, Pb, Fr, and Ra. The present work aims to provide a guide to the choice of the best isotopes and pairs of isotopes for conducting atomic PNC measurements.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Constraining the magnetic field on white dwarf surfaces; Zeeman effects and fine structure constant variation

White dwarf atmospheres are subjected to gravitational potentials around $10^5$ times larger than occur on Earth. They provide a unique environment in which to search for any possible variation in fundamental physics in the presence of strong gravitational fields. However, a sufficiently strong magnetic field will alter absorption line profiles and introduce additional uncertainties in measurements of the fine structure constant. Estimating the magnetic field strength is thus essential in this context. Here we model the absorption profiles of a large number of atomic transitions in the white dwarf photosphere, including first-order Zeeman effects in the line profiles, varying the magnetic field as a free parameter. We apply the method to a high signal-to-noise, high-resolution, far-ultraviolet HST/STIS spectrum of the white dwarf G191-B2B. The method yields a sensitive upper limit on its magnetic field of $B < 2300$ Gauss at the $3σ$ level. Using this upper limit we find that the potential impact of quadratic Zeeman shifts on measurements of the fine structure constant in G191-B2B is 4 orders of magnitude below laboratory wavelength uncertainties.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2018

Fast configuration-interaction calculations for nobelium and ytterbium

We calculate excitation energies for low states of nobelium, including states with open $5f$ subshell. An efficient version of the many-electron configuration-interaction method for treating the atom as a sixteen external electrons system has been developed and used. The method is tested on calculations for ytterbium which has external electron structure similar to nobelium. The results for nobelium are important for prediction of its spectrum and for interpretation of recent measurements. Ytterbium is mostly used to study the features of the method.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Screening and enhancement of oscillating electric field in molecules

According to the Schiff theorem, the atomic electrons completely screen the atomic nucleus from an external static electric field. However, this is not the case if the field is time-dependent. Electronic orbitals in atoms either shield the nucleus from an oscillating electric field when the frequency of the field is off the atomic resonances or enhance this field when its frequency approaches an atomic transition energy. In molecules, not only electronic, but also rotational and vibrational states are responsible for the screening of oscillating electric fields. As will be shown in this paper, the screening of a low-frequency field inside molecules is much weaker than it appears in atoms owing to the molecular ro-vibrational states. We systematically study the screening of oscillating electric fields inside diatomic molecules in different frequency regimes,i.e., when the field's frequency is either of order of ro-vibrational or electronic transition frequencies. In the resonance case, we demonstrate that the microwave-frequency electric field may be enhanced up to six orders in magnitude due to ro-vibrational states. We also derive the general formulae for the screening and resonance enhancement of oscillating electric field in polyatomic molecules. Possible applications of these results include nuclear electric dipole moment measurements and stimulation of nuclear reactions by laser light.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Time reversal violating Magnetic Quadrupole Moment in heavy deformed nuclei

The existence of permanent electric dipole moments (EDMs) and magnetic quadrupole moments (MQMs) violate both time reversal invariance ($T$) and parity ($P$). Following the $CPT$ theorem they also violate combined $CP$ symmetry. Nuclear EDM are completely screened in atoms and molecules while interaction between electrons and MQM creates atomic and molecular EDM which can be measured and used to test CP-violation theories. Nuclear MQM are produced by the nucleon-nucleon $T,P$-odd interaction and by nucleon EDM. In this work we study the effect of enhancement of the nuclear MQM due to the nuclear deformation. Using the Nilsson model we calculate the nuclear MQMs for deformed nuclei of experimental interest and the resultant MQM energy shift in diatomic molecules of experimental interest $^{173}$YbF , $^{177,179}$HfF$^+$, $^{181}$TaN, $^{181}$TaO$^+$, $^{229}$ThO and $^{229}$ThF$^+$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2018

Hyperfine induced transitions 1S0 - 3D1 in Yb

Parity violation experiment in Yb is made on the strongly forbidden M1 transition 6s^2 1S0 \to 5d6s 3D1. The hyperfine mixing of the 5d6s 3D1 and 5d6s 3D2 levels opens E2 channel, whose amplitude differs for F-sublevels of the 3D1 level. This effect may be important for the experimental search for the nuclear-spin-dependent parity violation effects predominantly caused by the nuclear anapole moment.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

HfF$^+$ as a candidate to search for the nuclear weak quadruple moment

Nuclei with a quadrupole deformation such as $^{177}$Hf have enhanced weak quadrupole moment which induces the tensor weak electron-nucleus interaction in atoms and molecules. Corresponding parity non-conserving (PNC) effect is strongly enhanced in the $^3Δ_1$ electronic state of the $^{177}$HfF$^+$ cation which has very close opposite parity levels mixed by this tensor interaction. In the present paper we perform relativistic many-body calculations of this PNC effect. It is shown that the tensor weak interaction induced by the weak quadrupole moment gives the dominating contribution to the PNC effects in $^{177}$HfF$^+$ which significantly exceeds contributions of the vector anapole moment and the scalar weak charge. The anapole and the weak charge can contribute due to the nonadiabatic mechanism proposed here. Therefore, corresponding experiment will allow one to separate the tensor weak PNC effect from the other PNC effects and to measure the quadrupole moment of the neutron distribution which gives the dominating contribution to the weak quadrupole moment.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Enhanced nuclear Schiff moment and time reversal violation in 229Th-containing molecules

Octupole deformation results in a strongly enhanced collective Schiff moment in 229Th nucleus. An additional enhancement of time reversal (T) and parity (P) violating effects (such as T,P-violating electric dipole moments) appears in the ground 1Sigma state and in the metastable 3Delta_1 state of diatomic molecule 229ThO. Similar enhancements exist in molecular ions 229ThOH+, 229ThF+ and 225,223RaOH+. Corresponding experiments may be used to test CP-violation theories predicting T,P-violating nuclear forces and to search for axions.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Nobelium energy levels and hyperfine structure constants

Advances in laser spectroscopy of superheavy ($Z>100$) elements enabled determination of the nuclear moments of the heaviest nuclei, which requires high-precision atomic calculations of the relevant hyperfine structure (HFS) constants. Here, we calculated the HFS constants and energy levels for a number of nobelium (Z=102) states using the hybrid approach, combining linearized coupled-cluster and configuration interaction methods. We also carried out an extensive study of the No energies using 16-electron configuration interaction method to determine the position of the (5f^{13}7s^2 6d) and (5f^{13}7s^2 7p) levels with a hole in the 5f shell to evaluate their potential effect on the hyperfine structure calculations of the low-lying (5f^{14}7s6d) and (5f^{14}7s7p) levels. We find that unlike the case of Yb, the mixing of the low-lying levels with filled and unfilled f shell is small and does not significantly influence their properties. The resulting HFS constants for the 5f^{14}7s7p 1P1 level, combined with laser-spectroscopy measurement, were used to extract nobelium nuclear properties [S. Raeder et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 232503 (2018)]

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Resonant enhancement of oscillating electric field in atom

When an atom is placed into an oscillating electric field with frequency far from atomic resonances, the atomic electrons partly shield this field at the nucleus. It is conjectured that when the frequency of electric field reaches an atomic resonance, the electric field at the nucleus may be significantly enhanced. In this paper, we systematically study the mechanisms of this enhancement and show that it may reach five orders in magnitude in particular cases. As an application, we consider laser-assisted neutron capture in 139-Lanthanum nucleus and screening and resonance enhancement of nuclear electromagnetic transitions by electrons.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Evaluation of CP-violation in HfF$^+$

CP violation effects produced by the nuclear magnetic quadrupole moment (MQM), electron electric dipole moment (EDM) and scalar$-$pseudoscalar nucleus$-$electron neutral current (SP) interaction in $^{177}$Hf$^{19}$F$^+$ and $^{179}$Hf$^{19}$F$^+$ are calculated. The role of the hyperfine interaction is investigated. It is shown that the MQM shift can be distinguished from the electron EDM and SP ones due to the implicit dependence of MQM shift on the hyperfine sublevel. The MQM effect is expressed in terms of the proton (EDM), QCD vacuum angle $θ$ and quark chromo-EDMs.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

New constraints on axion-mediated P,T-violating interaction from electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms

The exchange of an axion-like particle between atomic electrons and the nucleus may induce electric dipole moments (EDMs) of atoms and molecules. This interaction is described by a parity- and time-reversal-invariance-violating potential which depends on the product of a scalar $g^s$ and a pseudoscalar $g^p$ coupling constant. We consider the interaction with the specific combination of these constants, $g_e^s g_N^p$, which gives significant contributions to the EDMs of diamagnetic atoms. In this paper, we calculate these contributions to the EDMs of $^{199}$Hg, $^{129}$Xe, $^{211}$Rn and $^{225}$Ra for a wide range of axion masses. Comparing these results with recent experimental EDM measurements, we place new constraints on $g_e^s g_N^p$. The most stringent atomic EDM limits come from $^{199}$Hg and improve on existing laboratory limits from other experiments for axion masses exceeding $10^{-2}$ eV.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Shielding of an external oscillating electric field inside atoms

According to the Schiff theorem an external electric field vanishes at atomic nucleus in a neutral atom, i.e. it is completely shielded by electrons. This makes a nuclear electric dipole moment (EDM) unobservable. In this paper an extension of the Schiff theorem to an oscillating electric field is considered. Such field can reach the nucleus and interact with the nuclear EDM. The enhancement effect appears if the field is in resonance with atomic or molecular transition. The shielding by electrons strongly affects low-energy nuclear electric dipole transition amplitudes in different nuclear reactions including radiative transitions, radiative nucleon capture, photo or electro-excitation of nuclei and laser-induced or laser-enhanced nuclear reactions.

physics.atom-ph↗