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V. W. Hughes

Publications and source records attributed to V. W. Hughes.

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An Improved Limit on the Muon Electric Dipole Moment

Three independent searches for an electric dipole moment (EDM) of the positive and negative muons have been performed, using spin precession data from the muon g-2 storage ring at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Details on the experimental apparatus and the three analyses are presented. Since the individual results on the positive and negative muon, as well as the combined result, d=-0.1(0.9)E-19 e-cm, are all consistent with zero, we set a new muon EDM limit, |d| < 1.9E-19 e-cm (95% C.L.). This represents a factor of 5 improvement over the previous best limit on the muon EDM.

hep-ex

Muonic hydrogen cascade time and lifetime of the short-lived $2S$ state

Metastable ${2S}$ muonic-hydrogen atoms undergo collisional ${2S}$-quenching, with rates which depend strongly on whether the $μp$ kinetic energy is above or below the ${2S}\to {2P}$ energy threshold. Above threshold, collisional ${2S} \to {2P}$ excitation followed by fast radiative ${2P} \to {1S}$ deexcitation is allowed. The corresponding short-lived $μp ({2S})$ component was measured at 0.6 hPa $\mathrm{H}_2$ room temperature gas pressure, with lifetime $τ_{2S}^\mathrm{short} = 165 ^{+38}_{-29}$ ns (i.e., $λ_{2S}^\mathrm{quench} = 7.9 ^{+1.8}_{-1.6} \times 10^{12} \mathrm{s}^{-1}$ at liquid-hydrogen density) and population $ε_{2S}^\mathrm{short} = 1.70^{+0.80}_{-0.56}$ % (per $μp$ atom). In addition, a value of the $μp$ cascade time, $T_\mathrm{cas}^{μp} = (37\pm5)$ ns, was found.

physics.atom-ph

Planar LAAPDs: Temperature Dependence, Performance, and Application in Low Energy X-ray Spectroscopy

An experiment measuring the 2S Lamb shift in muonic hydrogen mup is being performed at the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland. It requires small and compact detectors for 1.9 keV x rays (2P-1S transition) with an energy resolution around 25% at 2 keV, a time resolution better than 100 ns, a large solid angle coverage, and insensitivity to a 5 T magnetic field. We have chosen Large Area Avalanche Photodiodes (LAAPDs) from Radiation Monitoring Devices as x-ray detectors, and they were used during the last data taking period in 2003. For x-ray spectroscopy applications, these LAAPDs have to be cooled in order to suppress the dark current noise, hence, a series of tests were performed to choose the optimal operation temperature. Specifically, the temperature dependence of gain, energy resolution, dark current, excess noise factor, and detector response linearity was studied. Finally, details of the LAAPDs application in the muonic hydrogen experiment as well as their response to alpha particles are presented.

physics.ins-det

Reanalysis of Hadronic Cross Section Measurements at CMD-2

The updated results of the precise measurements of the processes e+e-->rho->pi+pi-, e+e-->omega->pi+pi-pi0 and e+e-->phi->KLKS performed by the CMD-2 collaboration are presented. The update appeared necessary due an overestimate of the integrated luminosity in previous analyses.

hep-ex

A Test of CPT and Lorentz Invariance from Muonium Spectroscopy

Upon a suggestion of Kostelecky et al., we have performed a test of CPT and Lorentz invariance from the microwave spectroscopy of muonium. New terms in their standard model extension violating CPT and Lorentz symmetry would appear as anti-correlated frequency shifts, oscillating at the earth's sidereal frequency, in the two ground state hyperfine transitions involving muon spin flip, $ν_{12}$ and $ν_{34}$, which were measured in a strong magnetic field of 1.7 T. No such time dependence was observed in $ν_{12}$ or $ν_{34}$ at the level of 20 Hz, limiting the size of some CPT and Lorentz violating parameters with Planck scale sensitivity, and representing almost an order of magnitude improvement over previous limits for the muon.

hep-ex

Test of CPT and Lorentz invariance from muonium spectroscopy

Following a suggestion of Kostelecky et al. we have evaluated a test of CPT and Lorentz invariance from the microwave spectroscopy of muonium. Hamiltonian terms beyond the standard model violating CPT and Lorentz invariance would contribute frequency shifts $δν_{12}$ and $δν_{34}$ to $ν_{12}$ and $ν_{34}$, the two transitions involving muon spin flip, which were precisely measured in ground state muonium in a strong magnetic field of 1.7 T. The shifts would be indicated by anti-correlated oscillations in $ν_{12}$ and $ν_{34}$ at the earth's sidereal frequency. No time dependence was found in $ν_{12}$ or $ν_{34}$ at the level of 20 Hz, limiting the size of some CPT and Lorentz violating parameters at the level of $2\times10^{-23}$ GeV, representing Planck scale sensitivity and an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over previous limits for the muon.

hep-ex

Measurement of the 1s-2s energy interval in muonium

The 1s-2s interval has been measured in the muonium ({$μ^+e^-$}) atom by Doppler-free two-photon laser spectroscopy. The frequency separation of the states was determined to be 2 455 528 941.0(9.8) MHz in good agreement with quantum electrodynamics. The muon-electron mass ratio can be extracted and is found to be 206.768 38(17). The result may be interpreted as measurement of the muon-electron charge ratio as $-1- 1.1(2.1)\cdot 10^{-9}$.

hep-ex

A Polarized HERA Collider

A brief review is given of the status of nucleon spin structure functions as determined from polarized deep inelastic lepton-nucleon scatttering, including current outstanding problems. The characteristics of a polarized HERA collider, some of the particle physics topics it could address, and the accelerator physics challenges it must meet are discussed.

hep-ex

New Bounds from Searching for Muonium to Antimuonium Conversion

A new upper limit for the probability of spontaneous muonium to antimuonium conversion was established at ${\rm P_{M\bar{M}}} \leq 8.2 \cdot 10^{-11}$ (90%C.L.) in 0.1~T magnetic field, which implies consequences for speculative extensions to the standard model. Coupling parameters in R-parity violating supersymmetry and the mass of a flavour diagonal bileptonic gauge boson can be significantly restricted. A Z$_8$ model with radiative mass generation through heavy lepton seed and the minimal version of 331-GUT models are ruled out.

hep-ex

Improved upper limit on Muonium to Antimuonium Conversion

A new experiment has been set up at the Paul Scherrer Institut to search for muonium to antimuonium conversion. No event was found to fulfil the requested signature which consists of the coincident detection of both constituents of the antiatom in its decay. Assuming an effective (V-A)$\times$(V-A) type interaction an improved upper limit is established for the conversion probability of ${\rm P_{M\bar{M}}} \leq 8 \cdot 10^{-9}$ (90%C.L.), which is almost two orders of magnitude lower compared to previous results and provides a sensitive test for theoretical extensions of the standard model.

nucl-ex

Increased Sensitivity to Possible Muonium to Antimuonium Conversion

A new experimental search for muonium-antimuonium conversion was conducted at the Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland. The preliminary analysis yielded one event fulfilling all required criteria at an expected background of 1.7(2) events due to accidental coincidences. An upper limit for the conversion probability in 0.1 T magnetic field is extracted as $8 \cdot 10^{-11}$ (90% CL).

hep-ex

Results from Searching for Muonium to Antimuonium Conversion

A new result from searching for muonium to antimuonium conversion is reported which sets an upper limit on the coupling constant in an assumed $(V-A) \times (V-A)$ type interaction of $G_{M\bar{M}} \leq 3\cdot 10^{-3} G_F$ ~ (90% C.L.). A particular Z_8 and a minimal 331 GUT model can be ruled out. Further new and stringent limits can be set for masses of bileptonic gauge bosons and $λ$ parameters in R-parity breaking supersymmetric models.

nucl-ex

A Study of the Polarized Structure Function g_1^p(x,Q^2) and the Polarized Gluon Distribution Delta g(x,Q^2) at HERA

We present estimates of possible data on spin-dependent asymmetries in inclusive scattering of high energy polarized electrons by high energy polarized protons at HERA with their statistical errors and discuss systematic errors. We show that these data will provide important information on the low-x behavior of the polarized structure function g_1, and will reduce the uncertainty in the determination of the first moment of the polarized gluon distribution Delta g(x,Q^2) obtained from the QCD analysis of g_1 in NLO. Furthermore, using asymmetries for di-jet events from a polarized HERA would substantially reduce the uncertainty in the shape of Delta g(x,Q^2). Using the information on Delta g(x,Q^2) from the di-jet analysis in conjunction with the NLO QCD analysis of g_1 will provide an accurate determination of Delta g(x,Q^2) and its first moment.

hep-ph