arXiv subjects

Victor Flambaum

Publications and source records attributed to Victor Flambaum.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Parity and time-reversal symmetry violation in diatomic molecules: LaO, LaS and LuO

The violation of parity (P) and time-reversal (T) symmetry is enhanced in the LaS, LaO and LuO molecules due to the existence of states of opposite parity with small energy differences and the presence of heavy nuclei. We calculate the molecular enhancement for the P, T-violating electron electric dipole moment ($W_{\mathrm{d}}$), scalar-pseudoscalar nucleon-electron interaction ($W_{\mathrm{s}}$), nuclear magnetic quadrupole moment ($W_{\mathrm{M}}$), and for the nuclear spin-dependent P-violating anapole moment ($W_{\mathrm{A}}$). We use the relativistic 4-components coupled cluster method and perform a systematic study to estimate the associated uncertainties in our approach. We find that the individual contribution of each computational parameter to the total uncertainty in a system is approximately the same for all the calculated enhancement factors, summing up to a total uncertainty of $\sim7$\%. We discuss the energy shifts and matrix elements associated with the calculated molecular enhancement factors and relate them to higher-energy P- and P, T- violating interactions.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2023

Opportunities for Fundamental Physics Research with Radioactive Molecules

Molecules containing short-lived, radioactive nuclei are uniquely positioned to enable a wide range of scientific discoveries in the areas of fundamental symmetries, astrophysics, nuclear structure, and chemistry. Recent advances in the ability to create, cool, and control complex molecules down to the quantum level, along with recent and upcoming advances in radioactive species production at several facilities around the world, create a compelling opportunity to coordinate and combine these efforts to bring precision measurement and control to molecules containing extreme nuclei. In this manuscript, we review the scientific case for studying radioactive molecules, discuss recent atomic, molecular, nuclear, astrophysical, and chemical advances which provide the foundation for their study, describe the facilities where these species are and will be produced, and provide an outlook for the future of this nascent field.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2022

Optical Atomic Clock aboard an Earth-orbiting Space Station (OACESS): Enhancing searches for physics beyond the standard model in space

We present a concept for a high-precision optical atomic clock (OAC) operating on an Earth-orbiting space station. This pathfinder science mission will compare the space-based OAC with one or more ultra-stable terrestrial OACs to search for space-time-dependent signatures of dark scalar fields that manifest as anomalies in the relative frequencies of station-based and ground-based clocks. This opens the possibility of probing models of new physics that are inaccessible to purely ground-based OAC experiments where a dark scalar field may potentially be strongly screened near Earth's surface. This unique enhancement of sensitivity to potential dark matter candidates harnesses the potential of space-based OACs.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

New Constraints on Exotic Spin-Velocity-Dependent Interactions

Experimental searches for new, "fifth" forces are attracting a lot of attention because they allow to test theoretical extensions to the standard model. Here, we report a new experimental search for possible fifth forces, specifically spin-and-velocity dependent forces, by using a K-Rb-$^{21}$Ne co-magnetometer and a tungsten ring featuring a high nucleon density. Taking advantage of the high sensitivity of the co-magnetometer, the pseudomagnetic field from the fifth force is measured to be $<7$\,aT. This sets new limits on coupling constants for the neutron-nucleon and proton-nucleon interactions in the range of $\ge 0.1$ m. The coupling constant limits are established to be $|g_V^n|<6.6\times 10^{-11}$ and $|g_V^p|<3.0\times 10^{-10}$, which are more than one order of magnitude tighter than astronomical and cosmological limits on the coupling between the new gauge boson such as Z$'$ and standard model particles.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

A resonance interaction of seismogravitational modes on tectonic plates

This paper discusses resonance effects to advance a classical earthquake model, namely the celebrated M8 global test algorithm. This algorithmgives high confidence levels for prediction of Time Intervals of Increased Probability (TIP) of an earthquake. It is based on observation that almost 80\% of earthquakes occur due to the stress accumulated from previous earthquakes at the location and stored in form of displacements against gravity and static elastic deformations of the plates. Nevertheless the M8 global test algorithm fails to predict some powerful earthquakes. In this paper we suggest the additional possibility of considering the dynamical storage of the elastic energy on the tectonic plates due to resonance beats of seismo-gravitational oscillations (SGO) modes of the plates. We make sure that the tangential compression in the middle plane of an "active zone" of a tectonic plate may tune its SGO modes to the resonance condition of coincidence the frequencies of the corresponding localized modes with the delocalized SGO modes of the complement. We also consider the beats arising between the modes under a small perturbations of the plates, and, assuming that the discord between the perturbed and unperturbed resonance modes is strongly dominated by the discord between the non-resonance modes estimate the energy transfer coefficient.

math.SP↗

arXiv2014

Optical atomic clocks with suppressed black body radiation shift

We study a wide range of neutral atoms and ions suitable for ultra-precise atomic optical clocks with naturally suppressed black body radiation shift of clock transition frequency. Calculations show that scalar polarizabilities of clock states cancel each other for at least one order of magnitude for considered systems. Results for calculations of frequencies, quadrupole moments of the states, clock transition amplitudes and natural widths of upper clock states are presented.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2012

Neutrino Velocity and the Variability of Fundamental Constants

Neutrino speed experiments could be viewed not only as tests of Lorentz invariance but also as measurements of limiting propagation speed for all standard model species below certain depth where no direct metrological information is available. The latter option, hypothetically caused by some chameleon-type background, could be tested in the next installment of the neutrino speed experiments. We also show that that complementary constraints on the same class of models can be obtained with experiments testing clock universality in deep underground/underwater experiments. By considering the explicit QED model with particle-universal modification of propagation speed by a depth-dependent tensor background, we show that in general one should expect larger-than-GR shifts of the clock frequencies and clock non-universality. This can be tested by comparison of the narrow transitions in atomic clocks, which for a generic model could deliver a superior accuracy compared to the neutrino speed experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Two heavy fermions bound via Higgs boson exchange

A system of two heavy fermions, leptons or quarks of the fourth generation, which are bound together via the Higgs boson exchange is studied. The conventional Yukawa-type interaction produced by this exchange is accompanied by several important corrections. We derived the Hamiltonian, which describes the correction arising from the retardation (compare the Breit correction in QED); we also calculated the relativistic and radiative corrections. The Higgs-induced bound state appears for the fermion mass m>m_{cr} \approx 500 GeV. When the long-range Coulomb interaction or the gluon exchange are included, the bound states exist for any mass, but the Higgs exchange drastically increases the binding energy of these states when m is approaching m_{cr}. In the region m>m_{cr} the gluon exchange gives a sizable correction to the Higgs induced binding energy. This correction greatly exceeds typical binding energies in the states produced via the gluon exchange only. The possibility of detection of the considered bound states at LHC is discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Testing Local Lorentz and Position Invariance and Variation of Fundamental Constants by searching the Derivative of the Comparison Frequency Between a Cryogenic Sapphire Oscillator and Hydrogen Maser

The cryogenic sapphire oscillator (CSO) at the Paris Observatory has been continuously compared to various Hydrogen Masers since 2001. The early data sets were used to test Local Lorentz Invariance in the Robertson-Mansouri-Sexl (RMS) framework by searching for sidereal modulations with respect to the Cosmic Microwave Background, and represent the best Kennedy-Thorndike experiment to date. In this work we present continuous operation over a period of greater than six years from September 2002 to December 2008 and present a more precise way to analyze the data by searching the time derivative of the comparison frequency. Due to the long-term operation we are able to search both sidereal and annual modulations. The results gives P_{KT} = β_{RMS}-α_{RMS}-1 = -1.7(4.0) \times 10^{-8} for the sidereal and -23(10) \times 10^{-8} for the annual term, with a weighted mean of -4.8(3.7) \times 10^{-8}, a factor of 8 better than previous. Also, we analyze the data with respect to a change in gravitational potential for both diurnal and annual variations. The result gives β_{H-Maser} - β_{CSO} = -2.7(1.4) \times 10^{-4} for the annual and -6.9(4.0) \times 10^{-4} for the diurnal terms, with a weighted mean of -3.2(1.3) \times 10^{-4}. This result is two orders of magnitude better than other tests that use electromagnetic resonators. With respect to fundamental constants a limit can be provided on the variation with ambient gravitational potential and boost of a combination of the fine structure constant (α), the normalized quark mass (m_q), and the electron to proton mass ratio (m_e/m_p), setting the first limit on boost dependence of order 10^{-10}.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

Scalar-tensor theories with pseudoscalar couplings

We consider the scalar-tensor theories of gravity extended by the pseudoscalar couplings to matter and gauge fields and derive constraints on the CP-odd combinations of scalar and pseudoscalar couplings from laboratory spin precession experiments and from the evolution of photon polarization over cosmological distances. We show the complimentary character of local and cosmological constraints, and derive novel bounds on the pseudoscalar couplings to photons from the laboratory experiments. It is also shown that the more accurate treatment of the spin content of nuclei used in the spin precession experiments allows to tighten bounds on Lorentz-violating backgrounds coupled to the proton spin.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

On Th229 and time-dependent fundamental constants

The electromagnetic transition between the almost degenerate 5/2+ and 3/2+ states in Th229 is deemed to be very sensitive to potential changes in the fine structure constant alpha. State of the art Hartree-Fock and Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations are performed to compute the difference in Coulomb energies of the two states which determines the amplification of variations in alpha into variations of the transition frequency. The kinetic energies are also calculated which reflect a possible variation in the nucleon or quark masses. A generalized Hellmann-Feynman theorem is proved including the use of density-matrix functionals. As the two states differ mainly in the orbit occupied by the last unpaired neutron the Coulomb energy difference results from a change in the nuclear polarization of the proton distribution. This effect turns out to be rather small and to depend on the nuclear model, the amplification varies between about -4 x 10^4 and +4 x 10^4. Therefore much more effort must be put into the improvement of the nuclear models before one can draw conclusions from a measured drift in the transition frequency on a temporal drift of fundamental constants. All calculations published so far do not reach the necessary fidelity. PACS 06.20.Jr,21.60.Jz,27.90.+b

nucl-th↗

arXiv2008

Light bound states of heavy fermions

In the Standard Model, a group of heavy fermions, e.g. top quarks, can collectively strongly affect the Higgs field and create relatively long-lived bound states. If there exist new generations of fermions with masses beyond 1 TeV, strong binding of several of them can make them lighter than even a single heavy fermion. Using the mean field approximation we find multi-fermion states with masses M ~ 5 v N^{1/2} ~ 1.2 N^{1/2} TeV, with N=2,3... being the total number of heavy fermions bound together, and v=246 GeV the Higgs VEV. The experimental search for multi-fermions within the range of energies 2-3 Tev would either discover them, or suggest absence of new Standard Model fermions with larger masses. Possible implications related to multi-top states and baryonic asymmetry of the Universe are discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

On bound states of multiple t-quarks due to Higgs exchange

Froggatt, Nielsen et al suggested that the Higgs boson exchange between top quarks produces enough attraction to generate their multiple bound states. Furthermore they claimed that the system of 6 top and 6 anti-top quarks is bound so strongly that the binding energy nearly compensates the masses of t-quarks, making it very light. We calculated the energy of such states more accurately, variationally and by self-consistent mean field approximation, and found that these state are weakly bound for massless Higgs boson and unbound with the account for its mass.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Vector Bosons in Strong Fields

The Coulomb problem for charged massive vector bosons is known to be unstable, the boson falls on the Coulomb center. It is shown that when the charge of the Coulomb center is smeared over a small but finite volume, then instead of the fall there appears a large series of bound states localized inside the volume containing the Coulomb charge. It is shown also that the fall on the Coulomb center is completely suppressed, when the conventional QED vacuum polarization is taken into account.In gauge theories (SU(2), Standard Model) the renormalizability of a theory may be insufficient to guarantee an absence of the wave function collapse. Another interesting feature: the density of charge of vector bosons can have a ``wrong'' sign.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

Charge density of a positively charged vector boson may be negative

The charge density of vector particles, for example W, may change sign. The effect manifests itself even for a free propagation; when the energy of the W-boson is higher than sqrt{2}m and the standing-wave is considered the charge density oscillates in space. The charge density of W also changes sign in close vicinity of a Coulomb center. The dependence of this effect on the g-factor for an arbitrary vector boson, for example rho-meson, is discussed. An origin of this surprising effect is traced to the electric quadrupole moment and spin-orbit interaction of vector particles. Their contributions to the current have a polarization nature. The charge density of this current, rho = -\nabla \cdot P, where P is an effective polarization vector that depends on the quadrupole moment and spin-orbit interaction, oscillates in space, producing zero contribution to the total charge.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

When renormalizability is not sufficient: Coulomb problem for vector bosons

The Coulomb problem for vector bosons W incorporates a known difficulty; the boson falls on the center. In QED the fermion vacuum polarization produces a barrier at small distances which solves the problem. In a renormalizable SU(2) theory containing vector triplet (W^+,W^-,gamma) and a heavy fermion doublet F with mass M the W^- falls on F^+, to distances r ~ 1/M, where M can be made arbitrary large. To prevent the collapse the theory needs additional light fermions, which switch the ultraviolet behavior of the theory from the asymptotic freedom to the Landau pole. Similar situation can take place in the Standard Model. Thus, the renormalizability of a theory is not sufficient to guarantee a reasonable behavior at small distances for non-perturbative problems, such as a bound state problem.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2004

Atomic Clocks and Constraints on Variations of Fundamental Constants

We consider an application of precision frequency measurements to searches for possible time variations of the fundamental physical constants. Current laboratory constraints on variations of the fine structure constant alpha and other fundamental constants are presented.

physics.atom-ph↗