Undergraduate Physics Seminar: "Improving Normalization of Neutron Counting in the UCNtau Experiment for a More Accurate Neutron Lifetime," Z Dressen
- Sponsor
- Department of Physics
- Speaker
- Z Dressen
- Contact
- Refia Caliskan
- hcali@illinois.edu
- Originating Calendar
- Physics - Undergraduate Student Events
Abstract: Precise measurements of the neutron lifetime can probe our current theories of the electroweak force, but the two leading methods of lifetime measurement disagree by 10 s. UCNtau is a “bottle” experiment wherein neutrons are trapped in a bottle for some time, and then counted. While UCNtau has produced the most precise measurement of the neutron lifetime to date, there are still many ways it can be improved. For example, the initial trapped population of neutrons, N0, could fluctuate due to proton beam instability and variations of the cryogenic target. In this talk, I will discuss one way this could be rectified: the neutron monitor counts before the start of the experimental hold time can be used to normalize the number of neutrons counted at the end of the experiment, thus improving the systematic uncertainties of the experiment.
Join via Zoom: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/84701225497?pwd=Xln6ZCKraIhgRswrUDdn1NfpTlOK4A