"Electroweak processes in light nuclei with quantum Monte Carlo methods"
Speaker: Garrett King
Affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Jan 22nd
Abstract:
Precision measurements involving nuclei are at the cutting edges of nuclear physics and testing the Standard Model (SM) of physics. For instance, precision beta decay measurements have the potential to constrain beyond SM physics at TeV scales. To interpret these experiments, it is crucial to have comparably accurate theoretical predictions of relevant quantities along with an accurate understanding of the underlying nuclear dynamics. In this contribution, I will overview recent calculations of electroweak processes with quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) computational methods used to solve the many-body Schrodinger equation. The QMC approach retains the complexity of many-nucleon dynamics and provides highly accurate results for light nuclei. I will discuss calculations of observable quantities for comparison with readily available data-- such as beta decay, magnetic moments, and elastic electron scattering-- used to validate models of nuclear many-body interactions and electroweak currents. I will also present QMC calculations of the 6He beta decay spectrum and show that the estimated theoretical uncertainties are comparable to the experimental precision, thus allowing for further constraints of new physics at TeV scales.