1302.2730 (J. P. Noordmans et al.)

Lorentz violation in neutron and allowed nuclear beta decay    [PDF]

J. P. Noordmans, H. W. Wilschut, R. G. E. Timmermans

We explore the possibility that the weak interaction violates Lorentz, and in particular rotational, invariance in neutron and allowed nuclear beta decay. A broad class of Lorentz-violating effects is considered, in which the standard propagator of the W-boson acquires an additional Lorentz-violating tensor. The general decay rate for allowed beta decay that incorporates such a modified propagator is derived. The resulting Lorentz-violating signals are discussed for the different types of beta-decay transitions, Fermi, Gamow-Teller, and mixed. We study the implications of our formalism for dedicated beta-decay experiments. We give a short overview of the few relevant experiments that have been performed or are ongoing.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1302.2730