Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of Pb 208 through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering

(PREX Collaboration)

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.172502

Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of Pb 208 through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering

(PREX Collaboration)

Physics and Astronomy

Idaho State University
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
University of Zagreb
California State University Los Angeles
College of William and Mary
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
National Institute for Nuclear Physics
Louisiana Tech University
Mississippi State University
University of Manitoba
University of Virginia
Stony Brook University
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Connecticut
Center for Frontiers in Nuclear Science
Hampton University
University of Massachusetts
Old Dominion University
Temple University
Indiana University Bloomington
Ohio University
Syracuse University
Duquesne University

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574 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry APV in the elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from Pb208. We measure APV=550±16(stat)±8(syst) parts per billion, leading to an extraction of the neutral weak form factor FW(Q2=0.00616 GeV2)=0.368±0.013. Combined with our previous measurement, the extracted neutron skin thickness is Rn-Rp=0.283±0.071 fm. The result also yields the first significant direct measurement of the interior weak density of Pb208: ρW0=-0.0796±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm-3 leading to the interior baryon density ρb0=0.1480±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm-3. The measurement accurately constrains the density dependence of the symmetry energy of nuclear matter near saturation density, with implications for the size and composition of neutron stars.

Original language	English
Article number	172502
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	126
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.172502
State	Published - Apr 27 2021

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10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.172502

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@article{6700a02f08aa45bca4c806e393c43d13,

title = "Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of Pb 208 through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering",

abstract = "We report a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry APV in the elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from Pb208. We measure APV=550±16(stat)±8(syst) parts per billion, leading to an extraction of the neutral weak form factor FW(Q2=0.00616 GeV2)=0.368±0.013. Combined with our previous measurement, the extracted neutron skin thickness is Rn-Rp=0.283±0.071 fm. The result also yields the first significant direct measurement of the interior weak density of Pb208: ρW0=-0.0796±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm-3 leading to the interior baryon density ρb0=0.1480±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm-3. The measurement accurately constrains the density dependence of the symmetry energy of nuclear matter near saturation density, with implications for the size and composition of neutron stars.",

author = "\{(PREX Collaboration)\} and D. Adhikari and H. Albataineh and D. Androic and K. Aniol and Armstrong, \{D. S.\} and T. Averett and \{Ayerbe Gayoso\}, C. and S. Barcus and V. Bellini and Beminiwattha, \{R. S.\} and Benesch, \{J. F.\} and H. Bhatt and \{Bhatta Pathak\}, D. and D. Bhetuwal and B. Blaikie and Q. Campagna and A. Camsonne and Cates, \{G. D.\} and Y. Chen and C. Clarke and Cornejo, \{J. C.\} and \{Covrig Dusa\}, S. and P. Datta and A. Deshpande and D. Dutta and C. Feldman and E. Fuchey and C. Gal and D. Gaskell and T. Gautam and M. Gericke and C. Ghosh and I. Halilovic and Hansen, \{J. O.\} and F. Hauenstein and W. Henry and Horowitz, \{C. J.\} and C. Jantzi and S. Jian and S. Johnston and Jones, \{D. C.\} and B. Karki and S. Katugampola and C. Keppel and King, \{P. M.\} and King, \{D. E.\} and M. Knauss and Kumar, \{K. S.\} and T. Kutz and N. Lashley-Colthirst",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 American Physical Society.",

year = "2021",

month = apr,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.172502",

language = "English",

volume = "126",

journal = "Physical Review Letters",

issn = "0031-9007",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of Pb 208 through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering

AU - (PREX Collaboration)

AU - Adhikari, D.

AU - Albataineh, H.

AU - Androic, D.

AU - Aniol, K.

AU - Armstrong, D. S.

AU - Averett, T.

AU - Ayerbe Gayoso, C.

AU - Barcus, S.

AU - Bellini, V.

AU - Beminiwattha, R. S.

AU - Benesch, J. F.

AU - Bhatt, H.

AU - Bhatta Pathak, D.

AU - Bhetuwal, D.

AU - Blaikie, B.

AU - Campagna, Q.

AU - Camsonne, A.

AU - Cates, G. D.

AU - Chen, Y.

AU - Clarke, C.

AU - Cornejo, J. C.

AU - Covrig Dusa, S.

AU - Datta, P.

AU - Deshpande, A.

AU - Dutta, D.

AU - Feldman, C.

AU - Fuchey, E.

AU - Gal, C.

AU - Gaskell, D.

AU - Gautam, T.

AU - Gericke, M.

AU - Ghosh, C.

AU - Halilovic, I.

AU - Hansen, J. O.

AU - Hauenstein, F.

AU - Henry, W.

AU - Horowitz, C. J.

AU - Jantzi, C.

AU - Jian, S.

AU - Johnston, S.

AU - Jones, D. C.

AU - Karki, B.

AU - Katugampola, S.

AU - Keppel, C.

AU - King, P. M.

AU - King, D. E.

AU - Knauss, M.

AU - Kumar, K. S.

AU - Kutz, T.

AU - Lashley-Colthirst, N.

PY - 2021/4/27

Y1 - 2021/4/27

N2 - We report a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry APV in the elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from Pb208. We measure APV=550±16(stat)±8(syst) parts per billion, leading to an extraction of the neutral weak form factor FW(Q2=0.00616 GeV2)=0.368±0.013. Combined with our previous measurement, the extracted neutron skin thickness is Rn-Rp=0.283±0.071 fm. The result also yields the first significant direct measurement of the interior weak density of Pb208: ρW0=-0.0796±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm-3 leading to the interior baryon density ρb0=0.1480±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm-3. The measurement accurately constrains the density dependence of the symmetry energy of nuclear matter near saturation density, with implications for the size and composition of neutron stars.

AB - We report a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry APV in the elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from Pb208. We measure APV=550±16(stat)±8(syst) parts per billion, leading to an extraction of the neutral weak form factor FW(Q2=0.00616 GeV2)=0.368±0.013. Combined with our previous measurement, the extracted neutron skin thickness is Rn-Rp=0.283±0.071 fm. The result also yields the first significant direct measurement of the interior weak density of Pb208: ρW0=-0.0796±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm-3 leading to the interior baryon density ρb0=0.1480±0.0036(exp)±0.0013(theo) fm-3. The measurement accurately constrains the density dependence of the symmetry energy of nuclear matter near saturation density, with implications for the size and composition of neutron stars.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85105612853

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.172502

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.172502

M3 - Article

C2 - 33988387

AN - SCOPUS:85105612853

SN - 0031-9007

VL - 126

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

IS - 17

M1 - 172502

ER -

Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of Pb 208 through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering

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