Ab initio calculations of overlap integrals for μ → e conversion in nuclei
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The rate for μ → e conversion in nuclei is set to provide the most stringent test of lepton-flavor symmetry and a window into physics beyond the Standard Model. However, to disentangle new lepton-flavor-violating interactions, in combination with information from μ → e γ and μ → 3 e , it is critical that uncertainties at each step of the analysis be controlled and fully quantified. In this regard, nuclear response functions related to the coupling to neutrons are notoriously problematic, since they are not directly constrained by experiment. We address these shortcomings by combining ab initio calculations with a recently improved determination of charge distributions from electron scattering by exploiting strong correlations among charge, point-proton, and point-neutron radii and densities. We present overlap integrals for 27 Al, 48 Ca, and 48 Ti including full covariance matrices, allowing, for the first time, for a comprehensive consideration of nuclear structure uncertainties in the interpretation of μ → e experiments.
Source: Physics Letters B
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Battelle, UT-Battelle, European Commission, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Gauss Centre for Supercomputing, Office of Science, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, National Institute of Corrections, European Research Council, Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Nuclear Physics, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Awards: G1026679911, G121915436, G1645119126, G166562317, G203625172, G2060252402, G2411683797, G275679244, G2988778103, G313676650, G3510889102, G3678573361, G4071980169, G434337789, G4370606643, G4423657506, G4845049930, G5726405315, G675320460, G6992476341, Searching for physics beyond the standard model in low-energy precision observables, G8269158468, G8906985441, G8943143067
OpenAlex ID: W4415595685