A novel method to determine the 4th moment of the 208Pb charge density from low-momentum-transfer electron scattering
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: We propose a new method to determine the 4th moment of the nuclear charge-density distribution of 208Pb, 〈r4〉c, with high precision from low-momentum-transfer elastic electron scattering. The key feature of this approach is that Coulomb distortion effects, which are pronounced for heavy nuclei, are evaluated numerically and incorporated into the formalism of the Plane Wave Born Approximation as a correction factor. The 4th and higher-order charge-density moments are of particular interest because they are sensitive not only to the moments of the point-proton density distribution but also to those of the point-neutron density distribution in nuclei. Their precise determination is therefore essential for constraining the moments of the point-neutron density distribution. It is demonstrated that 〈r4〉c can be determined with an uncertainty of about 0.8% using the proposed approach, improving upon the present uncertainty of about 1.5% obtained from empirically determined charge-density distributions. Measurements of 〈r4〉c in 208Pb using this method are currently in progress at the Ultra-Low momentum transfer Q2 (ULQ2) facility at Research Center for Accelerator and Radioisotope Science (RARiS), Tohoku University.
DOI: 10.1093/ptep/ptag192
Authors: Rika Danjo, Toshimi Suda, Toshio Suzuki
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $979
Awards: Determination of the fourth moment of the charge density distribution by low-energy electron scattering and study of neutron distributions in nuclei, Electron-proton scattering using the lowest-ever energy beam for precise determination of proton charge radius., Neutron distribution of atomic nuclei by low-energy electron scattering
OpenAlex ID: W7214050844