Victor Flambaum, University of New South Wales & Argonne National Laboratory
Parity and time reversal violation in atoms and nuclei and tests of the Standard Model
Physics Division Colloquium - 9 Dec 2005

In this talk I want to present two different topics:

1. Recent measurements of Cs weak charge by the Boulder group led by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman indicated a possible deviation from the Standard Model predictions. We performed new calculations of parity violation in Cs including an all-orders summation of dominating diagrams in the many-body theory and strong Coulomb field radiative corrections. The theoretical error was reduced by a factor of two. Conclusions for the Standard Model and possible "new physics" will be discussed. Atomic and molecular experiments can also be used to detect the nuclear anapole moment - a magnetic multipole which violates parity.

2. Parity and time invariance violating nuclear forces produce P,T-odd nuclear moments. In turn, these moments can induce electric dipole moments (EDM) in atoms. The EDM of diamagnetic atoms is induced by the nuclear Schiff moment. We explain the origin of the Schiff moment and the mechanism of collective enhancement (up to 1000 times) in deformed nuclei, describe the electric field produced by the Schiff moment, perform atomic calculations of EDM in atoms of experimental interest and present tests of CP violation models. We also suggest new experiments: EDM of certain odd isotopes of Ra and Rn may exceed EDM of lighter atoms by 3 orders of magnitude!

ANL Physics Division Colloquium Schedule