Nucleon-Nucleon Parity Violation Experiments

Abstract

Measurements of parity-violating longitudinal analyzing powers Az (normalized asymmetries) in polarized proton-proton scattering and in polarized neutron capture on the proton (n+p -> d+gamma) provide a unique window on the interplay between the weak and strong interactions between and within hadrons. Several new proton-proton parity violation experiments are presently either being performed or are being prepared for execution in the near future: at TRIUMF at 221 MeV and 450 MeV and at COSY (Forschungszentrum Juelich) in the multi-GeV range. A new measurement of the parity-violating gamma ray asymmetry with a ten-fold improvement in the accuracy over previous measurements is being developed at LANSCE. These experiments are intended to provide stringent constraints on the set of six effective weak meson-nucleon coupling constants, which characterize the weak interaction between hadrons in the energy domain where meson exchange models provide an appropriate description. The 221 MeV pp experiment is unique in that it selects a single transition amplitude, 3P2 - 1D2, and consequently constrains the weak meson-nucleon coupling constant h_rho^(pp). The n+p -> d+gamma experiment is mainly sensitive to the weak pion-nucleon coupling constant f_pi. Together with the existing pp parity violation experimental results one may be able to delineate the various weak meson-nucleon coupling constants. The anomalous result obtained at 6 GeV/c on a water target requires that a new multi-GeV pp parity violation experiment be performed.