Physics Commons^™

Neutron Resonance Spectroscopy Of 103rh From 30 Ev To 2 Kev, D A. Smith, J D. Bowman, Bret E. Crawford, C A. Grossmann, T Haseyama, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, Sharon L. Stephenson, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Neutron resonances in ¹⁰³Rh have been measured for neutron energies from 30 to 2000 eV using the time-of-flight method and the (n,γ) reaction. The rhodium resonance spectroscopy is essential for the analysis of parity violation measurements recently performed on neutron resonances in ¹⁰³Rh. Neutron scattering and radiative widths were determined, and orbital angular momentum assignments made with a Bayesian analysis. The s-wave and p-wave strength functions and average level spacings were determined.

Parity Violation In Neutron Resonances Of 103rh, D A. Smith, J D. Bowman, Bret E. Crawford, C A. Grossmann, T Haseyama, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, Sharon L. Stephenson, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Parity nonconservation (PNC) was studied in p-wave neutron resonances of ¹⁰³Rh in the neutron energy range 30 to 490 eV. The helicity dependence of the neutron total cross section of rhodium was determined by capture measurements with the time-of-flight method at the Manuel Lujan Neutron Scattering Center at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. A total of 32 p-wave resonances were studied and statistically significant longitudinal asymmetries were observed for resonances at E_n=44.5, 110.8, 321.6, and 432.9 eV. A statistical analysis treating the PNC matrix elements as random variables yields a weak spreading widthΓ_w=(1.42_-0.59^{+1.21 …}

Neutron Resonance Spectroscopy Of 117sn From1 Ev To 1.5 Kev, D A. Smith, J D. Bowman, Bret E. Crawford, C A. Grossmann, T Haseyama, Mikkel B. Johnson, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, V A. Nazarenko, S I. Penttila, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, L M. Smotritsky, Sharon L. Stephenson, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Parity violation has been studied recently for neutron resonances in ¹¹⁷Sn. The neutron resonance spectroscopy is essential for the analysis of the parity violation data. We have measured neutron resonances in ¹¹⁷Sn for neutron energies from 1 to 1500 eV using the time-of-flight method and the (n,γ) reaction. The sample was enriched to 87.6% ¹¹⁷Sn. Neutron scattering and radiative widths were determined, and orbital angular momentum assignments were made with a Bayesian analysis. The s-wave and p-wave strength functions and average level spacings were determined.

Parity Nonconservation In Neutron Resonances In 133cs, E I. Sharapov, J D. Bowman, Bret E. Crawford, P P J. Delheij, T Haseyama, J N. Knudsen, L Y. Lowie, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, H Postma, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, Sharon L. Stephenson, Y-F Yen, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Spatial parity nonconservation (PNC) has been studied in the compound-nuclear states of ¹³⁴Cs by measuring the helicity dependence of the neutron total cross section. Transmission measurements on a thick ¹³³Cs target were performed by the time-of-flight method at the Manuel Lujan Neutron Scattering Center with a longitudinally polarized neutron beam in the energy range from 5 to 400 eV. A total of 28 new p-wave resonances were found, their neutron widths determined, and the PNC longitudinal asymmetries of the resonance cross sections measured. The value obtained for the root-mean-square PNC element M=(0.06_-0.02^+0.25) meV in ^{133 …}

Parity Violation In Neutron Resonances In 107,109ag, L Y. Lowie, J D. Bowman, J Corvi, Bret E. Crawford, P P J. Delheij, C M. Frankle, M Iinuma, J N. Knudsen, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, H Postma, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, H M. Shimizu

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Parity nonconservation (PNC) was studied in p-wave resonances in Ag by measuring the helicity dependence of the neutron total cross section. Transmission measurements on natural Ag were performed in the energy range 32 to 422 eV with the time-of-flight method at the Manuel Lujan Neutron Scattering Center at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A total of 15 p-wave neutron resonances were studied in ¹⁰⁷Ag and ninep-wave resonances in ¹⁰⁹Ag. Statistically significant asymmetries were observed for eight resonances in ¹⁰⁷Ag and for four resonances in¹⁰⁹Ag. An analysis treating the PNC matrix elements as random variables yields a …

Search For Parity Violation In 93nb Neutron Resonances, E I. Sharapov, J D. Bowman, Bret E. Crawford, P P J. Delheij, C M. Frankle, K Fukuda, M Iinuma, J N. Knudsen, J Lokitz, L Y. Lowie, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, H Postma, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, H M. Shimizu, Sharon L. Stephenson, Y-F Yen, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

A new search has been performed for parity violation in the compound nuclear states of ⁹⁴Nb by measuring the helicity dependence of the neutron total cross section. Transmission measurements on a thick niobium target were performed by the time-of-flight method at the Manuel Lujan Neutron Scattering Center with a longitudinally polarized neutron beam in the energy range 32 to 1000 eV. A total of 18 p-wave resonances in ⁹³Nb were studied with none exhibiting a statistically significant parity-violating longitudinal asymmetry. An upper limit of 1.0×10^-7 eV (95% confidence level) was obtained for the weak spreading widthΓ_{w …}

Parity Nonconservation In Neutron Capture On 113cd, S J. Seestrom, J D. Bowman, Bret E. Crawford, P P J. Delheij, C M. Frankle, C R. Gould, D G. Haase, M Iinuma, J N. Knudsen, P E. Koehler, L Y. Lowie, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, Y P. Popov, H Postma, N R. Roberson, E I. Sharapov, H M. Shimizu, D A. Smith, Sharon L. Stephenson, Y-F Yen, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Parity nonconservation was studied for 23 p-wave resonances in ¹¹³Cd up to E_n=500eV at the LANSCE pulsed neutron source using a longitudinally polarized neutron beam and the time-of-flight method. The helicity dependence of the total neutron capture cross section was measured with an enriched ¹¹³Cd target and with a target of natural cadmium. Parity violating effects were observed for several resonances in ¹¹³Cd and ¹¹¹Cd. A root-mean-square value of the parity nonconserving matrix element M_J=1=2.9_-0.9^+1.3meV was obtained for the spin J=1 levels in the compound nucleus ¹¹⁴Cd. This …

Parity Nonconservation In Neutron Resonances In 232th,, Sharon L. Stephenson, J D. Bowman, Bret E. Crawford, P P J. Delheij, C M. Frankle, M Iinuma, J N. Knudsen, L Y. Lowie, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, H Postma, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, Y-F Yen, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Parity nonconservation (PNC) was measured for 24 p-wave resonances from 8 to 300 eV in ²³²Th by measuring the helicity dependence of the total neutron cross section for epithermal neutrons with an improved experimental system. Ten resonances show statistically significant parity violation. For these ten resonances the analyzing powers are all positive, thus confirming the previously observed sign correlation. The data are fit to the sum of two terms, a constant asymmetry and a fluctuating asymmetry. With this ansatz the root-mean-square PNC matrix element M=1.12 meV, which corresponds to a weak spreading widthΓ_w=4.7×10^-7 eV. For the …

Parity Nonconservation In Neutron Resonances In 238u, Bret E. Crawford, J D. Bowman, P P J. Delheij, C M. Frankle, M Iinuma, J N. Knudsen, L Y. Lowie, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, H Postma, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, Sharon L. Stephenson, Y-F Yen, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Parity nonconservation (PNC) was studied for 24 p-wave neutron resonances in ²³⁸U from 10 to 300 eV by measuring the helicity dependence of the total neutron cross section with an improved experimental apparatus. Six resonances show statistically significant (greater than 2.9σ) parity violation. An analysis treating the PNC matrix elements as random variables yields a root-mean-square PNC matrix element M=0.67_-0.16^+0.24 meV. The corresponding weak spreading width Γ_w=(1.35_-0.64^+0.97)×10^-7 eV.

Neutron Resonance Spectroscopy Of 106pd, And 108pd From 20–2000 Ev, Bret E. Crawford, J D. Bowman, P P J. Delheij, T Haseyama, J N. Knudsen, L Y. Lowie, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, H Postma, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, Sharon L. Stephenson, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Parity nonconserving asymmetries have been measured in p-wave resonances of ¹⁰⁶Pd and ¹⁰⁸Pd. The data analysis requires knowledge of the neutron resonance parameters. Transmission and capture γ-ray yields were measured for E_n=20–2000 eV with the time-of-flight method at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). A total of 28 resonances in ¹⁰⁶Pd and 32 resonances in ¹⁰⁸Pd were studied. The resonance parameters for ¹⁰⁶Pd are new for all except one resonance. In ¹⁰⁸Pd six new resonances were observed and the precision improved for many of the resonance parameters. A Bayesian analysis was …

Neutron Resonance Spectroscopy Of 107ag, And 109ag, L Y. Lowie, J D. Bowman, Bret E. Crawford, P P J. Delheij, T Haseyama, J N. Knudsen, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, H Postma, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, Sharon L. Stephenson, Y-F Yen, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Parity violation has been observed in a number of previously unreported neutron resonances in silver. Analysis of these parity violation data requires improved neutron resonance spectroscopy. The neutron total cross section for natural silver was measured for E_n=10–800 eV with the time-of-flight method at the Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center. The neutron capture reaction was studied with both a natural silver target and a highly enriched sample (98.29%) of ¹⁰⁷Ag. A total of 38 previously unreported resonances were observed. The combination of the two measurements allowed assignment of the newly observed resonances to ¹⁰⁷Ag or to …

Observation Of A Large Parity Nonconserving Analyzing Power In Xe, J J. Szymanski, W M. Snow, J D. Bowman, B Cain, Bret E. Crawford, P P J. Delheij, R D. Hartman, T Haseyama, C D. Keith, J N. Knudsen, A Komives, M Leuschner, L Y. Lowie, A Masaike, Y Matsuda, G E. Mitchell, S I. Penttila, H Postma, D Rich, N R. Roberson, S J. Seestrom, E I. Sharapov, Sharon L. Stephenson, Y-F Yen, V W. Yuan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

A large parity nonconserving longitudinal analyzing power was discovered in polarized-neutron transmission through Xe. An analyzing power of 4.3±0.2% was observed in a p-wave resonance at E_n=3.2 eV. The measurement was performed with a liquid Xe target of natural isotopic abundance that was placed in the polarized epithermal neutron beam, flight path 2, at the Manuel Lujan Neutron Science Center. This apparatus was constructed by the TRIPLE Collaboration, and has been used for studies of parity symmetry in compound nuclear resonances. Part of the motivation of the experiment was to discover a nucleus appropriate for a sensitive test …

The Measurement Of Astronomical Parallaxes With Ccd Imaging Cameras On Small Telescopes, Stephen J. Ratcliff, Thomas J. Balonek, Laurence A. Marschall, David L. Dupuy, Carlton R. Pennypacker, Ritu Verma, Anastasia Alexov, Vivian Bonney

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Small telescopes equipped with charge-coupled device (CCD) imaging cameras are well suited to introductory laboratory exercises in positional astronomy (astrometry). An elegant example is the determination of the parallax of extraterrestrial objects, such as asteroids. For laboratory exercises suitable for introductory students, the astronomical hardware needs are relatively modest, and under the best circumstances, the analysis requires little more than arithmetic and a microcomputer with image display capabilities. Results from the first such coordinated parallax observations of asteroids ever made are presented. In addition, procedures for several related experiments, involving single-site observations and/or parallaxes of earth-orbiting artificial satellites, are outlined.

Reflections In A Polished Tube, Laurence A. Marschall, Emma Beth Marschall

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

When one of us (E.B.M.) dislodged a metal tube from an electric door chime recently, she inadvertently introduced her father to an attractive and instructive optical phenomenon. Looking down the highly polished inner surface of the cylinder we could see a spot surrounded by a series of bright concentric rings. The pattern looked much like the display of fringes produced by a Fabry-Perot or Michelson interferometer, except that the rings were more evenly spaced instead of crowding together strongly near the edge of the field of view. [excerpt]

Driven "Portulum": A Rolling Ball As A Simple Oscillating System, Laurence A. Marschall

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

A classroom demonstration, a variation of the simple swinging pendulum, is described. In our "portulum," a ball, driven by short blasts of air, rolls along a curved tube. The design of this device, its construction, and its usefulness to the teaching of physics are discussed. It is also shown that the oscillations of the rolling ball have the same mathematical form as the oscillations of the ball swinging along the same path, but with a lower frequency.

Design And Use Of A Computerized Test Generating Program, Edward Schaefer, Laurence A. Marschall

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

An easy-to-use set of programs for the computerized generation of multiple-choice and easy examinations in an introductory astronomy course is described. The programs allow the user to establish files of test questions and to rapidly assemble printed copies of examinations suitable for photocopying. Written in ALGOL for a Burroughs B6700 computer, the programs can, in principle, be implemented on large mainframe computers or on microcomputers of a size increasingly available to physics departments. The advantages and costs of computerized test generation are discussed.

5. Newton, Robert L. Bloom, Basil L. Crapster, Harold A. Dunkelberger, Charles H. Glatfelter, Richard T. Mara, Norman E. Richardson, W. Richard Schubart

Section VIII: The Development of Modern Science

Isaac Newton (1642-1727) was born and educated in England. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, and there found the inspiration for his prodigious work that was to synthesize and extend the labors of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and others beyond the wildest dreams of any of them. Newton was the intellectual giant who set the direction of the physical sciences on the paths they were to follow undeviatingly into the twentieth century. [excerpt]

Xx. Meaning In The Physical Sciences, Robert L. Bloom, Basil L. Crapster, Harold L. Dunkelberger, Charles H. Glatfelter, Richard T. Mara, Norman E. Richardson, W. Richard Schubart

Section XX: Meaning in the Physical Sciences

The twentieth century has seen two major revolutions in our theories of physics concerning nature, and these have made us change many of our concepts about the terms in which nature can be described. The new theories born in these revolutions are the theory of relativity and of quantum mechanics. The biological sciences had their revolutions in the nineteenth century, and while remarkable progress has been made since, nothing comparable to that upheaval has occurred in this century. Of the two massive changes in the concepts of the physical sciences, we can discuss but one here. [excerpt]

1. The Problem, Robert L. Bloom, Basil L. Crapster, Harold L. Dunkelberger, Charles H. Glatfelter, Richard T. Mara, Norman E. Richardson, W. Richard Schubart

Section XX: Meaning in the Physical Sciences

Newton's laws of motion and their associated definitions encountered their first difficulty near the middle of the nineteenth century.

Newton had designed his theory to describe the behavior of matter in space and time by inventing a relationship between the force on a body and the resulting change in motion of the body. Such a description of nature came to be called mechanical, and a large part of physicists' efforts were directed toward reducing all aspects of physics to mechanics. These efforts were rewarded magnificently in the fields of heat, electricity, and sound, in addition to astronomy and other more …

2. The Theory Of Special Relativity, Robert L. Bloom, Basil L. Crapster, Harold L. Dunkelberger, Charles H. Glatfelter, Richard T. Mara, Norman E. Richardson, W. Richard Schubart

Section XX: Meaning in the Physical Sciences

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) published his first work on relativity in 1905, the same year in which he published remarkable papers on Brownian motion and the photoelectric effect. At the time he did this work, he was a patent examiner in the Swiss Patent Office. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1921 "for his services to the theory of physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect." He became a professor of physics at several German universities, and in 1916, he took a position at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin.

As the …