Determination of the Neutron Lifetime using Magnetically Trapped Neutrons

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Research will be carried out leading to an improvement in accuracy of theneutron lifetime. A new cooling and trapping technique (developed by thesame researchers) will be used to aid in the measurment. The lifetimemeasurement will permit more precise tests of the standard model ofelectroweak interactions. The experiment will be carried out at theNational Institute of Standards and Technology research reactor. Thisactivity is multidisciplinary, bringing together low temperaturetechniques and nuclear physics techniques as well as understanding ofcondensed matter, molecular and nuclear phenomena. The methods beingdeveloped will also permit development of a new, intense source ofultra-cold neutrons for further nuclear physics studies and for futurematerials research studies. The lifetime measurement and the possiblestudy of correlations in neutron beta-decay are high priority activitiesin contemporary nuclear physics and studies of fundamental symmetries.Improvement of existing state-of-the-art equipment is integral to thisactivity. Education of graduate and undergraduate students and postdocs isa strong component in every aspect of this grant.