Neutron-mirror neutron oscillations in a residual gas environment

ORAL

Abstract

Both mirror matter, a candidate for dark matter, and ordinary matter can have similar properties and self-interactions but will interact only gravitationally with each other, in accordance with observational evidence of dark matter. Although mirror matter does not couple to ordinary matter by Standard Model interactions, some additional interactions might exist, providing small mixing of ordinary matter neutral states, like the neutron, with mirror components. Three separate experiments have been performed in the last decade to detect the possibility of neutron-mirror neutron oscillations. In the analysis of the data of these experiments, the effect of the presence of residual gas (due to an imperfect vacuum) was not considered. This work provides a formalism for understanding the interaction of the residual gas in an experiment with ultra-cold neutrons. This residual gas effect that was previously considered as negligible can have a significant impact on the probability of neutron to mirror neutron transformation. This formalism is used to evaluate the three previous experiments and can provide a framework for the future mirror matter search experiments.

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Authors

  • Louis Varriano

    Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville

  • Richard Longland

    University of Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Florida Intl Univ, Christopher Newport University, Jefferson Laboratory, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega GA 30597, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, Austin Peay State University department of physics and astronomy, Laboratoire des Verres et et Ceramiques, Institute des Sciences chimiques de Rennes, Austin Peay State University Department of Physics and Astronomy, Université de Rennes, Lehigh University, Austin Peay State University, University of Alabama, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom, Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Boston, MA, Francis Marion University, Auburn University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Davis, University of Alabama Huntsville, Oak Ridge National Lab, Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville, Oak Ridge National Lab, Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville, ITEP, Moscow, Baylor University, Saint Louis University, Louisiana State Univ - Baton Rouge, University of Chicago, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Oak Ridge TN 37831, American Superconductor Corp., Westborough, MA 01581, USA, Tsinghua University, LBNL, Vanderbilt University, Laboratoire Aime Cotton, CNRS/Universite Paris-Sud/ENS-Cachan, Orsay France, Drake University, Des Moines, IA, University of Central Florida, University of South Alabama, North Carolina Central University

  • Richard Longland

    University of Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Florida Intl Univ, Christopher Newport University, Jefferson Laboratory, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega GA 30597, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, Austin Peay State University department of physics and astronomy, Laboratoire des Verres et et Ceramiques, Institute des Sciences chimiques de Rennes, Austin Peay State University Department of Physics and Astronomy, Université de Rennes, Lehigh University, Austin Peay State University, University of Alabama, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom, Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Boston, MA, Francis Marion University, Auburn University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Davis, University of Alabama Huntsville, Oak Ridge National Lab, Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville, Oak Ridge National Lab, Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville, ITEP, Moscow, Baylor University, Saint Louis University, Louisiana State Univ - Baton Rouge, University of Chicago, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Oak Ridge TN 37831, American Superconductor Corp., Westborough, MA 01581, USA, Tsinghua University, LBNL, Vanderbilt University, Laboratoire Aime Cotton, CNRS/Universite Paris-Sud/ENS-Cachan, Orsay France, Drake University, Des Moines, IA, University of Central Florida, University of South Alabama, North Carolina Central University