Investigating Fundamental Symmetries with Ultracold Neutrons at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Several open questions about the Standard Model of Particle Physics persist despite its unparalleled success in describing the fundamental interactions of nature. Where are the CP-violating processes that generated the matter-anti-matter asymmetry in the universe? Are there second class currents in the weak interaction? Are their only three generations of quarks and leptons? Precision measurements of the properties of the neutron is one avenue to explore the answers to these questions and others. At the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center's ultracold neutron source three next generation experiments are in development. These experiments will improve the sensitivity of measurements of the neutron's lifetime, the beta-asymmetry, and permanent electric dipole moment. The UCNτ+ expeirment will improve the efficiency of loading neutrons in to its magneto-gravitational trap using a "neutron elevator" with a goal precision of 0.1 s. UCNA+ will take advantage of the upgraded source and SiPM array detectors to reduce the statistical and systematic uncertainies to below 0.2%. These measurements together allow for determination of the Cabibo-Kobyashi-Maskawa matrix element V_ud with a precision that is devoid of theoretical nuclear structure correction and is completary to the value from Superallowed Fermi decays. A new room temperature neutron EDM search has a goal precision of ≤ 3.0x10^-27 e·cm using a dual cell precession chamber with a Hg-vapor comagnetometer. In this presentations will provide an overview of the experimental program with ultracold neutrons at LANL and its impact and give a update on the status of the experiments.