Limits on Lorentz violation from forbidden beta decays

• Main Authors: Noordmans, J. P, Wilschut, H. W, Timmermans, R. G. E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 26-08-2013
• Subjects: Physics - High Energy Physics - Phenomenology; Physics - Nuclear Theory
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1308.5570

Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 171601 (2013) Forbidden (slow) beta decays offer new opportunities to test the invariance
of the weak interaction under Lorentz transformations. Within a general
effective field theory framework we analyze and reinterpret the only two
relevant experiments, performed in the 1970s, dedicated to search for a
preferred direction in space in first- and second-forbidden beta decays. We
show that the results of these experiments put strong and unique limits on
Lorentz violation, and in particular on the presence of several interactions in
the modern Lorentz-violating Standard Model extension. We discuss prospects to
improve on these limits.