Related papers: Testing the Unitarity of the CKM Matrix with a Spa…
After the recent high precision determinations of $V_{us}$ and $V_{ud}$, the first row of the CKM matrix shows more than $4\sigma$ deviation from unitarity. Two possible scenarios beyond the Standard Model can be investigated in order to…
We establish the feasibility of measuring the neutron lifetime via an alternative, space-based class of methods, which use neutrons generated by galactic cosmic ray spallation of planets' surfaces and atmospheres. Free neutrons decay via…
Measurements by various international groups of researchers determine the strength of the weak interaction of the neutron, which gives us unique information on the question of the quark mixing. Neutron decay experiments now challenge the…
Precision measurements of the free neutron lifetime $\tau_n$, when combined with measurements of the axial vector form factor, can be used to test unitarity of the CKM matrix. Non-unitarity is a signal for physics Beyond the Standard Model…
The CKM matrix and its unitarity is analyzed by disentangling experimental information obtained from three different particle systems of neutrons, mesons, and nuclei. New physics beyond the Standard Model is supported under the new…
We report on a new measurement of neutron $\beta$-decay asymmetry. From the result \linebreak $A_0$ = -0.1189(7), we derive the ratio of the axial vector to the vector coupling constant $\lambda$ = ${\it g_A/g_V}$ = -1.2739(19). When…
Free neutrons have a measured lifetime of 880 s, but disagreement between existing laboratory measurements of ~10 s have persisted over many years. This uncertainty has implications for multiple physics disciplines, including standard-model…
This paper reviews the puzzles in modern neutron lifetime measurements and related unitarity issues in the CKM matrix. It is not a comprehensive and unbiased compilation of all historic data and studies, but rather a focus on compelling…
Neutrons study a number of hot topics from the field of particle physics and cosmology: Recent measurements of various mixed American-British-French-German-Hungarian-Japan-Russian groups of researchers determine the strength of the weak…
A neutron decays into a proton, an electron, and an anti-neutrino through the beta-decay process. The decay lifetime ($\sim$880 s) is an important parameter in the weak interaction. For example, the neutron lifetime is a parameter used to…
Determinations of $\vud$ and $\vus$ along with their implications for the unitarity test $\vud^2+\vus^2+\vub^2=1$ are discussed. The leading two loop radiative corrections to neutron $\beta$-decay are evaluated and used to derive a refined…
Future cosmological data may be sensitive to the effects of a finite sum of neutrino masses even as small as ~0.06 eV, the lower limit guaranteed by neutrino oscillation experiments. We show that a cosmological detection of neutrino mass at…
The decay of the free neutron into a proton, electron, and antineutrino is the prototype semileptonic weak decay and the simplest example of nuclear beta decay. The nucleon vector and axial vector weak coupling constants G_V and G_A…
A review is focused on experimental measurements on neutron lifetime. The latest measurements with a gravitational trap (PNPI NRC KI) and a magnetic trap (LANL, USA) confirmed PNPI result of 2005. The results of measurements with storage of…
The precise value of the neutron lifetime is of fundamental importance to particle physics and cosmology. The neutron lifetime recently obtained, 878.5 +/- 0.7stat +/- 0.3sys s, is the most accurate one to date. The new result for the…
The analysis of experiments on measuring neutron lifetime has been made. The latest most accurate result of measuring neutron lifetime [Phys. Lett. B 605, 72 (2005)] 878.5 \pm 0.8 s differs from the world average value [Phys. Lett. B 667, 1…
Cosmological parameter estimation exercises usually make the approximation that the three standard neutrinos have degenerate mass, which is at odds with recent terrestrial measurements of the difference in the square of neutrino masses. In…
Experimental results and perspectives of different methods to measure the absolute mass scale of neutrinos are briefly reviewed. The mass sensitivities from cosmological observations, double beta decay searches and single beta decay…
Future direct observations of the Cosmic Neutrino Background (C$\nu$B) have the potential to explore a neutrino lifetime, especially in the region of the age of the universe, $t_0=4.35\times 10^{17}\ {\rm s}$. We forecast constraints on…
Neutron lifetime is one of the most important physical constants which determines parameters of the weak interaction and predictions of primordial nucleosynthesis theory. There remains the unsolved problem of a 3.9{\sigma} discrepancy…