SEMINAR ANNOUNCEMENT

Speaker:

Leendert Hayen (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium)

Date and Location:

Thursday, July 26, 2018 3:30 PM
Presentation at 3:45 PM, NPL 178 Coffee and cookies starting at 3:30 PM

Title:

The Standard Model and Beyond through β-decay

Abstract:

The study of nuclear beta decay has guided our physical
understanding of the universe throughout most of the 20​ th century,
directly leading to the unification of electromagnetic and weak
forces and the Standard Model. With new physics seemingly out of
reach with modern colliders, low energy searches for Beyond
Standard Model physics become even more valuable,
consolidating the role of nuclear beta decay as physics moves
forward. With experiments breaking new ground, we will review the
theoretical progress on the beta spectrum shape and frame its role
in ongoing and future tests of exotic currents in the weak
interaction. We will analyze its position in the so-called reactor
antineutrino anomaly which points towards the existence of a
fourth, sterile neutrino. In doing so, we illustrate the influence of
nuclear structure in the outstanding problems and conclusions.