${{\mathit n}}$ $\rightarrow$ ${{\mathit p}}{{\mathit e}^{-}}{{\overline{\mathit \nu}}_{{{e}}}}$ DECAY PARAMETERS

See the above “Note on Baryon Decay Parameters.” For discussions of recent results, see the references cited at the beginning of the section on the neutron mean life. For discussions of the values of the weak coupling constants ${\mathit g}_{{{\mathit A}}}$ and ${\mathit g}_{{{\mathit V}}}$ obtained using the neutron lifetime and asymmetry parameter$~\mathit A$, comparisons with other methods of obtaining these constants, and implications for particle physics and for astrophysics, see DUBBERS 1991 and WOOLCOCK 1991. For tests of the $\mathit V−\mathit A$ theory of neutron decay, see EROZOLIMSKII 1991B, MOSTOVOI 1996, NICO 2005, SEVERIJNS 2006, and ABELE 2008.

$\lambda {}\equiv{\mathit g}_{{{\mathit A}}}$ $/$ ${\mathit g}_{{{\mathit V}}}$

INSPIRE   JSON  (beta) PDGID:
S017AV
In the Standard Model $\lambda {}\equiv\mathit g_{A}/\mathit g_{V}$ is related to parameter $\mathit a$, ${{\mathit e}}-{{\overline{\mathit \nu}}_{{{e}}}}$ angular correlation coefficient, by $\mathit a$ = (1 $−$ $\lambda {}^{2}$) $/$ (1 + 3$\lambda {}^{2}$); this assumes that $\mathit g_{A}$ and $\mathit g_{V}$ are real. The relationship between $\mathit a$ and $\lambda $ is further modified once recoil corrections are included, see WIETFELDT 2024.
VALUE DOCUMENT ID TECN  COMMENT
$\bf{ -1.2753 \pm0.0013}$ OUR AVERAGE  Error includes scale factor of 2.7.  See the ideogram below.
$-1.2712$ $\pm0.0061$ 1
WIETFELDT
02
 
SPEC Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, unpolarized
$-1.2677$ $\pm0.0028$ 2
BECK
02
 
SPEC Proton recoil spectrum
$-1.27641$ $\pm0.00045$ $\pm0.00033$ 3
MAERKISCH
01
 
SPEC pulsed cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized
$-1.2772$ $\pm0.0020$ 4
BROWN
01
 
UCNA Ultracold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized
$-1.2748$ $\pm0.0008$ ${}^{+0.0010}_{-0.0011}$ 5
MUND
01
 
SPEC Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized
$-1.275$ $\pm0.006$ $\pm0.015$
SCHUMANN
00
 
CNTR Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized
$-1.2686$ $\pm0.0046$ $\pm0.0007$ 6
MOSTOVOI
00
 
CNTR $\mathit A$ and $\mathit B$ ${\times }$ polarizations
$-1.266$ $\pm0.004$
LIAUD
99
 
TPC Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized, $\mathit A$
$-1.2594$ $\pm0.0038$ 7
YEROZOLIMSKY
99
 
CNTR Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized, $\mathit A$
$-1.262$ $\pm0.005$
BOPP
98
 
SPEC Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized, $\mathit A$
• • We do not use the following data for averages, fits, limits, etc. • •
$-1.2796$ $\pm0.0062$ 8
HASSAN
02
 
SPEC Cold n, unpolarized
$-1.27607$ $\pm0.00068$ 9
SAUL
02
 
SPEC Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized, $\mathit A$
$-1.284$ $\pm0.014$ 10
DARIUS
01
 
SPEC Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, unpolarized
$-1.2755$ $\pm0.0030$ 11
MENDENHALL
01
 
UCNA See BROWN 2018
$-1.27590$ $\pm0.00239$ ${}^{+0.00331}_{-0.00377}$ 12
PLASTER
01
 
UCNA See MENDENHALL 2013
$-1.27590$ ${}^{+0.00409}_{-0.00445}$
LIU
01
 
UCNA See PLASTER 2012
$-1.2739$ $\pm0.0019$ 13
ABELE
00
 
SPEC See MUND 2013
$-1.274$ $\pm0.003$
ABELE
99D
 
SPEC Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized, $\mathit A$
$-1.266$ $\pm0.004$
SCHRECKENBACH
99
 
TPC See LIAUD 1997
$-1.2544$ $\pm0.0036$
EROZOLIMSKII
99
 
CNTR See YEROZOLIMSKY 1997
$-1.226$ $\pm0.042$
MOSTOVOY
98
 
RVUE
$-1.261$ $\pm0.012$
EROZOLIMSKII
97
 
CNTR Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized, $\mathit A$
$-1.259$ $\pm0.017$ 14
STRATOWA
97
 
CNTR ${{\mathit p}}$ recoil spectrum, $\mathit a$
$-1.263$ $\pm0.015$
EROZOLIMSKII
97
 
CNTR See EROZOLIMSKII 1979
$-1.250$ $\pm0.036$ 14
DOBROZEMSKY
97
 
CNTR See STRATOWA 1978
$-1.258$ $\pm0.015$ 15
KROHN
97
 
CNTR Cold ${{\mathit n}}$, polarized, $\mathit A$
$-1.263$ $\pm0.016$ 16
KROPF
97
 
RVUE ${{\mathit n}}$ decay alone
$-1.250$ $\pm0.009$ 16
KROPF
97
 
RVUE ${{\mathit n}}$ decay + nuclear ft
1  WIETFELDT 2024 updates HASSAN 2021, see footnote to HASSAN 2021. The value is extracted from the angular correlation coefficient.
2  BECK 2020 calculates this value from the measurement of the $\beta $-decay ${{\mathit e}}-{{\overline{\mathit \nu}}_{{{e}}}}$ angular correlation coefficient $\mathit a$.
3  MAERKISCH 2019 gets $\mathit A$ = $-0.11985$ $\pm0.00017$ $\pm0.00012$.
4  BROWN 2018 gets $\mathit A$ = $-0.12054$ $\pm0.00044$ $\pm0.00068$ and $\lambda $ = $-1.2783$ $\pm0.0022$. We quote the combined values that include the earlier UCNA measurements (MENDENHALL 2013).
5  This MUND 2013 value includes earlier PERKEO II measurements (ABELE 2002 and ABELE 1997D).
6  MOSTOVOI 2001 measures the two $\mathit P$-odd correlations $\mathit A$ and $\mathit B$, or rather $\mathit SA$ and $\mathit SB$, where $\mathit S$ is the ${{\mathit n}}$ polarization, in free neutron decay.
7  YEROZOLIMSKY 1997 makes a correction to the EROZOLIMSKII 1991 value.
8  HASSAN 2021 include earlier data of DARIUS 2017. The value is extracted from the angular correlation coefficient $\mathit a$.
9  SAUL 2020 quote this value of $\lambda $ under the SM assumption of the Fierz term ${{\mathit b}}$ = 0. In a combined fit authors extract a value of $\lambda $ = $-1.2792$ $\pm0.0060$.
10  DARIUS 2017 calculates this value from the measurement of the $\mathit a$ parameter (see below). Data is included in HASSAN 2021.
11  MENDENHALL 2013 gets $\mathit A$ = $-0.11954$ $\pm0.00055$ $\pm0.00098$ and $\lambda $ = $-1.2756$ $\pm0.0030$. We quote the nearly identical values that include the earlier UCNA measurement (PLASTER 2012), with a correction to that result.
12  This PLASTER 2012 value is identical with that given in LIU 2010, but the experiment is now described in detail.
13  This is the combined result of ABELE 2002 and ABELE 1997D.
14  These experiments measure the absolute value of ${\mathit g}_{{{\mathit A}}}/{\mathit g}_{{{\mathit V}}}$ only.
15  KROHN 1975 includes events of CHRISTENSEN 1970.
16  KROPF 1974 reviews all data through 1972.

           $\lambda {}\equiv{\mathit g}_{{{\mathit A}}}$ $/$ ${\mathit g}_{{{\mathit V}}}$
References