Clean measurements of the nucleon axial-vector and free-neutron magnetic form factors

Abstract

We discuss the feasibility of a weak charged current experiment using a low energy electron beam. A first goal is to measure the Q2 dependence of the axial-vector form factor ga(Q2). It can be measured model-independently and as robustly as for electromagnetic form factors from typical electron scattering experiments, in contrast to the methods used so far to measure ga(Q2). If ga(Q2) follows a dipole form, the axial mass can be extracted with a better accuracy than the world data altogether. The most important detection equipment would be a segmented neutron detector with good momentum and angular resolution that is symmetric about the beam direction, and covers a moderate angular range. A high intensity beam (100 uA) is necessary. Beam polarization is highly desirable as it provides a clean measurement of the backgrounds. Beam energies between 70 and 110 MeV are ideal. This range would provide a Q2 mapping of ga between 0.01 <Q2< 0.04 GeV2. 60 days of beam can yield 14 data points with a subpercent statistical and point to point uncorrelated uncertainties on each point. Such an experiment may also allow to measure the free-neutron magnetic form factor GMn. The experiment employs the usual techniques of electron-nucleon scattering and presents no special difficulty. Higher energy extensions are possible. They could yield measurements of ga(Q2) up to Q2=3 GeV2 and the possibility to access other form factors, such as the almost unknown pseudoscalar form factor gP. However, the experiments become much more challenging as soon as beam energies pass the pion production threshold.