Detailed balance test of time reversal invariance with interfering resonances

Abstract

Bunakov and Weidenmüller recently proposed that there may be large enhancement of time-reversal invariance violation in a test of detailed balance near two interfering resonances. In our (p, α) resonance data on 23Na, 27Al, 31P, 35Cl, and 39K, there are 33 pairs of adjacent resonances with the same spin and parity. The difference in the differential cross sections for the (p, α) and (α, p) reactions was calculated for these resonance pairs using experimental values for the partial widths. The collision matrix elements were obtained for a hamiltonian H = H 0 + iH TRIV by following the approach of Moldauer. The differences show striking dependence on energy, angle, and the particular pair of resonances; the relative sensitivity varies by many orders of magnitude. These preliminary results suggest that this class of experiments may be much more sensitive than previous detailed balance tests.