On the Neutron Transition Magnetic Moment

Zurab Berezhiani,Yuri Kamyshkov,Louis Varriano,Riccardo Biondi

doi:10.3390/physics1020021

Abstract

We discuss the possibility of the transition magnetic moments (TMM) between the neutron n and its hypothetical sterile twin “mirror neutron” n′ from a parallel particle “mirror” sector. The neutron can be spontaneously converted into mirror neutron via the TMM (in addition to the more conventional transformation channel due to n−n′ mass mixing) interacting with the magnetic field B as well as with mirror magnetic field B′. We derive analytic formulae for the average probability of n−n′ conversion and consider possible experimental manifestations of neutron TMM effects. In particular, we discuss the potential role of these effects in the neutron lifetime measurement experiments leading to new, testable predictions.

Highlights

In the Refs. [1,2], the idea was conjectured that the neutron n can be transformed into a sterile neutron n0 that belongs to a hypothetical parallel mirror sector
In this paper we discussed the possible environmental effects on the oscillating quantum system which environment can be related to dark matter
The paradigm of the neutron–mirror neutron transition [1] should naturally comprise additional effects that are inherent for mirror matter which essentially is a self-interacting atomic dark matter

Summary

Introduction

In the Refs. [1,2], the idea was conjectured that the neutron n can be transformed into a sterile neutron n0 that belongs to a hypothetical parallel mirror sector. For δ 6= 0, which is the case when ordinary or mirror matter densities are not negligible (or there is a mass difference between n and n0 states) the effects of mass mixing and TMM cannot be separated and the oscillation probability has the form P = Pε + Pη + Pεη where the “interference” term Pεη non-trivially depends on all parameters, and generically two resonances can exist [2]. It is low enough to consider few meters of cold neutron beam propagation in air In this way, if the polarization dependent losses will be observed, they can test the nTTM-induced n − n0 conversions if the mirror magnetic field B0 at the Earth is up to few Gauss

Experimental Limits from Direct Searches with UCN

Possible Magnitude of Neutron TMM

How nTMM can be Measured

Conclusions