Monday, November 10, 2008, Joint Physics Colloquium, 4:30 PM, 104 Thaw Hall, PITT

Prof. Rabindra Mohapatra

University of Maryland

"Do Neutrons Oscillate"

Abstract:

Oscillations between nearly degenerate quantum states is a well known phenomenon which provided deep insight into the nature of forces at the microscopic level. Most recent example is the observation of oscillations between different neutrino species, which is already having a profound impact on our thinking about the landscape of physics beyond the standard model, although the true nature of this new physics is not fully understood. In this talk, I will discuss a new kind of oscillation that can cause spontaneous conversion of neutrons to anti-neutrons, its rate consistent with stability of matter and show that the existing reactor facilities can probe this to a higher precision level than is known now.

This process is suggested by theories that explain observed neutrino oscillations and can therefore provide important clues to the new forces responsible for neutrino masses. Its discovery may also clear up a major cosmic mystery of how the visible Universe ended up having only matter and no anti-matter.