Realistic calculations of nuclear disappearance lifetimes induced by neutron-antineutron oscillations

TL;DR

This paper provides realistic calculations of nuclear disappearance lifetimes caused by neutron-antineutron oscillations in oxygen and iron, deriving a new lower limit on oscillation time and calculating antineutron scattering lengths for experimental applications.

Contribution

It introduces improved calculations of nuclear lifetimes due to neutron-antineutron oscillations and derives a new lower limit on the oscillation time based on recent experimental data.

Findings

Lower limit of 3.3 x 10^8 seconds on neutron-antineutron oscillation time.

Derived antineutron scattering lengths in carbon and nickel.

Largely model-independent results for antineutron interactions.

Abstract

Realistic calculations of nuclear disappearance lifetimes induced by neutron-antineutron oscillations are reported for oxygen and iron, using antineutron nuclear potentials derived from a recent comprehensive analysis of antiproton atomic X-ray and radiochemical data. A lower limit of 3.3 x 10E8 s on the neutron-antineutron oscillation time is derived from the Super-Kamiokande I new lower limit of 1.77 x 10E32 yr on the neutron lifetime in oxygen. Antineutron scattering lengths in carbon and nickel, needed in trap experiments using ultracold neutrons, are calculated from updated antinucleon optical potentials at threshold, with results shown to be largely model independent.