Neutrino recoil force in electron-capture decay of polarized nuclei: measurement prospects and potential applications

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical basis and measurement prospects of detecting a recoil force from neutrino emission in polarized nuclei during electron capture, with potential applications in fundamental physics tests.

Contribution

It derives an expression for the neutrino recoil force in polarized nuclei and assesses its measurability using modern micromechanical devices, proposing new experimental approaches.

Findings

Numerical estimates of recoil force for selected isotopes.

Feasibility analysis of measuring the force with current technology.

Discussion of applications in weak interaction and Lorentz invariance tests.

Abstract

Due to a directional asymmetry of neutrino emission caused by parity violation, a sample of radioactive atoms experiences a small recoil force from neutrino radiation accompanying electron capture by polarized nuclei. An expression for this force is obtained for the case of allowed nuclear transitions. Prospects to measure this force by the use of modern micromechanical devices are considered. Numerical estimates for the force are presented for a number of most suitable radioactive isotopes. Potential applications for the weak interaction studies are discussed including the possibility to search for hypothetical Lorentz invariance violation.