Proposed experimental study of wave-particle duality in $p,p$ scattering

TL;DR

This paper proposes experimental setups using storage rings to study wave-particle duality in proton-proton scattering, emphasizing the importance of relativistic effects and spin dependence for fundamental nuclear physics insights.

Contribution

It introduces novel experimental configurations for proton scattering experiments that can test relativistic effects and quantum mechanics consistency in nuclear physics.

Findings

Relativistic effects of anomalous magnetic dipole moments are crucial for spin dependence in $p,p$ scattering.

Proposed storage ring configurations enable high-precision measurements of spin states.

Experimental options include counter-circulating beams and symmetric collision setups in a ring.

Abstract

Of all nuclear physics experiments none are more fundamental than ``elastic'' $p,p$ and, secondarily, $p,d$ or $d,d$ scattering. Recognizing that these particles are themselves composite, ``elastic'' scattering may be accompanied by temporary internal rearrangement with undetectably small energy loss. % This paper argues that correct calculation of the spin dependence of $p,p$ elastic scattering must account for a previously-neglected relativistic effect of ``$G$'', the anomalous magnetic dipole moment (MDM) of the scattering particles and proceeds to describe storage ring $p,p$ scattering configurations capable of confirming this contention. % Especially important experimentally for protons is the existence of ``near perfect'' proton-carbon scattering polarimetric analyzing power $A$ near $K=183.1$\,MeV laboratory kinetic energy. % Possibilities: (i) With counter-circulating $K=200\,$MeV energy proton beams the final spin states of coincident scattered protons can be determined with high probability for a significantly large fraction of all scatters. For comparison with current descriptions this corresponds roughly to proton kinetic energy $K=400\,$MeV in the laboratory frame, close to the pion production threshold. % (ii) In a ``DERBENEV-style'' figure-8 storage ring, independently polarized, diametrically opposite bunches on orthogonal orbits can collide at the beam crossover point with symmetric $K''\approx200$ MeV energies in a slow, transversely moving frame. % (iii) $p$ and $d$ beams can counter-circulate at the same time in a small racetrack shaped ring with superimposed electric and magnetic bending. In this case the scattering would be ``WOLFENSTEIN-style'' with collinear incident orbits. % To investigate the consistency of quantum mechanics and special relativity it is proposed to implement options (ii) and (iii) in the COSY beam hall.