Eur. Phys. J. A 24, s2.167-s2.170 (2005)
DOI: 10.1140/epjad/s2005-04-042-x

Parity violation in astrophysics

C.J. Horowitz

Nuclear Theory Center and Department of Physics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA

horowit@indiana.edu

(Received 15 October 2004 / Published online 08 February 2005)

Abstract

Core collapse supernovae are gigantic explosions of massive stars that radiate 99% of their energy in neutrinos. This provides a unique opportunity for large scale parity or charge conjugation violation. Parity violation in a strong magnetic field could lead to an asymmetry in the neutrino radiation and recoil of the newly formed neutron star. Charge conjugation violation in the neutrino-nucleon interaction reduces the ratio of neutrons to protons in the neutrino driven wind above the neutron star. This is a problem for r-process nucleosynthesis in this wind. On earth, parity violation is an excellent probe of neutrons because the weak charge of a neutron is much larger than that of a proton. The Parity Radius Experiment (PREX) at Jefferson Laboratory aims to precisely measure the neutron radius of ²⁰⁸Pb with parity violating elastic electron scattering. This has many implications for astrophysics, including the structure of neutron stars, and for atomic parity nonconservation experiments.

PACS: 25.30.Bf Elastic electron scattering - 11.30.Er Charge conjugation, parity, time reversal, and other discrete symmetries - 26.60+c Nuclear matter aspects of neutron stars - 97.60.Bw Supernovae

© Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2005