Parity-Violating Interaction Effects in the np System

Abstract

We investigate parity-violating observables in the np system, including the longitudinal asymmetry and neutron-spin rotation in np elastic scattering, the photon asymmetry in np radiative capture, and the asymmetries in deuteron photo-disintegration d(gamma,n)p in the threshold region and electro-disintegration d(e,e`)np in quasi-elastic kinematics. To have an estimate of the model dependence for the various predictions, a number of different, latest-generation strong-interaction potentials--Argonne v18, Bonn 2000, and Nijmegen I--are used in combination with a weak-interaction potential consisting of pi-, rho-, and omega-meson exchanges--the model known as DDH. The complete bound and scattering problems in the presence of parity-conserving, including electromagnetic, and parity-violating potentials is solved in both configuration and momentum space. The issue of electromagnetic current conservation is examined carefully. We find large cancellations between the asymmetries induced by the parity-violating interactions and those arising from the associated pion-exchange currents. In the np capture, the model dependence is nevertheless quite small, because of constraints arising through the Siegert evaluation of the relevant E1 matrix elements. In quasi-elastic electron scattering these processes are found to be insignificant compared to the asymmetry produced by gamma-Z interference on individual nucleons.