Date Thesis Awarded

5-2015

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Science (BS)

Department

Physics

Advisor

Wouter Deconinck

Committee Members

Gina Hoatson

Joshua Erlich

Lawrence Leemis

Abstract

Experimental nuclear physics has largely been concerned with testing the Standard Model of particle physics. The Qweak experiment was designed to measure the weak interaction force of the proton. The experiment was also used to make asymmetry measurements on pions produced by inelastic collisions. The asymmetry measured in the experiment for pions was larger than expected at lower momentums given the kinematic conditions. A possible cause for the larger asymmetry is the production of hyperons, which decay into pions that can be detected. This idea was investigated, and an acceptance function for these pions was formulated. The acceptance function took the form of a four dimensional vector structure based on the probability of the pions being detected based on their initial kinetic energy, θ angle, φ angle, and z position.

Recommended Citation

Starman, Marcus S., "Effect of Hyperons on Pion Asymmetries Measured in the Qweak Experiment" (2015). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 176.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/176