Date of Award
7-29-2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Type
Dissertation
Abstract
Nuclei will play a prominent role in searches for physics beyond the Standard Model as the active material in experiments. In order to reliably interpret new physics signals, one needs an accurate model of the underlying nuclear dynamics. In this thesis, I discuss the validation of the Norfolk two-and three-body model of nuclear interactions along with consistent sets of electroweak transition operators used in conjunction with quantum Monte Carlo approaches to compute electroweak structure and reaction observable in light nuclei. I will provide the salient details of the model and method before presenting calculations of $\beta$-decay rates and spectra, muon capture rates, and magnetic dipole moments and form factors. Included in the discussion of $\beta$-decay is a prediction for the experimentally relevant $^6$He $\beta$-decay spectrum. I conclude the thesis with an outlook for future lines of work using this combination of model and method that have been enabled by my work.
Language
English (en)
Chair and Committee
Saori Pastore
Committee Members
Maria Piarulli; Bhupal Dev; Kade Head-Marsden; Lee Sobotka; Willem Dickhoff
Recommended Citation
King, Garrett, "Electroweak Structure and Reactions in Light Nuclei With Quantum Monte Carlo Methods" (2024). Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3303.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/3303