ISOLDE Physics Group Meeting (PGM) and Seminar

Thursday 29 Jan 2026, 14:00 → 15:15 Europe/Zurich

508/1-001 (CERN)

14:00 → 14:10 General announcements

Speakers: Hanne Heylen (CERN), Prof. Luis M Fraile (CERN)

14:10 → 14:15 Safety announcements

Speakers: Hanne Heylen (CERN), Prof. Luis M Fraile (CERN)

14:15 → 14:20 Visits

Rota to be found on: https://cernbox.cern.ch/s/qbqEUB41tAvAzWa

Speakers: Hanne Heylen (CERN), Victoria Vedia (CERN)

14:20 → 14:25 Physics of last week

Speaker: Hanne Heylen (CERN)

14:25 → 14:30 AOB

Speakers: Amy Sparks, Carlotta Porzio (CERN), Christoph Schweiger (Max Planck Society (DE)), Hanne Heylen (CERN), Jessica Warbinek (CERN), Juliana Schell (Institut Fur Materialwissenschaft Universität Duisburg-Essen (DE)), Liss Vazquez Rodriguez (Max Planck Society (DE)), Prof. Luis M Fraile (CERN), Magdalena Kowalska (CERN), Patrick MacGregor (CERN), Peter Plattner, Tim Enrico Lellinger (CERN, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt (DE)), Victoria Vedia (CERN)

14:30 → 15:15 ISOLDE seminar or Physics presentation by local group

Title: Testing the Standard Model with the WISArD experiment
Speaker: Samuel Lecanuet (LP2i Bordeaux, France)
Abstract: The goal of the WISArD experiment is to test the existence of new physics in the weak interaction sector of the Standard Model of particle physics using beta decay. The angular correlation parameter a and the Fierz interference term b, which characterize beta decay, are sensitive to the existence of exotic scalar or tensor currents. These currents are excluded from the electroweak interaction description within the framework of the Standard Model, which involves only vector and axial-vector currents. The goal of the WISArD experiment is to measure these parameters in the decay of 32Ar with a precision of about 0.1%, in order to provide constraints on new physics that are competitive with direct searches conducted at very high energies at the LHC. The experiment is installed in the ISOLDE experimental hall at CERN.
A first data-taking campaign in 2018 validated the measurement principle and achieved the third-best world result on the angular correlation coefficient a in the context of a Fermi-type beta decay. A second experimental campaign took place in 2021 after a complete upgrade of the experimental setup. Following these results, a series of further improvements were implemented to control systematic effects at the required level of precision, and two data-taking periods were carried out in 2024 and 2025.
During this seminar, the full WISArD experimental setup will be presented, as well as the current status of the analysis.

Speakers: Carlotta Porzio (CERN), Hanne Heylen (CERN), Jessica Warbinek (CERN)