The Arizona State University Meson Physics group will pursue a pair of approaches to provide insight into fundamental descriptions of the constituents of atomic nuclei by [1] obtaining data on the electro- and photoproduction of eta meson, and [2] by studying weak and electromagnetic decays of pions, to provide stringent tests of CKM unitarity, electromagnetic corrections to the Standard Model, the limits of quark lepton universality, and the chiral anomaly. The eta meson production experiments will be conducted with the CLAS Collaboration at Jefferson Lab using the Hall B photon tagger and the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS). Pion beta decay will be studied at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen, Switzerland with the PiBeta Collaboration. The electromagnetic decay of the pion will be studied with a precision measurement of the neutral pion lifetime at Jefferson Lab with the PRIMEX collaboration. Data analyses will be conducted at ASU and at Jefferson Lab.
All experiments are high priority activities in contemporary nuclear physics and provide tests of fundamental symmetries. Development, construction, and utilization of major state-of-the-art equipment is integral to this activity. Education of students is an important component of this proposal.
