We present the result of an experiment to measure the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron at the Paul Scherrer Institute using Ramsey's method of separated oscillating magnetic fields with ultracold neutrons. Our measurement stands in the long history of EDM experiments probing physics violating timereversal invariance. The salient features of this experiment were the use of a 199 Hg comagnetometer and an array of optically pumped cesium vapor magnetometers to cancel and correct for magnetic-field changes. The statistical analysis was performed on blinded datasets by two separate groups, while the estimation of systematic effects profited from an unprecedented knowledge of the magnetic field. The measured value of the neutron EDM is d n ¼ ð0.0 AE 1.1 stat AE 0.2 sys Þ × 10 −26 e:cm.

A fully analytical description of the allowed β spectrum shape is given in view of ongoing and planned measurements. Its study forms an invaluable tool in the search for physics beyond the standard electroweak model and the weak magnetism recoil term. Contributions stemming from finite size corrections, mass effects, and radiative corrections are reviewed. A particular focus is placed on atomic and chemical effects, where the existing description is extended and analytically provided. The effects of QCD-induced recoil terms are discussed, and cross-checks were performed for different theoretical formalisms. Special attention was given to a comparison of the treatment of nuclear structure effects in different formalisms. Corrections were derived for both Fermi and Gamow-Teller transitions, and methods of analytical evaluation thoroughly discussed. In its integrated form, calculated f values were in agreement with the most precise numerical results within the aimed for precision. We stress the need for an accurate evaluation of weak magnetism contributions, and note the possible significance of the oft-neglected induced pseudoscalar interaction. Together with improved atomic corrections, we then present an analytical description of the allowed β spectrum shape accurate to a few parts in 10 −4 down to 1 keV for low to medium Z nuclei, thereby extending the work by previous authors by nearly an order of magnitude.

We describe here microscopic calculations performed on the dominant forbidden transitions in reactor antineutrino spectra above 4 MeV using the nuclear shell model. By taking into account Coulomb corrections in the most complete way, we calculate the shape factor with the highest fidelity and show strong deviations from allowed approximations and previously published results. Despite small differences in the ab initio electron cumulative spectra, large differences on the order of several percents are found in the antineutrino spectra. Based on the behaviour of the numerically calculated shape factors we propose a parametrization of forbidden spectra. Using Monte Carlo techniques we derive an estimated spectral correction and uncertainty due to forbidden transitions. We establish the dominance and importance of forbidden transitions in both the reactor anomaly and spectral shoulder analysis. Based on these results, we conclude that a correct treatment of forbidden transitions is indispensable in both the normalization anomaly and spectral shoulder.

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