Investigating the E2 Nuclear Resonance Effects in Kaonic Atoms: The KAMEO Proposal

Abstract

The E2 nuclear resonance effect in kaonic atoms occurs when the energy of atomic de-excitation closely matches the energy of nuclear excitation, leading to the attenuation of some X-ray lines in the resonant isotope target. This phenomenon provides crucial information on the strong interaction between kaons and nuclei. The only nuclear E2 resonance effect observed so far was in the K⁻ −⁹⁸₄₂Mo isotope, measured by G. L. Goldfrey, G-K. Lum, and C. E. Wiegand at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in 1975. However, the 25 hours of data taking were not sufficient to yield conclusive results. In four kaonic Molybdenum isotopes (⁹⁴₄₂Mo, ⁹⁶₄₂Mo, ⁹⁸₄₂and Mo, and ¹⁰⁰₄₂Mo), the nuclear E2 resonance effect is expected to occur at the same transition with similar energy values. To investigate this, the KAMEO (Kaonic Atoms Measuring Nuclear Resonance Effects Observables) experiment plans to conduct research on kaonic Molybdenum isotopes at the DAΦNE e⁺e⁻ collider during the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment. The experimental strategy involves exposing four solid strip targets, each enriched with one Molybdenum isotope, to negatively charged kaons and using a germanium detector to measure X-ray transitions. In addition, a non-resonant ⁹²₄₂Mo isotope solid strip target will be used as a reference for standard non-resonant transitions.