Fundamental Nuclear and Particle Physics At Neutron Sources

Abstract

Fundamental neutron and neutrino physics at neutron sources, combining precision measurements and theory, probes new physics at energy scales well beyond the highest energies probed by the LHC and possible future high energy collider facilities. The European Spallation Source (ESS) will in the not too far future be the world’s most powerful pulsed neutron source and simultaneously the worlds brightest pulsed neutrino source. The ESS, and neutron sources in general, can provide unprecedented and unique opportunities to contribute to the search for the missing elements in the Standard Model of particle physics. Currently there are no strong indications where hints of the origin of the new physics will emerge. A multi-pronged approach will provide the fastest path to fill the gaps in our knowledge and neutron sources have a pivotal role to play. To survey the ongoing and proposed physics experiments at neutron sources and assess their potential impact, a workshop was held at Lund University on January 15 -- 17, 2025. This report is a summary of that workshop and has been prepared as input to the European Strategy Update.