Unique forbidden beta decays at zero momentum transfer

Abstract

We report an exploratory study of the $\mathcal{O}(\alpha )$ structure-dependent electromagnetic radiative corrections to unique first-forbidden nuclear beta decays. We show that the insertion of angular momentum into the nuclear matrix element by the virtual/real photon exchange opens up the decay at vanishing nuclear recoil momentum which was forbidden at tree level, leading to a dramatic change in the decay spectrum not anticipated in existing studies. We discuss its implications for precision tests on the Standard Model and searches for new physics.

Comments: Version accepted by Physical Review Letters