CAP Medal Press Release

The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) and TRIUMF are pleased to announce that the 2020 CAP-TRIUMF Vogt Medal for Contributions to Subatomic Physics is awarded to Gordon C. Ball, TRIUMF, in recognition of for fundamental contributions to low-energy tests of the Standard Model through ultra-high precision measurements of superallowed Fermi beta decays and for his leadership in the development of the ISAC science program at TRIUMF. announcement

The Standard Model (SM) has been spectacularly successful in describing the basic building blocks of matter and the forces by which they interact but is generally believed to be only an approximation to a more fundamental theory. Testing the limits of the SM, and searching for the new physics beyond it, involves complementary experiments at the world's highest energy accelerator facilities and high-precision measurements at lower energies. In the latter arena, precise measurements of a special class of nuclear beta decays known as superallowed Fermi transitions have provided the most demanding tests of a number of fundamental tenets of the SM, including the conservation of the vector current of the weak interaction and absence of weak scalar currents, as well as the most precise determination of the leading element of the matrix describing the transformation between the mass and weak interaction eigenstates of the quarks.

Over the past two decades, Gordon C Ball has led a high-impact program of superallowed Fermi beta decay studies that exploits the high-intensity, high-quality beams of rare isotopes provided by the ISAC facility at TRIUMF. He has led the development of experimental techniques that have pushed the precision frontier of the field, his group having set new world records for high precision superallowed beta decay half-life measurements on 4 separate occasions in the past decade. In parallel, he developed new techniques that allowed the determination of superallowed branching ratios for heavy nuclei with an order of magnitude greater precision than previously achieved. These ultra-high precision measurements by Dr. Ball and his collaborators have provided critical tests of the theoretical models required to understand the impact of the breaking of isospin symmetry in the nucleus on the superallowed Fermi beta decay transition rates and, ultimately, on the precise tests of the SM they provide. It is for his outstanding body of work in advancing the field of high-precision superallowed Fermi beta decay measurements that Dr. Ball recognized by the 2020 CAP-TRIUMF Vogt Medal. nominator citation

First introduced in 2011, the Vogt Medal recognizes and encourages outstanding experimental or theoretical contributions to subatomic physics.

A series of virtual plenary medal talks will be organized to honour the 2020 medal recipients. The talk schedule will be posted on the CAP's website and notification of each talk will be issued once arranged. The medal will be forwarded to Dr. Ball with the congratulations of the community. medal description

ABOUT the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP)

The Canadian Association of Physicists, founded in 1945, is a professional association representing over 1600 individual physicists and physics students in Canada, the U.S. and overseas, as well as a number of Corporate, Institutional, and Departmental Members. In addition to its learned activities, the CAP, through its charitable arm - the CAP Foundation, also undertakes a number of activities intended to encourage students to pursue a career in physics. cap description

ABOUT TRIUMF

TRIUMF is Canada’s particle accelerator centre. The lab is a hub for discovery and innovation inspired by a half-century of ingenuity in answering nature's most challenging questions. From the hunt for the smallest particles in our universe to research that advances the next generation of batteries or develops isotopes to diagnose and treat disease, TRIUMF drives more than scientific discovery. Powered by its complement of top talent and advanced accelerator infrastructure, TRIUMF is pushing the frontiers in isotope science and innovation, as well as technologies to address fundamental and applied problems in particle and nuclear physics, and the materials and life sciences. In collaboration with 20 Canadian universities, TRIUMF's diverse community of nearly 600 multidisciplinary researchers, engineers, technicians, tradespeople, staff, and students create a unique incubator for Canadian excellence, as well as a portal to premier global collaborations. Our passion for understanding everything from the nature of the nucleus to the creation of the cosmos sparks imagination, inspiration, improved health, economic opportunity, and a better world for all.

For more information, visit www.triumf.ca and www.triumf50.com. @TRIUMFLab joint description

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For more information, please contact:

Mrs. Francine Ford, Executive Director
Canadian Association of Physicists
Tel: 613-562-5614
E-mail: execdir@cap.ca
www.cap.cacap contact and joint contact

The 2020 CAP-TRIUMF Vogt Medal for Contributions to Subatomic Physics

Gordon C. Ball