LOW ENERGY TESTS OF THE STANDARD MODEL: THE 12 GeV PARITY VIOLATION PROGRAM AT JEFFERSON LABORATORY

Abstract

We discuss the current status and prospects of an experimental program of parity-violating asymmetry measurements in the scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons off unpolarized fixed targets. In particular, we focus on those measurements where judicious choices of target species and kinematics allows the theoretical predictions to be made purely in terms of fundamental electroweak couplings with little theoretical uncertainty. If such asymmetries are measured with sufficient precision, they are sensitive to new physics at the TeV scale. After reviewing recent results, two new experimental initiatives called MOLLER and SoLID being designed for the Jefferson Laboratory 12 GeV upgrade are discussed.