Scalar Currents In 0(+) Going To 0(+) Beta Decay And The Boron-8 Neutrino Spectrum

Two experiments to understand the standard electro-weak model are presented. In one experiment scalar contributions to the weak interaction were searched for by determining with accuracy the e − ν correlation coefficient in a 0+ → 0+ decay. The correlation coefficient for the 0+ → 0+ β-decay of 32Ar was measured to be a = 0.9989 ± 0.0052 ± 0.0036, for vanishing Fierz interference. This was used to put unprecedented limits on scalar contributions to the weak interaction. In the second experiment the β-delayed α spectrum from 8B was measured. The experiment was designed to overcome systematic uncertainties that plagued previous measurements. This spectrum differs significantly from previous measurements. The measured α spectrum was used to deduce the ν spectrum. This will be used as a benchmark by experiments trying to detect distortions of the solar-ν spectrum in the search for physics beyond the standard model.