{
  "abstract": "We have measured the parity-violating elastic electron scattering asymmetry in the PREX and CREX experiments on ${}^{208}$Pb and ${}^{48}$Ca respectively; these are both doubly-magic nuclei whose excited states can be discriminated from the ground state by the high resolution spectrometers in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. This asymmetry provides a precise determination of the weak charge form factor at one $Q^2$ and pins down the neutron radius in these two nuclei in a relatively clean and model-independent way. This is because the $Z^0$ boson of the weak interaction couples primarily to neutrons. The heavier lead nucleus, with a neutron excess, provides an interpretation of the neutron skin thickness in terms of properties of bulk neutron matter. For the lighter ${}^{48}$Ca nucleus, which is also rich in neutrons, comparisons to microscopic nuclear theory calculations are sensitive to poorly constrained 3-neutron forces. The weak neutral form factors $F_W(Q^2)$ were extracted to be $0.368 \\pm 0.013$ at $Q = 0.3977 {\\rm\\ fm}^{-1}$ for $^{208}$Pb from PREX-2 and $0.1304 \\pm 0.0055$ at $Q = 0.8733 {\\rm\\ fm}^{-1}$ for $^{48}$Ca. The form factor differences $(F_{ch}-F_W)(Q^2)$ were calculated to be $0.041 \\pm 0.013$ at $Q = 0.3977 {\\rm fm}^{-1}$ for $^{208}$Pb from PREX-2 and $0.0277 \\pm 0.0055$ at $Q = 0.8733 {\\rm fm}^{-1}$ for $^{48}$Ca. Correcting for Coulomb distortions and using nuclear model information, we find the neutron skin thicknesses to be $R^{208}_{\\rm skin} = 0.283 \\pm 0.071$ fm combining PREX-1 and PREX-2 and $R^{48}_{\\rm skin} = 0.121 \\pm 0.035$ fm. This paper provides a full description of the special experimental and data analysis techniques employed for precisely measuring these small asymmetries.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.07518",
  "author_total": 103,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "PREX Collaboration"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Adhikari"
    },
    {
      "name": "H. Albataineh"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Androić"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. A. Aniol"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. S. Armstrong"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. D. Averett"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Ayerbe Gayoso"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. K. Barcus"
    },
    {
      "name": "V. Bellini"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. S. Beminiwattha"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. F. Benesch"
    },
    {
      "name": "H. Bhatt"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Bhatta Pathak"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Bhetuwal"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Blaikie"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. A. Boyd III"
    },
    {
      "name": "Q. Campagna"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Camsonne"
    },
    {
      "name": "G. D. Cates"
    },
    {
      "name": "Y. Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Clarke"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. C. Cornejo"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Covrig Dusa"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. M. Dalton"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. Datta"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Deshpande"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Dutta"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Fuchey"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Gal"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Gaskell"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Gericke"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Ghosh"
    },
    {
      "name": "I. Halilovic"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. -O. Hansen"
    },
    {
      "name": "O. Hassan"
    },
    {
      "name": "F. Hauenstein"
    },
    {
      "name": "W. Henry"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. J. Horowitz"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Jantzi"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Jian"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Johnston"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. C. Jones"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Kakkar"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Karki"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Katugampola"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Keppel"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. M. King"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. E. King"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. S. Kumar"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. Kutz"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. Lashley-Colthirst"
    },
    {
      "name": "G. Leverick"
    },
    {
      "name": "H. Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. Liyanage"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Malace"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Mammei"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Mammei"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. McCaughan"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. McNulty"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9k7nyx345bv4j.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.07518",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "9k7nyx345bv4j",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.07518",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "nucl-ex"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3106|Nuclear physics research studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7211987229",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.07518",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-07",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9k7nyx345bv4j.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:48Z",
      "native_id": "2609.07518",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.07518"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:nucl-ex",
      "subfield": "nuclear"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Precision Neutron Skins of $^{208}$Pb and $^{48}$Ca from Parity-Violating Electron Scattering",
  "title_text": "Precision Neutron Skins of ^208Pb and ^48Ca from Parity-Violating Electron Scattering",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:48Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9k7nyx345bv4j",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}