[en] We review the existing calculations of parity nonconserving effects in Cs, and discuss the issues involved in improving their accuracy further. (author)

[en] A short review of the present knowledge of the nucleons distribution in nuclei is given. A proposal is made about a possible measurements of the neutron distribution through polarized electron scattering off nuclei. (authors)

[en] This report describes a Moller scattering experiment and sees whether this method could be competitive with the best low energy measurements, and could possibly become a standard in the field of low energy tests of the electroweak theory. The goal of the experiment is to make a measurement of the electroweak mixing parameter far off the Z mass with a precision comparable to LEP and SLC (SLAC Linear Collider)

[en] The motivation for parity experiments in simple atomic systems is that the atomic physics is known precisely so they directly test the weak interactions. We review the status of the parity experiments that have been done in atomic hydrogen and suggest some possibilities for experiments in heliumlike ions. (authors)

[en] A new experimental program is under way at Jefferson Laboratory to probe the strange structure of the nucleon via parity violating scattering. HAPPEX is the first experiment from this program to run Jefferson Laboratory. We describe the physics motivation, provide an experimental overview and report on the results from the first data run. The asymmetry for the elastic scattering of 3.3 GeV electrons off target protons at a scattering angle of 12.5 degrees was measured to a precision of 15% of itself. The contribution from strange quark form factors was found to be zero within the experimental and theoretical uncertainties. (authors)

[en] Simple arguments based on unitarity indicate that meson loops diagrams, induced by an underlying qq-bar pair creation process, should badly disturb the phenomenologically successful spectroscopy and dynamics of the valence quark model, including such simple but mysterious regularities as the OZI rule. I will discuss some recent progress in adding pair creation to the valence quark model in a way which provides a rationale for the quark model's success. (author)

[en] Early polarized lepton (electron an muon)-nucleus high energy scattering experiments in the period from 1976 to 1990 discovered that early nonconservation occurred due to electroweak interference and thereby helped establish the unified electroweak theory of the current Standard Model. These experiments at SLAC, CERN and Bates developed the techniques that are the basis of major current experiments in this field. (author)

[en] We start with a brief presentation of the Standard Model and the weak neutral current, in view of a discussion of parity-violation in electron-hadron electroweak interactions. We then discuss some limitations of this model, motivating the consideration of larger frameworks such as grand-unification and supersymmetry. We also comment about the possible effects of additional light neutral gauge bosons. (author)

[en] These 12 lectures on electroweak interactions start with a short summary of the Glashow-Weinberg-Salam theory and then cover in detail some main subjects of present interest in phenomenology. The author concludes on the existence of a double approach in particle physics: from above and from below. From above they are, on the theory side, quantum gravity, GUT theories and cosmological scenarios. On the experimental side there are underground experiments, cosmic ray observations, satellite experiments and so on. From below, the main objectives of theory and experiment are the search of the Higgs and of signals of particles beyond the standard model

[en] Francium is the least studied of the alkali atoms because it has no stable isotopes. we produce enough quantities of ²¹⁰Fr to capture a few thousand in a magneto optical trap. We have performed precision spectroscopy on cold Fr atoms in a MOT. We have determined the location of the first two excited states of the S series by two-photon spectroscopy. We have measured the lifetimes of the 7p levels with a precision better than 0.5 %. Our measurements test the many-body perturbation theory ab initio calculations of the dipole matrix element to very high accuracy in this relativistic alkali. We are preparing the path for a possible PNC measurement in a chain of Fr isotopes. (authors)