Tensor interaction constraints from β-decay recoil spin asymmetry of trapped atoms

We have measured the angular distribution of recoiling daughter nuclei emitted from the Gamow-Teller β decay of spin-polarized Rb80. The asymmetry of this distribution vanishes to lowest order in the standard model (SM) in pure Gamow-Teller decays, producing an observable very sensitive to new interactions. We measure the non-SM contribution to the asymmetry to be AT=0.015±0.029 (stat) ±0.019 (syst), consistent with the SM prediction. We constrain higher-order SM corrections using the measured momentum dependence of the asymmetry, and their remaining uncertainty dominates the systematic error. Future progress in determining the weak magnetism term theoretically or experimentally would reduce the final errors. We describe the resulting constraints on fundamental four-Fermi tensor interactions.