Radiative Σ^± decays and search for neutral currents

Abstract

The decay modesΣ ^±→nπ ^± γ, Σ ⁺→pγ,Σ ⁺ →pe ⁺ e ^}- were studied in the 81 cm Saclay hydrogen bubble chamber. In the radiative decayΣ ^±→nπ ^± γ only low momentum pions which stop in the chamber were accepted.

We obtain the following branching ratios:

$$\frac{{\Gamma {\text{(}}\sum ^{\text{ + }} \to n\pi ^ + \gamma , p_{\pi + }^*< 110{\text{ MeV/c)}}}}{{\Gamma {\text{(}}\sum ^{\text{ + }} \to n\pi ^ + )}} = (2.7 \pm 0.5) \times 10^{ - 4} ,$$

((1))

$$\frac{{\Gamma {\text{(}}\sum ^ - \to n\pi ^ - \gamma , p_{\pi - }^*< 110{\text{ MeV/c)}}}}{{\Gamma {\text{(}}\sum ^ - \to n\pi ^ - )}} = (1.0 \pm 0.2) \times 10^{ - 4} ,$$

((2))

$$\frac{{\Gamma {\text{(}}\sum ^ + \to p\gamma {\text{)}}}}{{\Gamma {\text{(}}\sum ^ + \to p\pi ^0 )}} = (2.1 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{ - 3} ,$$

((3))

$$\frac{{\Gamma {\text{(}}\sum ^ + \to pe^ + e^ - {\text{)}}}}{{\Gamma {\text{(}}\sum ^ + \to p\pi ^0 )}} = (1.5 \pm 0.9) \times 10^{ - 5} .$$

((4))

The radiative branching ratios (1) and (2) agree well with theoretical calculations and confirm very strongly the assignmentS wave toΣ ⁻ →nπ ⁻ andP wave toΣ ⁺→nπ ⁺ decay. The branching ratio (4) is based on 3 events with very low invariant masses of the electron-positron pair, being most probably radiative decays with internal conversion of theγ-ray. Combining (3) and (4) we obtain for the conversion coefficientρ:

in agreement with predictions from electrodynamics.