A test of the Delta I = 1/2 rule is s-shell hypernuclei
Robin Elise Barber · CERN Document Server (European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2000
E931 was designed to test the validity of the Δ I = ½ rule for the non-mesonic decays of s-shell hypernuclei. The initial run for the experiment was executed at BNL in the C8 area using a scintillator target. The reaction N&parl0;K- stopped,p&parr0;L was used for hypernuclear production where N is a neutron or proton. The expected number of mesonic and nonmesonic decay products were calculated and compared to experimental results. Mesonic decays from quasifree hyperons and hyperon production reactions were detected using a set of scintillators, induction chambers, and neutron counters, however, equipment difficulties and lack of statistics precluded the detection of nonmesonic decays. The distance of closest approach method worked best for tracking the particles with wire chambers. The HWHM of the peak depicting the distance between the in- beam and out-of-beam tracks was found to be 1.8 cm.