Lifetimes of SU(3) groups and psi particles as a scaling in powers of $alpha$

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · Phys. Rev., D, v. 13, no. 3, pp. 574-590

OSTI ID:4017719

Mac Gregor, M H

A study of the experimental systematics of elementary particle lifetimes leads to the following conclusions: (a) Elementary particle lifetimes tau divide empirically into two distinct groups: ''particles'' (tau > 10$sup -21$ sec) and ''resonances'' (tau < 10$sup -22$ sec), where ''particle'' lifetimes are spaced by powers of $alpha$ = e$sup 2$/ h c and ''resonance'' lifetimes occur as a continuum of values; (b) the scaling of ''particle'' lifetimes in powers of $alpha$ is a ''lifetime democracy'' in the sense that baryons, mesons, and leptons, are all grouped together in one over-all lifetime scaling pattern; (c) integral-spin boson ''particle'' lifetimes scale in powers of $alpha$, whereas half-integral-spin fermion ''particle'' lifetimes scale in powers of $alpha$$sup 2$; (d) an SU(3) grouping of lifetimes reveals some striking patterns, with the psi and psi' lifetimes appearing as an extension of one of these patterns; (e) phase-space corrections, which are important for ''resonance'' lifetimes, are not as important for ''particle'' lifetimes; (f) if hadron lifetimes are grouped according to baryon number and strangeness, and then sorted into spin states, an empirical spin and lifetime correlation is seen in all of these groups: As the spin value increases, the maximum observed lifetime decreases. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550
• NSA Number: NSA-33-031376
• OSTI ID: 4017719
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., D, v. 13, no. 3, pp. 574-590, Journal Name: Phys. Rev., D, v. 13, no. 3, pp. 574-590; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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PARTICLE WIDTHS
SOMMERFELD CONSTANT