A search for rare decay K sup + yields. pi. sup +. nu. nu

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5260890

Akerib, D S

This thesis describes an experimental search for the weak decay K{sup +} {yields} {pi}{sup +} {nu}{bar {nu}} performed at Brookhaven National Laboratory during the Winter of 1989 using the E787 Spectrometer designed expressly for this purpose. The first-order contribution to this decay cancels exactly via the Glashow-Iliopoulos-Maiani (G.I.M.) Mechanism. However, the second-order process is expected to give a branching ratio between .6 {yields} 6 {times} 10{sup {minus}10} in the Standard Model. The predicted rate for this process is theoretically well determined; the uncertainty is due to the experimental input parameters of the Model. The author finds no candidate events in a sample of 1.12 {times} 10{sup 11} kaon decays and he sets an upper limit on the branching ratio of 4.4 {times} 10{sup {minus}9} at the 90% confidence level. Using the same data he also sets an upper limit on the process K{sup +} {yields} {pi}{sup +} f of 9.3 {times} 10{sup {minus}10} at the 90% confidence level, where f is any neutral massless weakly-interacting particle.

• Research Organization: Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5260890
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

662350* -- Decays of Mesons-- (1992-)
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BOSONS
BRANCHING RATIO
DATA
DECAY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HADRONS
INFORMATION
KAONS
KAONS PLUS
LIMITING VALUES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MESONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PARTICLE DECAY
PARTICLE MODELS
PSEUDOSCALAR MESONS
SEMILEPTONIC DECAY
SPECTROMETERS
STANDARD MODEL
STRANGE MESONS
STRANGE PARTICLES
UNIFIED GAUGE MODELS
WEAK PARTICLE DECAY