Experimental search for Pati-Salam decay modes of the proton

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5771164

More, A M

The present search for proton decay is motivated by current theories which predict nucleon lifetimes of 10/sup 29/ to 10/sup 34/ years. There are two basic classes of theories which predict non-baryon-conserving processes: Grand Unification Theories (GUTS), characterized by ..delta..B = ..delta..L; and quark decay theories, which include ..delta..B = -..delta..L and ..delta..B = +/-..delta..L/3 processes. This thesis is devoted to the search for nucleons decaying as a result of quark decays. An analysis of the neutrino background has been performed: the authors estimated a total of 20.3 neutrino interactions per kiloton year (/KTY) with one or more muon decay. Of those, only 0.50/KTY are expected to have two muon decays and to be capable of simulating nucleon decay. Therefore, in 0.62 KTY exposure, 13.6 neutrino interactions with one or more muon decay and 0.34 with two muon decays and appearing to be nucleon decay are expected. From 1.3 x 10/sup 7/ triggers, there are five contained events: four events with two ..mu..-decays, and one with three ..mu..-decays. If none of the candidates are proton decay, a lower limit (90% confidence level) can be set on the lifetime of the proton decaying into channels with two and three muons in the final state.

• Research Organization: Wisconsin Univ., Madison (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5771164
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645102* -- High Energy Physics-- Particle Interactions & Properties-Experimental-- Weak Interactions & Properties
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BACKGROUND RADIATION
BARYONS
DATA
DECAY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FERMIONS
HADRONS
INFORMATION
LEPTON REACTIONS
LEPTONS
LIFETIME
LIMITING VALUES
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MUONS
NEUTRINO REACTIONS
NEUTRINOS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PARTICLE DECAY
PROTONS
RADIATIONS
SEMILEPTONIC DECAY
WEAK PARTICLE DECAY