No Arabic abstract
Previous studies of proton and neutron spectra from Non-Mesonic Weak Decay of eight Lambda-Hypernuclei (A = 5-16) have been revisited. New values of the ratio of the two-nucleon and the one-proton induced decay widths, Gamma_2N/Gamma_p, are obtained from single proton spectra, Gamma_2N/Gamma_p = 0.50 +/- 0.24, and from neutron and proton coincidence spectra, Gamma_2N/Gamma_p = 0.36 +/- 0.14stat +0.05sys -0.04sys , in full agreement with previously published ones. With these values, a method is developed to extract the one-proton induced decay width in units of the free Lambda decay width, Gamma_p/Gamma_Lambda, without resorting to Intra Nuclear Cascade models but by exploiting only experimental data, under the assumption of a linear dependence on A of the Final State Interaction contribution. This is the first systematic determination ever done and it agrees within the errors with recent theoretical calculations.
The FINUDA experiment performed a systematic study of the charged mesonic weak decay channel of $p$-shell $Lambda$-hypernuclei. Negatively charged pion spectra from mesonic decay were measured with magnetic analysis for the first time for ${^{7}_{Lambda}Li}$, ${^{9}_{Lambda}Be}$, ${^{11}_{Lambda}B}$ and ${^{15}_{Lambda}N}$. The shape of the $pi^{-}$ spectra was interpreted through a comparison with pion distorted wave calculations that take into account the structure of both hypernucleus and daughter nucleus. Branching ratios $Gamma_{pi^{-}}/Gamma_{tot}$ were derived from the measured spectra and converted to $pi^{-}$ decay rates $Gamma_{pi^{-}}$ by means of known or extrapolated total decay widths $Gamma_{tot}$ of $p$-shell $Lambda$-hypernuclei. Based on these measurements, the spin-parity assignment $1/2^+$ for ${^{7}_{Lambda}Li}$ and $5/2^+$ for ${^{11}_{Lambda}B}$ ground-state are confirmed and a spin-parity $3/2^+$ for ${^{15}_{Lambda}N}$ ground-state is assigned for the first time.
New spectra from the FINUDA experiment of the Non Mesonic Weak Decay (NMWD) proton kinetic energy for 9(Lambda)Be, 11(Lambda)B, 12(Lambda)C, 13(Lambda)C, 15 (Lambda)N and 16(Lambda)O are presented and discussed along with the published data on 5(Lambda)He and 7(Lambda)Li. Exploiting the large mass number range and the low energy threshold (15 MeV) for the proton detection of FINUDA, an evaluation of both Final State Interactions (FSI) and the two nucleon induced NMWD contributions to the decay process has been done. Based on this evaluation, a linear dependence of FSI on the hypernuclear mass number A is found and for the two nucleon stimulated decay rate the experimental value of Gamma2/Gammap=0.43+-0.25 is determined for the first time. A value for the two nucleon stimulated decay rate to the total decay rate Gamma2/GammaNMWD=0.24+-0.10 is also extracted.
The decay of $Lambda$-hypernuclei without pion emission, known as Non Mesonic Weak Decay (NMWD), gives an effective tool to investigate $Delta$S=1 four-baryon interactions. It was theoretically suggested that the two-nucleon induced mechanism could play a substantial role in reproducing the observed NMWD decay rates and nucleon spectra, but at present no direct evidence of such a mechanism has been obtained. The FINUDA experiment, exploiting the possibility to detect both charged and neutral particles coming from the hypernucleus decay, has allowed us to deduce the relative weight of the two nucleon induced decay rate to the total NMWD rate. The value of $Gamma_{2N}$/$Gamma_{NMWD}$=0.24$pm$${0.03_{stat}}^{+0.03_{sys}}_{{-{0.02_{sys}}}}$ has been deduced, with an error reduced by a factor more than two compared with the previous assessment.
The non-mesonic weak decay of polarized Lambda-hypernuclei is studied for the first time by taking into account, with a Monte Carlo intranuclear cascade code, the nucleon final state interactions. A one-meson-exchange model is employed to describe the Lambda N-> n N processes in a finite nucleus framework. The relationship between the intrinsic Lambda asymmetry parameter a_Lambda and the asymmetry a^M_Lambda accessible in experiments is discussed. A strong dependence of a^M_Lambda on nucleon final state interactions and detection threshold is obtained. Our results for a^M_Lambda are consistent with ^{11}_Lambda B and ^{12}_Lambda C data but disagree with observations in ^5_Lambda He.
We have obtained the decay asymmetry parameters in non-mesonic weak decay of polarized Lambda-hypernuclei by measuring the proton asymmetry. The polarized Lambda-hypernuclei, 5_Lambda-He, 12_Lambda-C, and 11_Lambda-B, were produced in high statistics via the (pi^+,k^+) reaction at 1.05 GeV/c in the forward angles. Preliminary analysis shows that the decay asymmetry parameters are very small for these s-shell and p-shell hypernuclei.