Search for the rare decays $pi^+ to mu^+ u_mu ubar u$ and $pi^+ to e^+ u_e ubar u$


Abstract in English

The rare pion decays ${pi}^+{rightarrow}{mu}^+{ u}_{mu}{ u}bar{ u}$ and ${pi}^+{rightarrow}e^+{ u}_{e}{ u}bar{ u}$ are allowed in the Standard Model but highly suppressed. These decays were searched for using data from the PIENU experiment. A first result for ${Gamma}({pi}^+{rightarrow}{mu}^+{ u}_{mu}{ u}bar{ u})/{Gamma}({pi}^+{rightarrow}{mu}^+{ u}_{mu})<8.6{times}10^{-6}$, and an improved measurement ${Gamma}({pi}^+{rightarrow}{e}^+{ u}_{e}{ u}bar{ u})/{Gamma}({pi}^+{rightarrow}{mu}^+{ u}_{mu})<1.6{times}10^{-7}$ were obtained.

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