Measurement of the Rate of Formation of Pi-Mu Atoms in KL0 Decay
Abstract
Hydrogenlike atoms consisting of a pion and a muon can be formed in KL0-->πμν decays. In an intense, high-energy KL0 beam, 320 pi-mu atoms were detected and simultaneously the KL0 flux was monitored by recording ordinary KL0-->πμν decays. The first measurement is reported of the branching ratio R=Γ(KL0-->pi-mu atom+ν)Γ(KL0-->πμν)=(3.88+/-0.41)×10-7, using a subset of 155 atoms. This ratio may be sensitive to anomalous interactions between the pion and the muon. In the absence of such interactions, theory predicts R=(4.43+/-0.12)×10-7.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- April 1982
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.48.1078
- Bibcode:
- 1982PhRvL..48.1078A
- Keywords:
-
- 13.20.Eb;
- 13.60.-r;
- 14.40.Aq;
- 36.10.-k;
- Decays of K mesons;
- Photon and charged-lepton interactions with hadrons;
- pi K and eta mesons;
- Exotic atoms and molecules