New Precise Measurement of the Pion Weak Form Factors in the Pi+ -> e+ nu gamma Decay

TL;DR

This study precisely measures the pion weak form factors in the radiative decay of pi+ to e+ nu gamma, confirming theoretical predictions and providing new values for related pion properties.

Contribution

The paper presents the first high-statistics measurement of the pion weak form factors in pi+ to e+ nu gamma decay, resolving previous discrepancies and validating the Standard Model predictions.

Findings

Measured $F_A=0.0119(1)$ and $F_V=0.0258(17)$ for the form factors.

Determined the dependence parameter $a=0.10(6)$ for $F_V(q^2)$.

Found the branching ratio $B^{ m exp}=73.86(54) imes 10^{-8}$ in the specified kinematic region.

Abstract

We have measured the $\pi^+\to {\rm e}^+\nu\gamma$ branching ratio over a wide region of phase space, based on a total of 65,460 events acquired using the PIBETA detector. Minimum-$\chi^2$ fits to the measured $(E_{e^+},E_\gamma)$ energy distributions result in the weak form factor value of $F_A=0.0119(1)$ with a fixed value of $F_V=0.0259$. An unconstrained fit yields $F_V=0.0258(17)$ and $F_A=0.0117(17)$. In addition, we have measured $a=0.10(6)$ for the dependence of $F_V$ on $q^2$, the ${\rm e}^{+}\nu$ pair invariant mass squared, parametrized as $F_V(q^2)=F_V(0)(1+a\cdot q^2)$. The branching ratio for the kinematic region $E_\gamma > 10 $MeV and $\theta_{{\rm e^+}\gamma} > 40^\circ $ is measured to be $B^{\rm exp}=73.86(54) \times 10^{-8}$. Earlier deviations we reported in the high-$E_\gamma$/low-$E_{{\rm e}^+}$ kinematic region are resolved, and we find full compatibility with CVC and standard $V$$-$$A$ calculations without a tensor term. We also derive new values for the pion polarizability, $\alpha_E = \rm 2.78(10) \times 10^{-4} fm^3$, and neutral pion lifetime, $\tau_{\pi 0} = (8.5 \pm 1.1) \times 10^{-17} $s.