Mesonic Decay of Charm Hypernuclei $\Lambda^+_c$

TL;DR

This paper investigates how finite baryon density in charm hypernuclei influences the mesonic decay widths of the $ ext{Λ}_c^+$ baryon, revealing a significant reduction compared to vacuum decay rates.

Contribution

It provides the first analysis of medium effects on the weak mesonic decay channels of the $ ext{Λ}_c^+$ hyperon in charm hypernuclei.

Findings

Decay widths are reduced in nuclear medium compared to vacuum.

Nuclear mean fields modify the masses of the charm hyperon.

Finite baryon density impacts mesonic decay channels.

Abstract

$\Lambda^+_c$ hypernuclei are expected to have binding energies and other properties similar to those of strange hypernuclei in view of the similarity between the quark structures of the strange and charmed hyperons, namely $\Lambda(uds)$ and $\Lambda^+_c (udc)$. One striking difference however occurs in their mesonic decays, as there is almost no Pauli blocking in the nucleonic decay of a charm hypernucleus because the final-state nucleons leave the nucleus at high energies. The nuclear medium nevertheless affects the mesonic decays of charm hypernucleus because the nuclear mean fields modify the masses of the charm hyperon. In the present communication we present results of a first investigation of the effects of finite baryon density on different weak mesonic decay channels of the $\Lambda^+_c$ baryon. We found a non-negligible reduction of the decay widths as compared to their vacuum values.