Probing Spin and Lifetime Correlations in Entangled Hyperon-AntiHyperon Pairs

TL;DR

This paper investigates whether quantum entanglement affects decay times in hyperon-antihyperon pairs, proposing data-driven tests to detect potential spin-lifetime and lifetime-lifetime correlations that could reveal new temporal coherence effects.

Contribution

It introduces novel methods to test for lifetime correlations in entangled hyperon pairs, extending the study of quantum coherence beyond angular observables.

Findings

Proposes data-driven tests for spin-lifetime correlations.

Suggests potential detection of lifetime-lifetime correlations.

Implications for understanding quantum coherence in decaying systems.

Abstract

Quantum entanglement has now been demonstrated in several hadronic systems, revealing that non-classical spin correlations survive even through the strong-interaction hadronization process. To date, however, all studies have focused exclusively on angular observables, leaving the possibility untouched that quantum coherence might also influence the decay times of entangled partners. In this work we propose data-driven tests of spin-lifetime and lifetime-lifetime correlations for Lambda-antiLambda pairs produced in high-energy collisions. By examining the opening-angle distribution in slices of Delta t, constructing a pair-wise spin-lifetime correlator, and testing a simple lifetime-lifetime covariance, we search for deviations from independent exponential decay that align with known spin correlations. Observation of nonzero lifetime correlations would compel a reassessment of how entanglement manifests in decaying systems, revealing hitherto unexplored temporal coherence.