Decay of accelerated particles

TL;DR

This paper investigates how acceleration affects particle decay, showing that it alters lifetimes and enables new decay processes, with implications related to the Unruh effect.

Contribution

It introduces scalar models to demonstrate how acceleration modifies decay properties and enables processes like proton decay, linking these effects to the Unruh phenomenon.

Findings

Particle lifetimes are modified by acceleration

New decay processes become possible under acceleration

Decay mechanisms are conceptually related to the Unruh effect

Abstract

We study how the decay properties of particles are changed by acceleration. It is shown that under the influence of acceleration (1) the lifetime of particles is modified and (2) new processes (like the decay of the proton) become possible. This is illustrated by considering scalar models for the decay of muons, pions, and protons. We discuss the close conceptual relation between these processes and the Unruh effect.