Nuclear and nucleon transitions of the H di-baryon

We consider 3 types of processes pertinent to the phenomenology of an H di-baryon: conversion of two $\Lambda$'s in a doubly-strange hypernucleus to an H, decay of the H to two baryons, and -- if the H is light enough -- conversion of two nucleons in a nucleus to an H. We compute the spatial wavefunction overlap using the Isgur-Karl and Bethe-Goldstone wavefunctions, and treat the weak interactions phenomenologically. The observation of $\Lambda$ decays from doubly-strange hypernuclei puts a constraint on the H wavefunction which is plausibly satisfied. In this case the H is very long-lived as we calculate. An absolutely stable H is not excluded at present. SuperK can provide valuable limits

Brueckner Rearrangement Effects in Λ5^5_\LambdaHe and ΛΛ6^6_{\Lambda\Lambda}He

Rearrangement effects in light hypernuclei are investigated in the framework of the Brueckner theory. We can estimate without detailed numerical calculations that the energy of the $\alpha$-core is reduced by more than 2.5 MeV when the $\Lambda$ adheres to $^4$He to form $^5_\Lambda$He. Similar assessment of rearrangement contributions is essential to deduce the strength of $\Lambda\Lambda$ interaction from experimentally observed $\Delta B_{\Lambda\Lambda}$. The recently observed experimental value of $\sim$ 1 MeV for the $\Delta B_{\Lambda\Lambda}$ of \hll suggests that the matrix element of $$ in \hll is around -2 MeV.Comment: 7 pages, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Novel Weak Decays in Doubly Strange Systems

The strangeness-changing ($\Delta S = 1$) weak baryon-baryon interaction is studied through the nonmesonic weak decay of double-$\Lambda$ hypernuclei. Besides the usual nucleon-induced decay $\Lambda N \to N N$ we discuss novel hyperon-induced decay modes $\Lambda \Lambda \to \Lambda N$ and $\Lambda \Lambda \to \Sigma N$. These reactions provide unique access to the exotic $\Lambda \Lambda$K and $\Lambda \Sigma$K vertices which place new constraints on Chiral Pertubation Theory ($\chi$PT) in the weak SU(3) sector. Within a meson-exchange framework, we use the pseudoscalar $\pi,\eta,K$ octet for the long-range part while parametrizing the short-range part through the vector mesons $\rho, \omega, K^*$. Realistic baryon-baryon forces for the $S=0,-1$ and -2 sectors account for the strong interaction in the initial and final states. For $^6_{\Lambda \Lambda}$He the new hyperon-induced decay modes account for up to 4% of the total nonmesonic decay rate. Predictions are made for all possible nonmesonic decay modes.Comment: 19 pages, 2 ps figures, 9 table

Light Lambda-Lambda Hypernuclei and the Onset of Stability for Lambda-Xi Hypernuclei

New Faddeev-Yakubovsky calculations for light Lambda-Lambda hypernuclei are presented in order to assess the self consistency of the Lambda-Lambda hypernuclear binding-energy world data and the implied strength of the Lambda-Lambda interaction, in the wake of recent experimental reports on Lambda-Lambda-4H and Lambda-Lambda-6He. Using Gaussian soft-core simulations of Nijmegen one-boson-exchange model interactions, the Nijmegen soft-core model NSC97 simulations are found close to reproducing the recently reported binding energy of Lambda-Lambda-6He, but not those of other species. For stranger systems, Faddeev calculations of light Lambda-Xi hypernuclei, using a simulation of the strongly attractive Lambda-Xi interactions due to the same model, suggest that Lambda-Xi-6He marks the onset of nuclear stability for Xi hyperons.Comment: 5 pages, 3 postscript figures; fig.2 replaced, minor changes, accepted as Rapid Communication in PR

Four-body cluster structure of A=7−10A=7-10 double-Λ\Lambda hypernuclei

Energy levels of the double-$\Lambda$ hypernuclei $_\Lambda^{}$$_\Lambda^7$He, $_\Lambda^{}$$_\Lambda^7$Li, $_\Lambda^{}$$_\Lambda^8$Li, $_\Lambda^{}$$_\Lambda^9$Li, $_\Lambda^{}$$_\Lambda^9$Be and $_\Lambda^{}$$_\Lambda^{10}$Be are predicted on the basis of the $\alpha+x+\Lambda +\Lambda$ four-body model with $x=n, p, d, t, ^3$He and $\alpha$, respectively.Comment: 27 pages (preprint style), 12figures submitted to Phys. Rev.