Production cross sections of $^{3,4}_\Lambda$H bound states in $^{3,4}$He($K^-$, $\pi^0$) reactions at 1 GeV/$c$

Abstract

We investigate theoretically productions of $^{3,4}_\Lambda$H bound states in the exothermic ($K^-$, $\pi^0$) reactions on $^{3,4}$He targets at $p_{K^-}=$ 1.0 GeV/c in a distorted-wave impulse approximation with the optimal Fermi-averaging $K^-p\to\pi^0\Lambda$ $t$ matrix. We calculate angular distributions of the laboratory differential cross sections $d\sigma/d\Omega_{\rm lab}$ and the integrated cross sections $\sigma_{\rm lab}$ for a $J^P= 0^+$ ground state and a $J^P=1^+$ excited state of $^4_\Lambda$H at $\pi^0$ forward-direction angles of $\theta_{\rm lab}=$ 0$^\circ$-20$^\circ$, and those for a $J^P= 1/2^+$ ground state of $^3_\Lambda$H. The production of a $J^P=3/2^+$ excited state of $^3_\Lambda$H as a virtual state is also evaluated. The comparison in $d\sigma/d\Omega_{\rm lab}$ and $\sigma_{\rm lab}$ between $^4_\Lambda$H and $^3_\Lambda$H provides examining the mechanism of the production and structure of $^{3,4}_\Lambda$H, as well as in the endothermic ($\pi^-$, $K^0$) reactions at $p_{\pi^-}=$ 1.05 GeV/c. This investigation confirms the feasibility of lifetime measurements of $^3_\Lambda$H at the J-PARC experiments.