Tensor interactions and $\tau$ decays

Abstract

We study the effects of charged tensor weak currents on the strangeness-changing decays of the $\tau$ lepton. First, we use the available information on the $K^+_{e3}$ form factors to obtain BR$(\tau^- \rightarrow K^-\pi^0 \nu_{\tau})\sim {\cal O}(10^{-4})$ when the $K\pi$ system is produced in an antisymmetric tensor configuration. Then, we propose a mechanism for the direct production of the $K_2^*(1430)$ in $\tau$ decays. Using the current upper limit on this decay we set a bound on the symmetric tensor interactions.