Weak Hypernuclear Decay

Abstract

Because of Pauli suppression effects the $N\pi$ decay of the free $\Lambda$ is not of importance in hypernuclei with $A\geq 10$. Rather the decay of such hypernuclei proceeds via the nucleon-stimulated mode $\Lambda N\rightarrow NN$, analysis of which presents a considerable theoretical challenge and about which there exists only a limited amount of experimental information. Herein we confront existing data wih various theoretical analyses which have been developed.