The weak strangeness production reaction $pn \to p\Lambda$ in a one-boson-exchange model

Abstract

The weak production of Lambdas in nucleon-nucleon scattering is studied in a meson-exchange framework. The weak transition operator for the $NN \to N \Lambda$ reaction is identical to a previously developed weak strangeness-changing transition potential $\Lambda N \to NN$ that describes the nonmesonic decay of hypernuclei. The initial $NN$ and final $YN$ state interaction has been included by using realistic baryon-baryon forces that describe the available elastic scattering data. The total and differential cross sections as well as the parity-violating asymmetry are studied for the reaction $pn \to p\Lambda$. These observables are found to be sensitive to the choice of the strong interaction potential and the structure of the weak transition potential.