Experimental Search for the Beta-Decay of theπ+Meson

Abstract

The possibility that nuclear beta-decay is associated with the beta-decay of the meson, formed during an intermediate step, has long been of interest in the development of meson theories. To explain nuclear beta-decay, the beta-decay rate for the $\pi$-meson should be comparable to its $\mu$-deay rate. The present investigation is an attempt to detect other than $\pi -\mu$ events for ${\pi }^{+}$ mesons which stop in G-5 400 and 600 micron emulsions. The result is one or zero $\pi -e$ event compared to 1419 $\pi -\mu$ events for mesons satisfying certain selection criteria.