Structure of Weak Interactions and Unwanted Processes

Abstract

A general discussion of the forbidden reactions such as $\mu \to e+\gamma$, $\mu \to e+e+e$, $\mu +N\to e+N$, $\mu \to e+\gamma +\gamma$, etc. which would arise from a possible nonlocal structure of the weak interactions is given. It is shown, by a canonical transformation, that the dominating terms of the structure, in an expansion in terms of the inverse of the average intermediate mass, do not contribute to any forbidden reaction. A discussion of the $\mu -e$ conversion process for a bound $\mu$ is given, and the rate is calculated for a particular model.