Nonleptonic Weak Decays of Hyperons and the Algebra of Currents

Abstract

It is known that a large parity-violating spurion contribution in the Kumar–Pati theory on nonleptonic weak hyperon decays is not consistent with the theory. We have re-examined the case wherein the spin-3/2+ decuplet and the [Formula: see text] singlet contributions are taken into account. The best χ2 fit in this model leads to an uncomfortably large contribution of the [Formula: see text] to the parity-conserving [Formula: see text] amplitudes, which cannot be lowered by introducing a {27}-plet weak spurion effect. Thus we are faced with the two alternative theories: either the SU(3)-symmetry breaking is negligibly small [Formula: see text], the μ/λ octet weak spurion ratio is low [Formula: see text], and the parity-conserving [Formula: see text] contribution is high (more than 90% of the [Formula: see text] amplitude), or the SU(3)-symmetry breaking is important[Formula: see text], the μ/λ ratio is high [Formula: see text], and the parity-conserving [Formula: see text] contribution is small (less than 30% of the [Formula: see text] amplitude).