First Determination of the Level Structure of an sd-Shell Hypernucleus, _{Λ}

We report on the first observation of γ rays emitted from an sd-shell hypernucleus, _{Λ}^{19}F. The energy spacing between the ground state doublet, 1/2^{+} and 3/2^{+} states, of _{Λ}^{19}F is determined to be 315.5±0.4(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.6}(syst) keV by measuring the γ-ray energy of the M1(3/2^{+}→1/2^{+}) transition. In addition, three γ-ray peaks are observed and assigned as E2(5/2^{+}→1/2^{+}), E1(1/2^{-}→1/2^{+}), and E1(1/2^{-}→3/2^{+}) transitions. The excitation energies of the 5/2^{+} and 1/2^{-} states are determined to be 895.2±0.3(stat)±0.5(syst) and 1265.6±1.2(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.7}(syst) keV, respectively. It is found that the ground state doublet spacing is well described by theoretical models based on existing s- and p-shell hypernuclear data.

New precise measurement of the pion weak form factors in pi+-->e+ nugamma decay.

We have measured the pi+-->e+ nugamma branching ratio over a wide region of phase space, based on a total of 65 460 events acquired using the PIBETA detector. Minimum-chi2 fits to the measured (E(e+), E(gamma) energy distributions result in the weak form factor value of F(A)=0.0119(1) with a fixed value of F(V)=0.0259. An unconstrained fit yields F(V)=0.0258(17) and F(A)=0.0117(17). In addition, we have measured a=0.10(6) for the dependence of F(V) on q2, the e+ nu pair invariant mass squared, parametrized as F(V)(q2)=F(V)(0)(1+aq(2)). The branching ratio for the kinematic region E(gamma)>10 MeV and theta(e(+)gamma)>40 degrees is measured to be B(expt)=73.86(54)x10(-8). Earlier deviations we reported in the high-E(gamma)-low-E(e+) kinematic region are resolved without a tensor term. We also derive new values for the pion polarizability alpha(E)=2.78(10)x10(-4) fm3 and neutral pion lifetime tau(pi0)=(8.5+/-1.1)x10(-17) s.

Precise measurement of the pi+-->pi0 e+nu branching ratio.

Using a large acceptance calorimeter and a stopped pion beam we have made a precise measurement of the rare pi(+)-->pi(0)e(+)nu (pi(beta)) decay branching ratio. We have evaluated the branching ratio by normalizing the number of observed pi(beta) decays to the number of observed pi(+)-->e(+)nu (pi(e2)) decays. We find the value of Gamma(pi(+)-->pi(0)e(+)nu)/Gamma(total)=[1.036+/-0.004(stat)+/-0.004(syst)+/-0.003(pi(e2))]x10(-8), where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third is the pi(e2) branching ratio uncertainty. Our result agrees well with the standard model prediction.

Precise measurement of the pion axial form factor in the pi+-->e+nugamma decay.

We have studied radiative pion decays pi(+)-->e(+)nugamma in three broad kinematic regions using the PIBETA detector and a stopped pion beam. Based on Dalitz distributions of 41 601 events we have evaluated absolute pi-->enugamma branching ratios in the three regions. Minimum chi(2) fits to the integral and differential (E(e(+)),E(gamma)) distributions result in the axial-to-vector weak form factor ratio of gamma identical with F(A)/F(V)=0.443(15), or F(A)=0.0115(4) with F(V)=0.0259. However, deviations from standard model predictions in the high-E(gamma)-low-E(e(+)) kinematic region indicate the need for further theoretical and experimental work.