Time Dependence of Polarization in the Leptonic Decay of the Meson
Phys. Rev. 138, B943 – Published 24 May, 1965
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.138.B943
Abstract
The transverse polarization of the muon in the () decay of the is calculated as a function of time under the assumption of complex form factors, i.e., breakdown of invariance. It is shown that the nature of the time dependence depends on relative phases and magnitudes of the four form factors and for and and for . If , the relative transverse polarization is constant in time and its value depends on the relative phase of and . In order for the polarization to vary with time, it is necessary that either or be different from zero; hence a measurement of the time dependence provides a direct test of the rule. Even if the form factors are real (i.e., invariance is valid), the transverse polarization will be nonvanishing for a time comparable to several lifetimes as long as is different from zero.