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Parity conservation in electromagnetic decays

Physics Asked on June 5, 2021

When a $pi^0$ decays into photons, the only possible number of photons to which it can decay is $2times n$, with $n$ a natural number. This is because in electromagnetic decays charge conjugation is conserved, let’s assume that it decays into two photons

$$pi^0 to gamma+gamma$$

and:

$$C|pi^0rangle = 1$$

$$C|gammarangle = -1$$

in this decay, parity also needs to be conserved, and

$$P|pi^0rangle = -1$$

$$P|gammarangle = -1$$

the parity of the system of two photons is given by $(-1)^lP|gammarangle P|gammarangle$ where $l$ is the orbital angular momentum of the system. Does this mean that if parity is conserved, the orbital angular momentum of the resulting system must be $l=1$ (or 3, 5…) or am I deducing something wrong?

One Answer

You are deducing it right. Both C and P should be conserved in the decay, so to obtain a negative parity, since you have two identical paricles in the final state, you need the proper value of angular momentum l.

Correct answer by exem on June 5, 2021

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