Nonmesonic weak decay of charmed hypernuclei

Abstract

We present a study of the nonmesonic weak decay (NMWD) of charmed hypernuclei using a relativistic formalism. We work within the framework of the independent particle shell model and employ a (pi, K) one-meson-exchange model for the decay dynamics. We implement a fully relativistic treatment of nuclear recoil. Numerical results are obtained for the one-neutron-induced transition NMWD rates of the N-12(Lambda c+). The effect of nuclear recoil is sizable and goes in the direction to decrease the nuclear decay rate. We found that the NMWD decay rate of N-12(Lambda c+) is of the same order of magnitude as the partial decay rate for the corresponding mesonic decay Lambda(+)(c) -> Lambda + pi(+), suggesting the feasibility of experimental detection of such heavy-flavor nuclear processes.