Recent results from kaon physics, particularly the measurement of direct CP violation and rare kaon decays, have been reported by the NA48 experiment at CERN and the KTeV experiment at Fermilab. Both experiments have improved measurements of the parameter Re(ε′/ε), which quantifies direct CP violation in neutral kaon decays. Additionally, they have reported results on rare and very rare K_L decays. The NA48 collaboration has also conducted high-intensity K_S run periods, with initial results now available.
Kaon physics has been a significant area of research in particle physics, especially in studying CP violation and determining fundamental parameters like the Cabibbo angle. The large statistics accumulated by NA48 and KTeV allow for precise measurements and the search for extremely rare decays.
Both experiments were designed to measure Re(ε′/ε), which is a measure of direct CP violation. They produce neutral kaon beams by interacting protons with high-energy targets. To ensure pure K_L beams, neutral particles must travel a long distance before reaching the decay volume. For K_S mesons, NA48 uses a second target, while KTeV uses a regenerator.
The measurement of direct CP violation involves the ratio of decay rates of K_L and K_S to two pions. The NA48 experiment found Re(ε′/ε) = (14.7 ± 1.4 stat ± 1.7 syst) × 10⁻⁴, while KTeV found Re(ε′/ε) = (20.7 ± 1.5 stat ± 2.4 syst) × 10⁻⁴. The combined world average is Re(ε′/ε) = (16.6 ± 1.6) × 10⁻⁴, confirming the existence of direct CP violation at a 10σ level.
Both experiments have also studied rare K_L decays, with KTeV having more statistics. They have measured decays like K_L → γ*γ* and K_L → π⁰e⁺e⁻, finding branching fractions consistent with theoretical predictions. The KTeV collaboration also searched for the rare decay K_L → π⁰e⁺e⁻, setting an upper limit on its branching fraction.
For K_S decays, the NA48 experiment has observed the decay K_S → π⁰e⁺e⁻, providing the first measurement of this decay. They also studied K_S → 3π⁰, finding Re(η₀₀₀) = -0.026 ± 0.010 and Im(η₀₀₀) = -0.034 ± 0.010, which helps in understanding CP violation and CPT conservation.
The NA48/2 experiment is set to study K⁺ decays, aiming to measure CP violation in theRecent results from kaon physics, particularly the measurement of direct CP violation and rare kaon decays, have been reported by the NA48 experiment at CERN and the KTeV experiment at Fermilab. Both experiments have improved measurements of the parameter Re(ε′/ε), which quantifies direct CP violation in neutral kaon decays. Additionally, they have reported results on rare and very rare K_L decays. The NA48 collaboration has also conducted high-intensity K_S run periods, with initial results now available.
Kaon physics has been a significant area of research in particle physics, especially in studying CP violation and determining fundamental parameters like the Cabibbo angle. The large statistics accumulated by NA48 and KTeV allow for precise measurements and the search for extremely rare decays.
Both experiments were designed to measure Re(ε′/ε), which is a measure of direct CP violation. They produce neutral kaon beams by interacting protons with high-energy targets. To ensure pure K_L beams, neutral particles must travel a long distance before reaching the decay volume. For K_S mesons, NA48 uses a second target, while KTeV uses a regenerator.
The measurement of direct CP violation involves the ratio of decay rates of K_L and K_S to two pions. The NA48 experiment found Re(ε′/ε) = (14.7 ± 1.4 stat ± 1.7 syst) × 10⁻⁴, while KTeV found Re(ε′/ε) = (20.7 ± 1.5 stat ± 2.4 syst) × 10⁻⁴. The combined world average is Re(ε′/ε) = (16.6 ± 1.6) × 10⁻⁴, confirming the existence of direct CP violation at a 10σ level.
Both experiments have also studied rare K_L decays, with KTeV having more statistics. They have measured decays like K_L → γ*γ* and K_L → π⁰e⁺e⁻, finding branching fractions consistent with theoretical predictions. The KTeV collaboration also searched for the rare decay K_L → π⁰e⁺e⁻, setting an upper limit on its branching fraction.
For K_S decays, the NA48 experiment has observed the decay K_S → π⁰e⁺e⁻, providing the first measurement of this decay. They also studied K_S → 3π⁰, finding Re(η₀₀₀) = -0.026 ± 0.010 and Im(η₀₀₀) = -0.034 ± 0.010, which helps in understanding CP violation and CPT conservation.
The NA48/2 experiment is set to study K⁺ decays, aiming to measure CP violation in the