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Dear List Members.
I hope someone can provide some help on a question about proton decay.
In SU(5) theory the proton is predicted to decay by an exchange of a virtual
lepto quark vector boson. The decay mode favored is
P to pi0 + e+
For example
U_g to (anti)U_b(bar)
U_b to U_b
d_r to e+
With an X (+- 4/3) particle exchange between the d_r and U_g quark.
However the following decay mode (I would think) should be equally probable
P to pi+ + (anti)v_e
U_g to d_b
U_b to U_b
d_r to (anti)v_e
With a Y( +- 1/3 ) particle exchange between the d_r and U_g quark.
My question is, why has the neutral pion and positron decay mode been favored
in the search for proton decay and not the decay to a positive pion (short
lived decays to charged lepton and associated anti neutrino) and the anti
electron neutrino?
Both decay channels conserve Q_b-L charge and all other charges. Why is the
X channel apparently preferred in so far as the search for proton decay in
concerned? I think that the experimental signatures should be significantly
different since the predominate decay mode for pi+ is a muon and anti muon
neutrino. The pi0 decays into two photons.
Now I know that the simplest version of SU(5) has been falsified
because the mean proton decay time predicted should have produced observable
decay events, and no decay events have been observed to date. However with a
little SUSY fixer upper in may still be in play.
Bob Zannelli