Pionic decay of Lambda hypernuclei.

Abstract

We evaluate pionic decay widths of \ensuremath{\Lambda} hypernuclei using shell-model nuclear wave functions and distorted pion waves. We investigate the effects of the final-state interaction of the pion, consider decay into nuclear bound states and the continuum for the nucleons, and make an accurate study of the energy balance in the reaction. The results obtained confirm many previous findings but also modify appreciably previous results, mostly as a consequence of the accurate treatment of the energies involved in the reaction.