Effective Field Theories in the Study of K_L → π^+π^-e^+e^- and Heavy Quark Fragmentation

Citation

Elwood, John Kenneth (1997) Effective Field Theories in the Study of K_L → π^+π^-e^+e^- and Heavy Quark Fragmentation. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/vzrw-t659. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08072017-112244341

Abstract

This thesis examines several situations in which effective field theories may be used to generate perturbative predictions for nonperturbative phenomena. The decay mode K_L → π⁺π^-e⁺e^- is analyzed in great detail using chiral perturbation theory, and the form factors for the decay are determined, along with the sizes of various CP violating observables. One of these variables turns out to be quite sizeable, approaching 20% for appropriate cuts on the lepton pair invariant mass. Fragmentation of a c quark to the excited charmed baryon doublet Λ*_c is also studied within the framework of a chiral theory, and various decay distributions are expressed in terms of nonperturbative fragementation parameters. A perturbative calculation of related fragmentation parameters is also briefly discussed.

Thesis Files