Weak decay of Λ in nuclei: quarks versus mesons Original Research Article

Decays of Λ in nuclei, non-mesonic modes, are studied by using the ΛN→NN weak transition potential derived from the meson exchange mechanism and the direct quark mechanism. The decay rates are calculated both for the Λ in symmetric nuclear matter and light hypernuclei. We consider the exchange of six mesons (π,K,η,ρ,ω,K∗). The form factor in the meson exchange mechanism and short-range correlation are carefully studied.