Recent progress on hypernuclei

Abstract

Some of last year's progress made in hypernuclear physics is reviewed as follows: (i) resolving the 5 Λ He overbinding problem in single-Λ hypernuclei [1]; (ii) arguing that the onset of binding double-Λ hypernuclei is most likely at A=5, with the neutral systems 3 ΛΛ n and 4 ΛΛ n unbound by a large margin [2]; and (iii) revising the calculated value of the loosely bound 3 Λ H lifetime to a level of ∼20% shorter than the free Λ lifetime [3], given recent claims from relativistic heavy ion experiments that τ ( 3 Λ H) is shorter than τΛ by as much as ≈(30±8)%. Also discussed briefly in this context is the lifetime expected for the questionable 3 Λ n hypernucleus.