Recent progress on hypernuclei

Abstract

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

Comments: 8 pages, invited talk at the 27th INPC, Glasgow UK, July 2019, prepared for Journal of Physics Conference Series