Decay of accelerated particles

Abstract

We study how the decay properties of particles are changed by acceleration. It is shown that under the influence of acceleration (1) the lifetime of particles is modified and (2) new processes (like the decay of the proton) become possible. This is illustrated by considering scalar models for the decay of muons, pions, and protons. We discuss the close conceptual relation between these processes and the Unruh effect.

Comments: Latex2e, 12 pages, 6 Postscript figures included with epsfig, to appear in Phys. Rev. D