hypernucleus
Sign in to saveA hypernucleus is similar to a conventional atomic nucleus, but contains at least one hyperon in addition to the normal protons and neutrons. Hyperons are a category of baryon particles that carry non-zero strangeness quantum number, which is conserved by the strong and electromagnetic interactions.
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- time of discovery or invention
- 1952-00-00
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Article
21 sectionsContents
- Nomenclature
- History
- Properties
- Types
- Λ hypernuclei
- Hypertriton
- Σ hypernuclei
- ΛΛ and Ξ hypernuclei
- Ω hypernuclei
- Hypernuclei with higher strangeness
- Production
- Strangeness exchange and production
- Elastic scattering
- Hyperon capture
- Similar species
- Kaonic nuclei
- Charmed hypernuclei
- Antihypernuclei
- See also
- Notes
- References
A hypernucleus is similar to a conventional atomic nucleus, but contains at least one hyperon in addition to the normal protons and neutrons. Hyperons are a category of baryon particles that carry non-zero strangeness quantum number, which is conserved by the strong and electromagnetic interactions.
A variety of reactions give access to depositing one or more units of strangeness in a nucleus. Hypernuclei containing the lightest hyperon, the lambda (Λ), tend to be more tightly bound than normal nuclei, though they can decay via the weak force with a mean lifetime of around . Sigma (Σ) hypernuclei have been sought, as have doubly-strange nuclei containing xi baryons (Ξ) or two Λ's.