Toward a theory for the formation and decay of metastable states of a kaonic helium atom
Korenman G. Ya. , Yudin S. N.
The original populations of the recently discovered metastable states of hadronic helium atoms can be explained by a theory derived previously for the formation of mesic atoms. Calculations of the original populations of the longest-lived states of kaonic helium agree well with experimental data. The lifetimes are longer by a factor of 1.5 or 2 than those measured in liquid helium, possibly because of a "quenching" of these states in collisions with atoms of the medium.
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![](/ps/1185/article_17877_800_head.png "The original populations of the recently discovered metastable states of hadronic helium atoms can be explained by a theory derived previously for the formation of mesic atoms. Calculations of the original populations of the longest-lived states of kaonic helium agree well with experimental data. The lifetimes are longer by a factor of 1.5 or 2 than those measured in liquid helium, possibly because of a "quenching" of these states in collisions with atoms of the medium.")