Remarks on strong phase shifts in weak nonleptonic baryon decays

Abstract

A sizable strong-interaction phase shift in weak two-body nonleptonic baryon decay would enhance the possibility of discovering charge-conjugation parity ($CP$) violation in the baryon sector, which might help in the quest for understanding the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. Over the past 60 years, empirical analyses involving different types of instruments, including fixed-target experiments and $e^+e^-$ colliders, have indicated that the phase shifts in nonleptonic hyperon decays are relatively small, below order ten degrees in size. A large phase shift, however, has been observed by BESIII in the decay of a charmed baryon into a hyperon and kaon, $\Lambda_c^+\to \Xi^0K^+$. In various experimental and theoretical studies on hyperon, charmed-baryon, and bottomed-baryon decays, different conventions have been adopted for defining the strong phases. It is important to be aware of this situation when obtaining global averages from different measurements and applying the results to future investigations on $CP$ violation among baryons. This paper gives an overview of the conventions employed in the literature for the strong phases and suggests a unified parameterization form applicable to the different alternatives. Numerical results under the unified parameterization form are also provided, which can serve as useful inputs to further pursuits of baryon $CP$ violation.