Explaining Cabibbo Suppression: What is it & How Does it Work?

[Joe1]

Hi,

Could someone briefly explain Cabibbo suppression to me? I can't seem to find any info on it. Is it like OZI supression where things that decay through 3 gluons are suppressed?

I found it in the paper "Search for CP Violation in Charged D Meson Decays" accessible here:
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ex/9612005"

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Meir Achuz]

Originally, with three quarks (when Cabibbo was young), Cabibbo suppression meant that the u-s and d-s weak coupling was smaller than the u-d weak coupling. Now, with six quarks, Cabibbo suppression refers to decays that are not the most favored, because of the quark connections. Cabibbo favored decay of the D would have its c quarik decay to one s quark. All the decays they show need either two s quarks or none. In this sense, they are Cabibbo suppressed and are rare decays.

 

[Joe1]

That makes sense. Thanks!