cjurban
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I have an interesting question that I'm not sure how to go about solving. This question has a little general relativity and (maybe) a little QM, but I wasn't sure where to post it.
Question:
Imagine that a \pi0 meson traveling along the z-axis (velocity v=0.99c, rest mass M) decays into two photons. The angular distribution of the photons is isotropic in the rest frame of the pion. If in the lab frame the \pi0 meson travels with velocity v in the z direction, what is the probability P(θ)dΩ that a photon is emitted into the solid angle dΩ?
We also know \intP(θ)dΩ=1.
My ideas:
I know the Lorentz transformations, so switching between frames is no biggie. I know Ω\equivA/r2, and I know the differential solid angle. What's confusing to me is P(θ). Do I need to get the particle's wave function, as in P(θ)=ψ2(θ)? How would one do this? Any hints would be helpful.
Question:
Imagine that a \pi0 meson traveling along the z-axis (velocity v=0.99c, rest mass M) decays into two photons. The angular distribution of the photons is isotropic in the rest frame of the pion. If in the lab frame the \pi0 meson travels with velocity v in the z direction, what is the probability P(θ)dΩ that a photon is emitted into the solid angle dΩ?
We also know \intP(θ)dΩ=1.
My ideas:
I know the Lorentz transformations, so switching between frames is no biggie. I know Ω\equivA/r2, and I know the differential solid angle. What's confusing to me is P(θ). Do I need to get the particle's wave function, as in P(θ)=ψ2(θ)? How would one do this? Any hints would be helpful.