WHETHER the mesotron obeys Bose-Einstein or Fermi-Dirac statistics is closely associated with what one assumes regarding the nature of the field, emission and absorption of which by the heavy particle is responsible for the interaction between elementary nuclear particles. If the field be a one-particle field, as postulated by Yukawa¹, the mesotron obeys Bose-Einstein statistics, and has a spin equal to unity (All momenta are expressed in units of ħ.) However, in view of the fact that all known elementary particles obey Fermi-Dirac statistics and possess a spin ½, one is rather reluctant to accept, unless experimental evidence points. that way, that the mesotron obeys Bose-Einstein statistics and has a spin equal to unity. If we could suppose that the field involved is a two-particle field instead of a one-particle one, Fermi-Dirac statistics and a spin of ½ could be attributed to the particle concerned. So we suppose that the mesotron is emitted or absorbed by a heavy particle always in conjunction with a neutrino or an antineutrino.

Affiliations

1. Physics Department, University of the Punjab, Lahore.

   • P. L. KAPUR

To obtain permission to re-use content from this article visit RightsLink.

Publication history

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1038/145069a0

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.