Decay versus hadronization for top quarks produced in hadron colliders

Decay and hadronization time scales are compared for top quarks produced in hadron colliders. It is assumed that long-distance effects associated with hadronization appear when two color sources in a singlet state reach a separation of order 1 fm in their center of mass. A condition is obtained for hadronization to occur before decay, taking into account the color structure and kinematics of the hadronic production process. The condition is incorporated into a calculation of the production cross section to obtain probabilities for hadronization before decay as functions of top mass and momentum. Results are presented for $\overline{p}p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.8\mathrm{}$ TeV (Fermilab Tevatron) and for $\mathrm{pp}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=40\mathrm{}$ TeV [Superconducting Super Collider (SSC)]. It is found that hadronization is not likely to be important at the Tevatron for $m_t\gtrsim 150$ GeV, but may persist to higher masses at SSC energies.