Theoretical Aspects of Nonleptonic Hyperon Decays

Recent experimental results on nonleptonic hyperon decays are studied on the basis of a doublet approximation for strong and weak interactions, with the implied suggestion that this higher symmetry may be more easily discernable in such reactions in which $K$-particles do not occur explicitly. The doublet approximation is characterized by a doublet spin $I$ which is equal to ½, 1, 0 for baryons, $\pi$, $K$, respectively and by a $K$ spin. It is not necessary to assume that the strong $K$ interactions are weak compared to the strong $\pi$ interactions. For the mentioned reactions it is necessary to assume that the strong interactions which do not conserve $I$ play a minor role compared to those which conserve $I$.