On the decay of an accelerated proton

Abstract

We compute the decay rate width of the strong decay $p\rightarrow n+\pi ^{+}$ for a linearly accelerated proton in both the inertial frame and in the coaccelerated proton frame. In this last reference system we use the Unruh effect, where the proton sees a bath of thermal particles at the temperature $T=a/2\pi $, where $a$ is proton's acceleration. Analytical results agree, thus giving a simpler example where the Unruh effect is necessary to keep the consistency between inertial and Rindler frame calculations of a physical observable.