The J-PARC E36 experiment aims at searching for a lepton universality violation by precisely measuring the ratio of the branching ratio of the K+→e+ν(γ) (Ke2(γ)) to K+→μ+ν (Kμ2) decays.
The E36 experiment was performed in 2015 at J-PARC using a stopped K+ method in conjunction with a 12-sector iron-core superconducting toroidal spectrometer. Charged particle momenta were calculated by reconstructing the tracks in the spectrometer. Particle discrimination between e+ and μ+ was carried out using an aerogel Cherenkov counter and a lead-glass Cherenkov counter, as well as by measuring the time-of-flight between TOF counters.
The peak structure due to the Ke2(γ) decays was successfully observed in the e+ momentum spectrum. The structure-dependent radiative K+→e+νγ (KSDe2γ) events were selected by requiring photon hits in the CsI(Tl) calorimeter or the GSC counter. The experimental spectra were reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation, which indicates a correct understanding of the detector acceptance. The Br(KSDe2γ) value relative to Br(Ke2(γ)) was obtained by calculating the ratio of the KSDe2γ and Ke2(γ) yields corrected for their detector acceptances. The Br(KSDe2γ)/Br(Ke2(γ)) value was obtained to be 1.22±0.07stat±0.04syst in the CsI(Tl) analysis and 1.22±0.13stat±0.08syst in the GSC analysis.
