Lambda‐antilambda decay asymmetries and CP violation

The exclusive reaction pp →‐ΛΛ is an interesting laboratory in which to study both spin physics and fundamental symmetries. The PS185 collaboration at LEAR has been exploiting this fact for the last few years in an ongoing program of hyperon‐antihyperon production. The motivation for this study will be outlined and the experimental technique will be described. Spin physics aspects such as the measurements of the outgoing hyperon polarization and preliminary determinations of spin correlation coefficients will be presented. Fundamental symmetry checks such as lifetime differences between Λ and Λ (CPT) and decay properties (CP) will be discussed. A future experiment which is quite sensitive to CP violation in a hyperon‐antihyperon system will be mentioned.