K0 meson physics in the gravitation field: a constraint on the equivalence principle
Abstract
Description
K0-K0bar oscillations are extremely sensitive to the K0 and K0bar energy at rest. Even assuming m_K0=m_K0bar, the energy is not granted to be the same if gravitational effects on K0 and K0bar slightly differ. We consider various gravitation fields present and, in particular, galactic fields, which provide a negligible acceleration, but relatively large gravitational potential energy. A constraint from a possible effect of this potential energy on the kaon oscillations isfound to be
|(m_g/m_i)_K0-(m_g/m_i)_K0bar| < 8 x 10^-13 atCL=90%.
The derived constraint is competitive with other tests of universality of the free fall. Other applications are also discussed.