On the Stability of $Λ(1405)$ Matter

Abstract

A hypothesis of absolutely stable strange hadronic matter composed of $Λ(1405)$ baryons, here denoted $Λ^*$, is tested within many-body calculations performed using the Relativistic Mean-Field approach. In our calculations, we employed the $Λ^*Λ^*$ interaction compatible with the $Λ^*Λ^*$ binding energy $B_{Λ^*Λ^*}=40$~MeV given by the phenomenological energy-independent $\bar{K}N$ interaction model by Yamazaki and Akaishi (YA). We found that the binding energy per $Λ^*$, as well as the central density in $Λ^*$ many-body systems saturates for mass number $A\geq120$, leaving $Λ^*$ aggregates highly unstable against strong interaction decay. Moreover, we confronted the YA interaction model with kaonic atom data and found that it fails to reproduce the $K^-$ single-nucleon absorption fractions at rest from bubble chamber experiments.