LIMITS ON SINGLE-NUCLEON AND MULTINUCLEON DECAYS IN I-127 BY INCLUSIVE MEASUREMENTS OF NUCLEAR GAMMA-RAYS AND X-RAYS

Baryon-number-violating nucleon decays were studied by searching for x and gamma rays associated with radioactive residual nuclei produced b y single- and multinucleon decays in I-127. Large volume NaI (TI) dete ctors were used for the study. New lower limits of tau(n) > 4.7 x 10(2 4) yr and tau (p) > 3.0 x 10(24) yr were obtained on the mode-independ ent mean lives for the neutron and proton decays in I-127, respectivel y. Lower limits of tau(nn) > 2.1 X 10(24) yr, tau(nnn) > 1.8 x 10(23) yr, and tau(nnnn) > 1.4 x 10(23) yr were deduced for the first time on the mode-independent mean lives for dineutron, trineutron, and tetran eutron decays in I-127, respectively.