Quantum mechanics, Furry's hypothesis, and a measure of decoherence in theK-0(K)over-bar(0) system - art. no. 114032

We consider strangeness correlations of the Einstein-Podolski-Rosen type in K-0(K) over bar(0) pairs created in a J(PC) = 1(--) state as a function of time under the hypothesis that spontaneous decoherence takes place. We par ametrize the degree of decoherence by a factor (1-zeta) which multiplies th e quantum-mechanical interference terms occurring in the amplitudes for lik e and unlike strangeness events and discuss the dependence of this procedur e on the basis chosen in K-0-(K) over bar(0) space to which the interferenc e terms correspond. Consequently, all statements about the ''decoherence pa rameter'' zeta inferred from experimental data are basis dependent as well. We illustrate this point by estimating the value of zeta for the two bases {K-L,K-S} and {K-0,(K) over bar(0)} with the help of recent data of the CP LEAR experiment. [S0556-2821(99)05419-3].