Vector Interaction in Beta Decay

Further experimental consequences of a beta-decay interaction generated by a conserved vector current, as proposed by Feynman and Gell-Mann, are studied. Utilizing the strong analogy between the conserved beta-decay current, and the conserved charge current, higher multipole corrections to the usual results for allowed transitions are computed, and are related to the corresponding electromagnetic transitions, as was first done by Gell-Mann. The effects calculated include corrections to spectra shapes, beta-gamma directional correlations, and beta-alpha directional correlations. A multipole expansion of the V-A interaction is carried out, including all those terms normally classed as allowed and second forbidden. Applications to several interesting transitions are discussed.