Role of deformation in the nonmesonic decay of light hypernuclei

We discuss the nonmesonic decay of deformed p-shell hypernuclei. The Nilsson model with angular momentum projection is employed in order to take into account the deformation effects. The nonmesonic decay rate and the intrinsic $\Lambda$ asymmetry parameter decrease as a function of the deformation parameter, while the ratio of the neutron- to proton-induced decay rates increases. We find that the deformation effects change these observables by about 10 % for $^9_{\Lambda}$Be from the spherical limit.