Waiting for the Proton to Decay

Three new dedicated experiments searching for proton decay came on the a i r during the last year or so. Orders of magnitude more neutrino events, as well as possible nucleon decay candidates, have been recorded. Significant new l imits have been placed on many modes of nucleon decay. Representative lower l imits at 90% C.L. for the lifetime/branching ratio for p§ ~ of 2.0x1032 years, p§ ~ of 3.1x1031 years, p+~+K ~ of 2.6x1031 years, and n~K ~ of 0.8x1031 years have been set by the IMB group. Many other l imits have also been set by the HPW, IMB, Kamioka, Kolar, and Mont Blanc experiments. Contained interactions have been observed in four detectors at rates expected from atmospheric neutrino induction, within the 30-50% errors on the calculations. The status I of the operational experiments is discussed, and typical restr ict ive results are reviewed. Detectors under construction are also mentioned.