Observation of a narrow baryon resonance with positive strangeness formed in K+K^+Xe collisions

Collaboration
Jul 5, 2013
11 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.C 89 (2014) 4, 045204
  • Published: Apr 14, 2014
e-Print:

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Abstract: (APS)

The charge-exchange reaction K+XeK0pXe is investigated using the data of the DIANA experiment. The distribution of the pK0 effective mass shows a prominent enhancement near 1538 MeV formed by nearly 80 events above the background, whose width is consistent with being entirely due to the experimental resolution. Under the selections based on a simulation of K+Xe collisions, the statistical significance of the signal reaches 5.5σ. We interpret this observation as strong evidence for formation of a pentaquark baryon with positive strangeness, Θ+(uudds¯), in the charge-exchange reaction K+nK0p on a bound neutron. The mass of the Θ+ baryon is measured as m(Θ+)=1538±2 MeV. Using the ratio between the numbers of resonant and nonresonant charge-exchange events in the peak region, the intrinsic width of this baryon resonance is determined as Γ(Θ+)=0.34±0.10 MeV.

Note:
  • 19 pages, 8 figures
  • 13.75.Jz
  • 25.80.Nv
  • baryon resonance: width
  • K- nucleus: charge exchange
  • mass enhancement
  • K0 p
  • mass spectrum
  • intranuclear cascade
  • bubble chamber: heavy liquid
  • Theta(1540): mass