Possibility of measuring a0(980)-f0(980) mixing from J/psi -> phi a0

Abstract

The a0(980)-f0(980) mixing intensity has been predicted to be in the range of 0.01 to 0.1 by various theoretical models, but lacking firm experimental observation. We examine the possibility of extracting the a0(980)-f0(980) mixing from J/psi -> phi f0 -> phi a0 reaction at upgraded Beijing Electron Positron Collider with BESIII detector. While the branching ratio of this process through the a0(980)-f0(980) mixing is expected to be about $O(10^{-6})$ similar to the estimated total amount from two background reactions J/psi -> gamma* -> phi a0 and J/psi -> K* K + c.c. -> phi a0, the peak width from the a0(980)-f0(980) mixing is about 8 MeV, much smaller than that from other mechanisms. With $10^9$ $J/\psi$ events at BESIII, the a0(980)-f0(980) mixing intensity is expected to be unambiguously and precisely measured.