Observation of excited $\Omega_c^0$ baryons in $\Omega_b^- \to \Xi_c^+ K^-\pi^-$ decays

Abstract

The first observation of the $\Omega_b^- \to \Xi_c^+ K^- \pi^-$ decay is reported using $pp$ collision data at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13\,$\mathrm{TeV}$ collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9\,$\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. Four excited $\Omega_c^0$ baryons are observed in the $\Xi_c^+ K^-$ mass projection of the $\Omega_b^- \to \Xi_c^+ K^- \pi^-$ decays with the significance of each exceeding five standard deviations. They coincide with the states previously observed in prompt \proton\proton and $e^+e^-$ production. Relative production rates, masses and natural widths of the states are measured, and a test of spin hypotheses is performed. Moreover, the branching ratio of $\Omega_b^- \to \Xi_c^+ K^- \pi^-$ is measured relative to the $\Omega_b^- \to \Omega_c^0 \pi^-$ decay mode and a precise measurement of the $\Omega_b^-$ mass of \mbox{$6044.3 \pm 1.2 \pm 1.1^{\,+0.19}_{\,-0.22}\,\mathrm{MeV}$} is obtained.