A search for J^{PC}=1^{-+} exotic mesons in the pi- pi- pi+ and pi- pi0 pi0 systems

Abstract

A partial wave analysis (PWA) of the pi-pi-pi+ and pi-pi0pi0 systems produced in the reaction pi- p -> (3pi)-p at 18 GeV/c was carried out using an isobar model assumption. This analysis is based on 3.0M pi-pi0pi0 events and 2.6M pi-pi-pi+ events and shows production of the a2(1320), pi2(1670) and \pi(1800) mesons. An earlier analysis of 250K pi-pi-pi+ events from the same experiment showed possible evidence for a J^{PC}=1^{-+}$ exotic meson with a mass of 1.6 GeV/c^2 decaying into rho pi. In this analysis of a higher statistics sample of the (3pi)- system in two charged modes we find no evidence of an exotic meson.