A precision determination of the mass of the $\eta$ meson

Abstract

Several processes of meson production in proton-deuteron collisions have been measured simultaneously using a calibrated magnetic spectrograph. Among these processes, the $\eta$ meson is seen clearly as a sharp missing--mass peak on a slowly varying background in the $p+d\to ^3\textrm{He} +X$ reaction. Knowing the kinematics of the other reactions with well determined masses, it is possible to deduce a precise mass for the $\eta$ meson. The final result, $m(\eta)=547.311\pm 0.028 \textrm{(stat)} \pm 0.032 \textrm{(syst) MeV/c}^2$, is significantly lower than that found by the recent NA48 measurement, though it is consistent with values obtained in earlier counter experiments.