A Crucial Test for Color-Octet Production Mechanism in Z^0 Decays

Abstract

The direct production rates of $D$-wave charmonia in the decays of $Z^0$ is evaluated. The color-octet production processes $Z^0\rightarrow ^3D_J(c\bar c) q\bar q$ are shown to have distinctively large branching ratios, the same order of magnitude as that of $J/\psi$ prodution, as compared with other $D$-wave charmonium production mechanisms. This may suggest a crucial channel to test the color-octet mechanism as well as to observe the $D$-wave charmonium states in $Z^0$ decays. In addition, a signal for the $^3D_J$ charmonium as strong as $J/\psi$ or $\psi^\prime$ with large transverse momentum at the Tevatron should also be observed.