Long-distance final-state interactions and J/psi decay

Abstract

To understand the short-distance vs long-distance final-state interactions, we have performed a detailed amplitude analysis for the two-body decay, J/psi into vector and pseudoscalar mesons. The current data favor a large relative phase nearly 90 degrees between the three-gluon and one-photon decay amplitudes. The source of this phase is apparently in the long-distance final-state interaction. Nothing anomalous is found in the magnitudes of the three-gluon and one-photon amplitudes. We discuss implications of this large relative phase in the weak decay of heavy particles.