Measurement of branching fractions of B0 decays to K1(1270)+ pi- and K1(1400)+ pi-

TL;DR

This paper measures the branching fractions of B0 meson decays to K1(1270)+ pi- and K1(1400)+ pi- using data from the BaBar detector, providing new quantitative insights into these decay processes.

Contribution

It reports the first precise measurement of the B0 decay branching fraction to K1(1270)+ pi- and sets limits on the production ratio of K1(1270)+ and K1(1400)+ in B0 decays.

Findings

Branching fraction BF(B0 -> K1(1270)+ pi-) = (31.0 +- 2.7 +- 6.9) x 10^-6

Limits on the ratio of production constants for K1(1270)+ and K1(1400)+

Use of K-matrix formalism to analyze decay dynamics

Abstract

We present a measurement of the branching fraction of neutral B meson decaying to final states containing a K_1 meson, i.e. K_1(1270) and K_1(1400), and a charged pion. The data, collected with the BaBar detector at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, represent 454 million BBbar pairs produced in e+e- annihilation. We measure the branching fraction BF(B0 -> K_1+ pi-) = (31.0 +- 2.7 +- 6.9) x 10^-6, where the first error quoted is statistical and the second is systematic. In the framework of the K-matrix formalism used to describe these decays, we also set limits on the ratio of the production constants for the K_1(1270)+ and K_1(1400)+ mesons in B0 decays.