Parity doubling of highly excited mesons

TL;DR

This paper investigates the parity doubling hypothesis in highly excited mesons, re-analyzes experimental data, and discusses the implications of centrifugal barriers on meson state formation, proposing new experiments for progress.

Contribution

It challenges the parity doubling hypothesis for certain mesons and highlights the role of centrifugal barriers, suggesting new experimental approaches.

Findings

Re-analysis does not support parity doubling for f4(2050).

Centrifugal barriers influence meson state formation.

Proposes new polarization experiments for meson spectroscopy.

Abstract

Glozman has proposed that highly excited mesons and baryons fall into parity doublets, and that the f4(2050) on the leading Regge trajectory should have a nearly degenerate J^{PC} = 4^{-+} partner. A re-analysis of Crystal Barrel data does not support this idea. A likely explanation is that centrifugal barriers on the leading trajectory allow formation of the L=J-1 states, but are too strong to allow L=J states. Two new polarisation experiments have the potential for major progress in meson spectroscopy.