D mesic nuclei

TL;DR

This study predicts the existence of D^0 meson bound states in various nuclei using a selfconsistent unitarized coupled-channel approach that respects heavy quark symmetry, highlighting potential experimental observability.

Contribution

It introduces a model that treats heavy pseudoscalar and vector mesons equally, leading to the prediction of D^0 bound states across multiple nuclei, advancing understanding of D-meson interactions in nuclear matter.

Findings

D^0 bound states found in nuclei from 12C to 208Pb.

Inclusion of vector mesons is crucial for attractive D-nucleus interactions.

Some D^0 states have narrow widths, enabling potential experimental detection.

Abstract

The energies and widths of several D^0 meson bound states for different nuclei are obtained using a D-meson selfenergy in the nuclear medium, which is evaluated in a selfconsistent manner using techniques of unitarized coupled-channel theory. The kernel of the meson-baryon interaction is based on a model that treats heavy pseudoscalar and heavy vector mesons on equal footing, as required by heavy quark symmetry. We find D^0 bound states in all studied nuclei, from 12C up to 208Pb. The inclusion of vector mesons is the keystone for obtaining an attractive D-nucleus interaction that leads to the existence of D^0-nucleus bound states, as compared to previous studies based on SU(4) flavor symmetry. In some cases, the half widths are smaller than the separation of the levels, what makes possible their experimental observation by means of a nuclear reaction. This can be of particular interest for the future PANDA@FAIR physics program. We also find a D^+ bound state in 12C, but it is too broad and will have a significant overlap with the energies of the continuum.