Measurement of the $D^*(2010)^+ - D^+$ mass difference

TL;DR

This paper precisely measures the mass difference between the $D^{*}(2010)^+$ and $D^+$ mesons using BABAR data, improving the accuracy over previous measurements and contributing to understanding charm meson properties.

Contribution

The study provides the most precise measurement to date of the $D^{*+} - D^+$ mass difference, combining new data with previous results for enhanced accuracy.

Findings

Measured $ riangle m_+$ as 140,601.0 keV with improved precision.

Combined with previous data to find $ riangle m_D$ as 4,824.9 keV.

Results are consistent with prior data but with five times better precision.

Abstract

We measure the mass difference, $\Delta m_+$, between the $D^{*}(2010)^+$ and the $D^+$ using the decay chain $D^{*}(2010)^+\to D^+ \pi^0$ with $D^+\to K^-\pi^+\pi^+$. The data were recorded with the BABAR detector at center-of-mass energies at and near the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of approximately 468 ${\rm fb}^{-1}$. We measure $\Delta m_+ = \left(140\,601.0 \pm 6.8[{\rm stat}] \pm 12.9[{\rm syst}]\right)$ keV. We combine this result with a previous BABAR measurement of $\Delta m_0\equiv m(D^{*}(2010)^+) - m (D^0)$ to obtain $\Delta m_D = m(D^+) - m(D^0) = \left(4\,824.9 \pm 6.8[{\rm stat}] \pm 12.9[{\rm syst}]\right)$ keV. These results are compatible with and approximately five times more precise than the Particle Data Group averages.