Measurement of Born Cross Sections for $e^+e^- \to K^+\Xi^0\bar\Sigma^-$ at $\sqrt{s} = 3.51-4.95$ GeV and Observation of $\psi(3770) \to K^+\Xi^0\bar\Sigma^-$

TL;DR

This study measures the cross sections for the reaction $e^+e^- o K^+\Xi^0ar\Sigma^-$ across 3.51-4.95 GeV, reports the first observation of $ ext{ extpsi}(3770)$ decay to this final state, and sets limits on other charmonium states.

Contribution

First measurement of these cross sections over a wide energy range and first observation of $ ext{ extpsi}(3770)$ decay to a charmless three-body baryonic final state.

Findings

Observed $ ext{ extpsi}(3770) o K^+\Xi^0ar\Sigma^-$ with 6.0$\sigma$ significance.

No significant signals for other charmonium(-like) states.

Provided upper limits for branching fractions and ratios to test isospin symmetry.

Abstract

Using 44.55 fb$^{-1}$ of $e^+e^-$ collision data collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we report the first measurement of the Born cross sections for the $e^+e^- \to K^+\Xi^0\bar\Sigma^-$ reaction at fifty-six center-of-mass energies between 3.51 and 4.95~GeV. A fit to the dressed cross sections reveals the first observation of the $\psi(3770) \to K^+\Xi^0\bar\Sigma^-$ process, with a statistical significance of 6.0$\sigma$ including systematic uncertainties. This result represents the first observation of charmless three-body baryonic decay of a vector charmonium state above the open-charm threshold. No significant signals for other charmonium(-like) states i.e., $\psi(4040)$, $\psi(4160)$, $Y(4230)$, $Y(4360)$, $\psi(4415)$, $Y(4500)$, $Y(4660)$ or $Y(4710)$ are observed, and the upper limits for the product of the branching fraction and the electronic partial width at the 90% confidence level for each assumed charmonium(-like) state are provided. Additionally, the ratios of Born cross sections between this work and the previous measurements of $e^+e^- \to K^{0}_{S}\bar\Xi^{-}\Sigma^-$ and $K^-\bar\Xi^+\bar\Sigma^0$ are provided, which can be used to validate theoretical predictions related to isospin symmetry.