An Experimental Overview of Gluonic Mesons

TL;DR

This paper reviews the experimental evidence and theoretical expectations for gluonic mesons, including glueballs and hybrid mesons, highlighting the current understanding and the need for further data.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive survey of experimental findings and theoretical insights on gluonic mesons, emphasizing the mixed states and the gaps in current knowledge.

Findings

Evidence for glueballs and hybrid mesons with exotic quantum numbers

Glueball states are mixed with nearby mesons

Further experimental data is needed for full understanding

Abstract

In this paper, I review the experimental situation for both glueballs and hybrid mesons. Theoretical expectations are discussed, and a survey of what is known about hybrid mesons and glueballs is undertaken. Good experimental evidence exists for both states with exotic quantum numbers and a glueball which is mixed with the nearby mesons, but a full understanding of these still requires additional information.