Study of B-Meson Decays to Final States with a Single Charm Baryon

Abstract

A study of B-meson decays to final states with a single charm baryon is presented based on data recorded by the BABAR detector at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Although the B meson is the lightest bottom-flavored meson, it is heavy enough to decay to a baryon made of three quarks and an antibaryon made of three antiquarks. By studying the baryonic weak decays of the B meson, we can investigate baryon production mechanisms in heavy meson decays. In particular, we measure the rates of the decaysComparing these rates, we confirm an observed trend in baryonic B decays that the decay with the lower energy release,The dynamics of the baryon-antibaryon (Λ + c p) system in the three-body decay also provide insight into baryon-antibaryon production mechanisms. The B − → Λ + c pπ − system is a laboratory for searches for excited Σ c baryon states; we observe the resonant decays B − → Σ c (2455) 0 p and B − → Σ c (2800) 0 p. This is the first observation of the decay B − → Σ c (2800) 0 p; however, the mass of the observed Σ c (2800) 0 state is inconsistent with previous measurements.