Abstract: We recall the predictions made ten years ago about a bound state of J(P) = 0(+) in I = 0 of the D*(K) over bar* system, which is manifestly exotic, and we associate it to the X-0(2866) state reported in the recent LHCb experiment. Fine tuning the parameters to reproduce exactly the mass and width of the X-0(2866) state, we report two more states stemming from the same interaction, one with 1(+) and the other with 2(+). For reasons of parity, the 1(+) state cannot be observed in D (K) over bar decay, and we suggest to observe it in the D*(K) over bar spectrum. On the other hand, the 2(+) state can be observed in D (K) over bar decay but the present experiment has too small statistics in the region of its mass to make any claim. We note that measurements of the D*(K) over bar spectrum and of the D (K) over bar with more statistics should bring important information concerning the nature of the X-0(2866) and related ones that could be observed.

Abstract: We have conducted a model independent analysis of the (K+K0) pair correlation function obtained from ultra high energy pp collisions, with the aim of extracting the information encoded in it related to the KK interaction and the coupled channel pi(+)eta. With the present large errors at small relative (K+K0) momenta, we find that the information obtained about the scattering matrix suffers from large uncertainties. Even then, we are able to show that the data imply the existence of the a(0) resonance, a(0)(980), showing as a strong cusp close to the KK threshold. We also mention that the measurement of the pi(+)eta correlation function will be essential in order to constrain more the information on KK dynamics that can be obtained from correlation functions.

Abstract: We study in detail the method proposed recently to study the vector-vector interaction using the N/D method and dispersion relations, which concludes that, while, for J = 0, one finds bound states, in the case of J = 2, where the interaction is also attractive and much stronger, no bound state is found. In that work, approximations are done for N and D and a subtracted dispersion relation for D is used, with subtractions made up to a polynomial of second degree in s – s(th), matching the expression to 1 – VG at threshold. We study this in detail for the rho rho interaction and to see the convergence of the method we make an extra subtraction matching 1 – VG at threshold up to (s – s(th))(3). We show that the method cannot be used to extrapolate the results down to 1270 MeV where the f(2)(1270) resonance appears, due to the artificial singularity stemming from the “on-shell” factorization of the rho exchange potential. In addition, we explore the same method but folding this interaction with the mass distribution of the rho, and we show that the singularity disappears and the method allows one to extrapolate to low energies, where both the (s – s(th))(2) and (s – s(th))(3) expansions lead to a zero of Re D(s), at about the same energy where a realistic approach produces a bound state. Even then, the method generates a large Im D(s) that we discuss is unphysical.

Abstract: fBased on the picture that the f(0)(1370), f(0)(1710), f(2)(1270), f(2)'(1525), (K) over bar (2)*(0) (1430) resonances are dynamically generated from the vector-vector interaction, we study the decays J/psi -> phi(omega) f(0)(1370)[f(0)(1710)], J/psi ->phi(omega) f(2)(1270)[f(2)'(1525)], and J/psi -> K*(0)(K) over bar (2)*(0) (1430) and make predictions for seven independent ratios that can be done among them. The starting mechanism is that the J/psi decays into three vectors, followed by the final state interaction of a pair of them. The weights of the different three vector primary channels are obtained from the basic assumption that the J/psi (c (c) over bar) is an SU(3) singlet. By means of only one free parameter we predict four ratios in fair agreement with experiment, make two extra predictions for rates yet unmeasured, and disagree on one data for which only upper bounds are reported. Further measurements are most welcome to complete the information required for these ratios which test the nature of these resonances as dynamically generated.

Abstract: Electrically charged particles can be created by the decay of strong enough electric fields, a phenomenon known as the Schwinger mechanism(1). By electromagnetic duality, a sufficiently strong magnetic field would similarly produce magnetic monopoles, if they exist(2). Magnetic monopoles are hypothetical fundamental particles that are predicted by several theories beyond the standard model(3-7) but have never been experimentally detected. Searching for the existence of magnetic monopoles via the Schwinger mechanism has not yet been attempted, but it is advantageous, owing to the possibility of calculating its rate through semi-classical techniques without perturbation theory, as well as that the production of the magnetic monopoles should be enhanced by their finite size(8,9) and strong coupling to photons(2,10). Here we present a search for magnetic monopole production by the Schwinger mechanism in Pb-Pb heavy ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, producing the strongest known magnetic fields in the current Universe(11). It was conducted by the MoEDAL experiment, whose trapping detectors were exposed to 0.235 per nanobarn, or approximately 1.8 x 10(9), of Pb-Pb collisions with 5.02-teraelectronvolt center-of-mass energy per collision in November 2018. A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer scanned the trapping detectors of MoEDAL for the presence of magnetic charge, which would induce a persistent current in the SQUID. Magnetic monopoles with integer Dirac charges of 1, 2 and 3 and masses up to 75 gigaelectronvolts per speed of light squared were excluded by the analysis at the 95% confidence level. This provides a lower mass limit for finite-size magnetic monopoles from a collider search and greatly extends previous mass bounds.