Determination of the X(3872) meson quantum numbers

Understand

The quantum numbers of the X(3872) meson are determined to be JPC = 1++ based on angular correlations in B+ to X(3872) K+ decays, where X(3872) to pi+pi- J/psi and J/psi to \mu+\mu-.

• The data correspond to 1.0 fb-1 of pp collisions collected by the LHCb detector.
• The only alternative assignment allowed by previous measurements, JPC=2-+, is rejected with a confidence level equivalent to more than eight Gaussian standard deviations using the likelihood-ratio test in the full angular phase space.
• This result favors exotic explanations of the X(3872) state.