Two-body strong decays of the 2P and 3P charmonium states

Abstract

Two-body open charm strong decays of the $2P$ and $3P$ charmonium states are studied by the Bethe-Salpeter(BS) method combined with the $^3P_0$ model. The wave functions and mass spectra of the $2P$ and $3P$ charmonium states are obtained by solving the BS equation with the relativistic correction. The strong decay widths and relative ratios of the $2P$ and $3P$ charmonium states are calculated. Comparing our results with the experimental data, we obtain some interesting results. Considering the $X^*(3860)$ as the $\chi_{c0}(2P)$, the total strong decay width is smaller than the experimental data. But the strong decay width depends on the parameter $\gamma$ in the $^3P_0$ model, and the mass and width of the $X^*(3860)$ have large errors, we cannot rule out the possibility that the $X^*(3860)$ is the $\chi_{c0}(2P)$. The $X(4160)$ is a good candidate for the $\chi_{c0}(3P)$, not only the strong decay width of the $\chi_{c0}(3P)$ is same as the experimental data, but the relative ratios $\frac{\Gamma(\chi_{c0}(3P)\to D\bar D)}{\Gamma(\chi_{c0}(3P)\to D^*\bar D^*)}\approx0.0019<0.09$, and $\frac{\Gamma({\chi_{c0}(3P)\to D\bar D^*})}{\Gamma({\chi_{c0}(3P)\to D^*\bar D^*})}=0<0.22$ are consistent with the experimental results of the $X(4160)$. Taking the $X(4274)$ as the $\chi_{c1}(3P)$, the strong decay width is consistent with the experimental data, so the $X(4274)$ is a good candidate for the $\chi_{c1}(3P)$. Assigning the $X(4350)$ as the $\chi_{c2}(3P)$, the corresponding strong decay width is slightly larger than the experimental data. To identify if the $X(4350)$ is $\chi_{c2}(3P)$, many more investigations are needed. All of the strong decay widths and relative ratios of the $2P$ and $3P$ charmonium states can provide the useful information to discover and confirm these particles in the future.