The $a_1(1420)$ in a Unitary Coupled-Channel Three-Body Approach

Abstract: An enhancement in the three-pion energy at around $\sqrt{s}\approx 1.42~\textrm{GeV}$ with $a_1$ quantum numbers was observed at the COMPASS experiment. This was later attributed to the triangle singularity mechanism involving an on-shell $K^*(892)$, $K$ and $\bar K$ intermediate states. The alignment of the decay $K$ with the spectator $\bar K$ produces an $f_0(980)$, resulting in a kinematic enhancement, which is classically explained by the Landau equations. However, this one-loop process forms only part of a non-diagonal transition in a much larger coupled-channel framework. This study demonstrates the feasibility of embedding one-loop triangle-singularity calculations into a unitary three-body amplitude allowing one to consistently incorporate final-state interactions and their potentially substantial effect. For this, up to $P$-wave isobars and all sub-channel isospins are combined in a nine-channel production amplitude that is fitted to COMPASS lineshapes at different momentum transfers. The fitted amplitude reproduces the narrow enhancement in the $(πf_0)_P$ channel near $\sqrt{s}\approx1.42$ GeV. This implies that the triangle singularity mechanism sufficiently explains the observed enhancement, and an additional genuine $a_1(1420)$ pole is not required. Incidentally, the parameters of the ground state axial vector resonance (the $a_1(1260)$) are also extracted from that data.