Partial decay widths of $\phi(2170)$ to kaonic resonances

Abstract

In this work we study the strong decays of $\phi(2170)$ to final states involving the kaonic resonances $K(1460)$, $K_1(1270)$ and $K_1(1400)$, on which experimental data have recently been extracted by the BESIII Collaboration. The formalism developed here is based on interpreting $\phi(2170)$ and $K(1460)$ as states arising from three-hadron dynamics, which is inspired by our earlier works. For $K_1(1270)$ and $K_1(1400)$ we investigate different descriptions, such as a mixture of states belonging to the nonet of axial resonances, or the former one as a state originating from the vector-pseudoscalar dynamics. The ratios among the partial widths of $K^+(1460)K^-$, $K^+_1(1400)K^-$ and $K^+_1(1270)K^-$ obtained are compatible with the experimental results, reinforcing the three-body nature of $\phi(2170)$. Within our formalism, we can also explain the suppressed decay of $\phi(2170)$ to $K^*(892) \bar K^*(892)$, as found by the BESIII Collaboration. Furthermore, our results can be useful in clarifying the properties of $K(1460)$, $K_1(1270)$ and $K_1(1400)$ when higher statistics data would be available.