A study of the D-wave in the K/sup +/K/sup -/ system of the reaction pi /sup -/p to K/sup +/K/sup -/n at 18 GeV

The reaction pi /sup -/p to K/sup +/K/sup -/n has been studied on a hydrogen target (27000 events) at 18.4 GeV and on a butanol target (54000 events) at 17.2 GeV. The authors study the D wave fitting the superposition of f(1270+A/sub 2/(1310)+f'(1515) resonances to the t /sub 0//sup 4/ moment. This fit gives very high chi /sup 2//ND=60/22 for each sample if the parameters of f'(1515) are fixed at their table values. If these parameters are left free they obtain m/sub f'/=(1503 /sub -7//sup +6/) MeV, Gamma /sub f'/=(144/sub -17//sup +19/) MeV, and BR(f' to pi pi /f' to all)=(3.0+or-1.0)%. Fixing the parameters of f' (1515) to their table values they obtain a good fit after the introduction of a fourth tensor meson with m=(1422+or-9) MeV and Gamma =(80+or-42) MeV. Such an object does not easily fit into the quark- antiquark scheme. (19 refs).