On the determination of $\Theta^+$ quantum numbers and other topics of exotic baryons

I overview the physical picture of QCD at low energies that has led to the prediction of a narrow exotic baryon Theta^+ which cannot be made of three quarks. The very narrow width of the Theta^+ and a possible reason why it is seen in low- but not in high-energy experiments are briefly discussed.

We list and discuss theoretical consequences of recent discovery of $\Theta^+$.

Recent experimental data appear to confirm the existence of the exotic Theta+ (uudd\bar{s}) baryon. Simple statistical considerations, which have generally proven rather successful, suggest that this particle should be produced in observable abundance in relativistic nuclear collisions at RHIC, where it may be identifed through the p-K0_s invariant mass spectrum. The observation would not only add new evidence for its existence, but would also provide an additional means for ...

After explaining necessity of exotic hadrons, we discuss mechanisms which could determine production of the exotic Theta-baryon. A possible important role of resonances (producing the Theta in real or virtual decays) is emphasized for various processes. Several experimental directions for studies of such resonances, and the Theta itself, are suggested. We briefly discuss also recent negative results on the Theta-baryon.

We study the very recently discovered Theta+ (1540) at SPring-8, at ITEP and at CLAS-Thomas Jefferson Lab. We apply the same RGM techniques that already explained with success the repulsive hard core of nucleon-nucleon, kaon-nucleon exotic scattering, and the attractive hard core present in pion-nucleon and pion-pion non-exotic scattering. We find that the K-N repulsion excludes the Theta+ as a K-N s-wave pentaquark. We explore the Theta+ as a heptaquark, equivalent to a N+pi...

If the exotic baryon $\Theta(1540)$ is $udud\bar{s}$ with $J^P = {1/2}^+$, we predict that there is a \10bar with $J^P = {3/2}^+$ containing a $\Theta^*(1540-1680)$. The width $\Gamma(\Theta^* \to KN)$ is at least a factor of three larger than $\Gamma(\Theta)$. The possibilities of $\Theta^* \to KN\pi$ or $\Theta \gamma$ via $M1$ and $E2$ multipoles are discussed.

We study the interaction of the $\Theta^+$ pentaquark with nuclear matter associated to the $KN$ decay channels and to the two meson cloud. We find that the potential is attractive and could be strong enough to lead to the existence of $\Theta^+$ nuclear bound states.

Given the existing empirical information about the exotic Theta+ baryon, we analyze possible properties of its SU(3)F-partners, paying special attention to the nonstrange member of the antidecuplet N*. The modified piN partial-wave analysis presents two candidate masses, 1680 MeV and 1730 MeV. In both cases, the N* should be rather narrow and highly inelastic. Our results suggest several directions for experimental studies that may clarify properties of the antidecuplet baryo...

The contradiction between evidence for and against the existence of the Theta+ pentaquark might be resolved if it only appears as a result of a particular production mechanism which is present in some experiments and absent in others. We examine the implications of Theta+ production via decay of a cryptoexotic N* resonance with a mass of about 2.4 GeV corresponding to a peak in the experimental data for the invariant mass of the (Theta+,K-) system. Further experimental checks...

A systematic lowering in mass of strangeness ambiguous $pK^0_S$ peaks relative to the $nK^+$ is noted. We discuss how measurement of $\gamma p\to \Theta^+ K^0_S\to p K^0_S K^0_S \to p\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$ in association with $\gamma p\to \Theta^+ K^0_S\to n K^+ K^0_S$ can help to clarify the nature of the narrow baryon state claimed in $p K^0_S$ invariant mass distributions. This can both establish the $\Theta^+$ in a single experiment and also reveal, or place severe limits ...