Study of D<inf>sJ</inf>^{(*) +} mesons decaying to D^{∗ +}K<inf>S</inf>⁰ and D^*0K⁺ final states

Abstract: A search is performed for D _sJ ^{(*) +} mesons in the reactions pp → D ^{∗ +}K _S ⁰X and pp → D ^*0K ⁺X using data collected at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV with the LHCb detector. For the D ^{∗ +}K _S ⁰ final state, the decays D ^*+ → D ⁰π ⁺ with D ⁰ → K ⁻π ⁺ and D ⁰ → K ⁻π ⁺π ⁺π ⁻ are used. For D ^*0K ⁺, the decay D ^*0 → D ⁰π ⁰ with D ⁰ → K ⁻π ⁺ is used. A prominent D _s1(2536) ⁺ signal is observed in both D ^{∗ +}K _S ⁰ and D ^*0K ⁺ final states. The resonances D _s1 ^*(2700) ⁺ and D _s3 ^*(2860) ⁺ are also observed, yielding information on their properties, including spin-parity assignments. The decay D _s2 ^*(2573) ⁺ → D ^{∗ +}K _S ⁰ is observed for the first time, at a significance of 6.9 σ, and its branching fraction relative to the D _s2 ^*(2573) ⁺ → D ⁺K _S ⁰ decay mode is measured.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]