QCD axial anomaly enhances the $\eta \eta^\prime$ decay of the hybrid candidate $\eta_1(1855)$

Abstract

We study the hybrid mesons with the exotic quantum number $I^GJ^{PC} = 0^+1^{-+}$ and investigate their decays into the $\eta \eta^\prime$, $a_1(1260) \pi$, $f_1(1285) \eta$, $f_1(1420) \eta$, $K^*(892) \bar K$, $K_1(1270) \bar K$, and $K_1(1400) \bar K$ channels. We find that the QCD axial anomaly enhances the decay width of the $\eta \eta^\prime$ channel although this mode is strongly suppressed by the small $P$-wave phase space. Our results support the interpretation of the $\eta_1(1855)$ recently observed by BESIII as the $\bar s s g$ hybrid meson of $I^GJ^{PC}=0^+1^{-+}$. The QCD axial anomaly ensures the $\eta \eta^\prime$ decay mode to be a characteristic signal of the hybrid nature of the $\eta_1(1855)$.