Observation of excited $Ω_c^0$ baryons in $Ω_b^- \to Ξ_c^+ K^-π^-$ decays
The first observation of the $Ω_b^- \to Ξ_c^+ K^- π^-$ decay is reported using $pp$ collision data at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13\,$\mathrm{TeV}$ collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9\,$\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. Four excited $Ω_c^0$ baryons are observed in the $Ξ_c^+ K^-$ mass projection of the $Ω_b^- \to Ξ_c^+ K^- π^-$ decays with the significance of each exceeding five standard deviations. They coincide with the states previously observed in prompt \proton\proton and $e^+e^-$ production. Relative production rates, masses and natural widths of the states are measured, and a test of spin hypotheses is performed. Moreover, the branching ratio of $Ω_b^- \to Ξ_c^+ K^- π^-$ is measured relative to the $Ω_b^- \to Ω_c^0 π^-$ decay mode and a precise measurement of the $Ω_b^-$ mass of \mbox{$6044.3 \pm 1.2 \pm 1.1^{\,+0.19}_{\,-0.22}\,\mathrm{MeV}$} is obtained.