Observation of electromagnetic dalitz decays J/psi -> pe(+)e(-)

Abstract

Based on a sample of (225.3 +/- 2.8) x 10(6) J/psi events collected with the BESIII detector, the electromagnetic Dalitz decays of J/psi -> Pe(+)e(-)(P = eta'/eta/pi(0)) are studied. By reconstructing the pseudoscalar mesons in various decay modes, the decays J/psi -> eta'e(+)e(-), J/psi -> eta e(+)e(-), and J/psi -> pi(0)e(+)e(-) are observed for the first time. The branching fractions are determined to be B(J/psi -> eta'e(+)e(-)) = (5.81 +/- 0.16 +/- 0.31) x 10(-5), B(J/psi -> eta e(+)e(-)) = (1.16 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.06) x 10(-5), and B(J/psi -> pi(0)e(+)e(-)) = (7.56 +/- 1.32 +/- 0.50) x 10(-7), where the first errors are statistical and the second ones systematic.