Evidence for Exotic Meson Production in the Reaction $ π^{-} p \to ηπ^{-} p$ at 18 GeV/c

The $\eta \pi^{-}$ system has been studied in the reaction $\pi^{-} p \to \eta \pi^{-} p$ at 18 GeV/c. A large asymmetry in the angular distribution is observed indicating interference between L-even and L-odd partial waves. The $a_{2}(1320)$ is observed in the $J^{PC}$ = $2^{++}$ wave, as is a broad enhancement between 1.2 and 1.6 GeV/c^{2} in the $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ wave. The observed phase difference between these waves shows that there is phase motion in addition to that due to $a_{2}(1320)$ decay. The data can be fitted by interference between the $a_{2}(1320)$ and an exotic $1^{-+}$ resonance with $M = (1370 \pm 16 {+50}\atop{-30}$) MeV/c^2 and $\Gamma =(385 \pm 40 {+65}\atop{-105}$) MeV/c^2.