Direct CP Violation in Charmless Three-Body Decays of B± Mesons

Measurements of CP asymmetries in charmless three-body decays of B± mesons are reported using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.9 fb^−1. The previously observed CP asymmetry in B± → π± K+ K− decays is confirmed, and CP asymmetries are observed with a significance of more than five standard deviations in the B± → π± π+ π− and B± → K± K+ K− decays, while the CP asymmetry of B± → K± π+ π− decays is confirmed to be compatible with zero. The distributions of these asymmetries are also studied as a function of the three-body phase space and suggest contributions from rescattering and resonance interference processes. An indication of the presence of the decays B± → π± χc0(1P) in both B± → π± π+ π− and B± → π± K+ K− decays is observed, as is CP violation involving these amplitudes.