$CP$ violation in singly Cabibbo suppressed $D\to \pi a_0(980)$ decays

The singly Cabibbo suppressed (SCS) decays $D\to \pi a_0$, with $a_0\equiv a_0(980)$, have been measured with the branching-fraction ratios $r^{+/-}_{\rm ex}\equiv {\cal B}(D^0\to\pi^- a_0^+)/{\cal B}(D^0\to\pi^+ a_0^-)=7.5^{+2.5}_{-0.8}\pm 1.7$ and $r^{+/0}_{\rm ex}\equiv {\cal B}(D^+\to\pi^0 a_0^+)/{\cal B}(D^+\to\pi^+ a_0^0)=2.6\pm 0.6\pm 0.3$, deviating significantly from the short-distance expectations $(r^{+/-},r^{+/0})\simeq (0.07,0.2)$. This discrepancy indicates the necessity of long-distance rescattering effects. In particular, the process $D\to K^*K\to a_0\pi$ generates ${\cal M}_s$ comparable in magnitude to ${\cal M}_d$ in the amplitude ${\cal M}=\lambda_d{\cal M}_d+\lambda_s{\cal M}_s$, with $\lambda_q\equiv V_{cq}^*V_{uq}$, accompanied by nontrivial strong phases essential for $CP$ violation. Consequently, the direct $CP$ asymmetries naturally arise at the ${\cal O}(10^{-3})$ level, for example, ${\cal A}_{CP}(D^0\to\pi^- a_0^+)=(-0.7\pm 0.1\pm 0.1\pm 0.1)\times 10^{-3}$, ${\cal A}_{CP}(D^+\to\pi^0 a_0^+)=(-1.4\pm 0.1\pm 0.1\pm 0.1)\times 10^{-3}$, and ${\cal A}_{CP}(D^0\to\pi^+ a_0^-)=(-2.1\pm 0.9\pm 1.1\pm 0.4)\times 10^{-3}$. These results establish SCS $D\to \pi a_0$ decays as a new avenue for probing $CP$ violation.