Observation and polarization measurement of B^{0}→a_{1}(1260)^{+}a_{1}(1260)^{-} decay

We present measurements of the branching fraction B and longitudinal polarization fraction fL for B0→a1(1260)+a1(1260)- decays, with a1(1260)±→π-π+π±. The data sample, collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, represents 465×106 produced BB̅ pairs. We measure B(B0→a1(1260)+a1(1260)-)×[B(a1(1260)+→π-π+π+)]2= (11.8±2.6±1.6)×10-6 and fL=0.31±0.22±0.10, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The decay mode is measured with a significance of 5.0 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties.