English

Testing Explanations of the $B\to\phi K^*$ Polarization Puzzle

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology 2008-11-26 v3 High Energy Physics - Experiment

Abstract

BϕKB\to\phi K^* (\btos\btos) is three separate decays, one for each polarization of the final-state vector mesons (one longitudinal, two transverse). It is observed that the fraction of transverse decays, \fT\fT, and the fraction of longitudinal decays, \fL\fL, are roughly equal: \fTfL1\fTfL \simeq 1, in opposition to the naive expectation that \fT\fL\fT \ll \fL. If one requires a single explanation of all polarization puzzles, two possibilities remain within the standard model: penguin annihilation and rescattering. In this paper we examine the predictions of these two explanations for \fTfL\fTfL in \btod\btod decays. In BρρB \to \rho\rho decays, only \bdρ0ρ0\bd \to \rho^0\rho^0 can possibly exhibit a large \fTfL\fTfL. In B decays related by U-spin, we find two promising possibilities: (i) B+K0ρ+B^+ \to K^{*0} \rho^+ (\btos\btos) and B+\Kbar0K+B^+ \to \Kbar^{*0} K^{*+} (\btod\btod) and (ii) \bsK0\Kbar0\bs \to K^{*0} \Kbar^{*0} (\btos\btos) and \bd\Kbar0K0\bd \to \Kbar^{*0} K^{*0} (\btod\btod). The measurement of \fTfL\fTfL in these pairs of decays will allow us to test penguin annihilation and rescattering. Finally, it is possible to distinguish penguin annihilation from rescattering by performing a time-dependent angular analysis of \bd\Kbar0K0\bd \to \Kbar^{*0} K^{*0}.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0705.3915,
  title  = {Testing Explanations of the $B\to\phi K^*$ Polarization Puzzle},
  author = {Alakabha Datta and Andrei V. Gritsan and David London and Makiko Nagashima and Alejandro Szynkman},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0705.3915},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

15 pages, 2 figures. Added reference and PACS numbers. To appear in PRD