English

Theoretical update of $B$-Mixing and Lifetimes

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology 2012-07-03 v2 High Energy Physics - Experiment High Energy Physics - Lattice

Abstract

We review the current status of theoretical predictions for mixing quantities and lifetimes in the BB-sector. In particular, due to the first non-zero measurement of the decay rate difference in the neutral BsB_s-system, ΔΓs/Γs=17.6\Delta \Gamma_s/ \Gamma_s = 17.6 % \pm 2.9 % by the LHCb collaboration and very precise data for τBs\tau_{B_s} from TeVatron and LHCb our theoretical tools can now be rigorously tested and it turns out that the Heavy Quark Expansion works in the BB-system to an accuracy of at least 30% for quantities like Γ12\Gamma_{12}, which is most sensitive to hypothetical violations of quark hadron duality. This issue that gave rise in the past to numerous theoretical papers, has now been settled experimentally. Further data will even allow to shrink this bound. For total inclusive quantities like lifetimes the compliance is even more astonishing: τBsLHCb/τBdHFAG=1.001±0.014\tau_{B_s}^{\rm LHCb}/ \tau_{B_d}^{\rm HFAG} = 1.001 \pm 0.014 is in perfect agreement with the theory expectation of τBs/τBd=0.996...1.000\tau_{B_s}/\tau_{B_d} = 0.996 ... 1.000. Despite the fact that the new data show no deviations from the standard model expectations, there is still some sizable room for new physics effects. Model-independent search strategies for these effects are presented with an emphasis on the interconnection with many different observables that have to be taken into account. In that respect a special emphasis is given to the large value of the di-muon asymmetry measured by the D0 collaboration.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1205.1444,
  title  = {Theoretical update of $B$-Mixing and Lifetimes},
  author = {Alexander Lenz},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1205.1444},
  year   = {2012}
}

Comments

Based on talks given at Moriond Electroweak 2012, at Nikhef, in Trento and at CERN; 28 pages; 2 typos corrected