Related papers: On A Recent Claim Concerning $\tau (D_s)/\tau (D^0…
In this paper we discuss some aspects of inclusive decays of charmed mesons and also decays of the $\tau$ lepton into $\nu_\tau + 7\pi$. We find that phase space effects are likely to explain the observed lifetime ratio $\tau(D_s^+) /…
We present some straightforward applications of the QCD heavy quark expansion, stated in previous papers [1-3], to the inclusive widths of heavy flavour hadrons. We address the question of the $D_s$ lifetime and argue that -- barring Weak…
A numerical error is pointed out in the existing expression for the order $\alpha_s^2$ longitudinal component of the squared-mass (D=2) contribution to the hadronic $\tau$ decay rate. The corrected version is found to be such that, to order…
Data show that \tau_{B^{\pm}}\sim\tau_{B^0}, but \tau_{D^{\pm}}\sim 2\tau_{D^0}. The naive interpretation which attributes \tau_{D^{\pm}}\sim 2\tau_{D^0} to a destructive interference between two quark diagrams for D^{\pm} decays,…
A review of the latest experimental results on charm particle lifetimes is presented. The most significant update is that the D_s^+ lifetime is conclusively larger than the D^0 lifetime and signifies that W-exchange/W-annihilation…
Theoretical descriptions for the nonleptonic decays of heavy flavour hadrons have emerged that incorporate non-perturbative corrections in a systematic way and are genuinely based on QCD. One can reproduce $\tau (D^+)/\tau (D^0)$,…
Recent results of a high-statistics study of tau lepton properties and decays at B factories are reviewed. We discuss measurements of tau lifetime, branching fractions, and spectral functions for several hadronic tau decay modes with…
We present an updated measurement of the $B_s^0$ lifetime from the D0 collaboration using the semileptonic decays $B_s^0\rightarrow D_s^-\mu^+\nu X$, with $D_s^- \to \phi \pi^-$ and $\phi \to K^+K^-$ (and the charge conjugate process). This…
The status of heavy quark expansions for charm and beauty lifetime ratios is reviewed. Taking note of the surprising semiquantitative success of this description for charm hadrons I interprete the new data on $\tau (D_s)$ and re-iterate the…
In this paper we present the description of the flavor-untagged decays $B_{d}^{0}\to J/\psi K^{*0}$ and $B_{s}^{0}\to J/\psi \phi$ in the transversity basis. The study of these $B$ mesons in that basis makes it possible to extract…
Phenomenological models of heavy flavour decays differ significantly in their predictions of global features of $B_c$ decays, like the $B_c$ lifetime or the relative weight of $c\ra s$ and $b\ra c$ transitions. The $1/m_Q$ expansion which…
Recent measurements of lifetimes of some $b$-flavored hadrons are presented and interpreted in the context of theoretical models, especially the Heavy Quark Expansion. Decay widths and decay width differences in the $B_s^0-\overline{B}_s^0$…
We report a measurement of the $B^0_{s}$ lifetime in the semileptonic decay channel $B^0_{s}\to D^-_s \mu^{+}\nu X$ (and its charge conjugate), using approximately 0.4 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the D0 detector during 2002 -- 2004. We…
We present measurements of the Lambda^0_b lifetime in the exclusive decay channel Lambda^0_{b}->J/psi Lambda^0, with J/psi to mu+ mu- and Lambda^0 to p pi-, the B^0 lifetime in the decay B^0 -> J/psi K^0_S with J/psi to mu+ mu- and K^0_S to…
We discuss the problem of the large discrepancy between the observed lifetime ratio of $\Lambda_b$ to $B_d$ and the theoretical prediction obtained by the heavy quark effective theory. A new possibility of solving this problem is proposed…
A critical review of the theoretical understanding of the lifetimes of beauty hadrons is given. A model-independent analysis using the heavy-quark expansion allows for a description of the lifetime ratios tau(B-)/tau(B0) and…
We report the results of some recent E791 charm analyses. They include: 1) a search for rare and forbidden decays, 2) measurements of form factors for D+ --> K*,l,nu and Ds --> phi,l,nu, and 3) Ds and D0 lifetime measurements including the…
We measure the Lambda_b^0 lifetime in the fully reconstructed decay Lambda_b^0 -> J/psi Lambda^0 using 10.4 fb^-1 of ppbar collisions collected with the D0 detector at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. The lifetime of the topologically similar decay…
We re-examine constraints from the recent evidence for observation of the lifetime difference in D^0 - \bar{D}^0 mixing on the parameters of supersymmetric models with R-parity violation (RPV). We find that RPV SUSY can give large negative…
The full treatment, both nonperturbative - through O(1/m_c^3) - and perturbative - through O(alpha_s) and BLM type O(alpha_s^2) - of the semileptonic lifetime of the D meson is given. A dedicated discussion of the numerics involved is made,…