Three Exceptions to the Grossman-Nir Bound

Abstract

We show that the Grossman-Nir (GN) bound, $\text{Br}(K_L\to \pi^0\nu \bar\nu)\leq 4.3 \, \text{Br}(K^+\to \pi^+\nu \bar\nu)$, can be violated in the presence of light new physics with flavor violating couplings. We construct three sample models in which the GN bound can be violated by orders of magnitude, while satisfying all other experimental bounds. In the three models the enhanced branching ratio $\text{Br}(K_L\to \pi^0+{\rm inv})$ is due to $K_L\to \pi^0\phi_1$, $K_L\to \pi^0\phi_1\phi_1$, $K_L\to \pi^0\psi_1\bar \psi_1$ transitions, respectively, where $\phi_1 (\psi_1)$ is a light scalar (fermion) that escapes the detector. In the three models $\text{Br}(K^+\to \pi^++{\rm inv})$ remains very close to the SM value, while $\text{Br}(K_L\to \pi^0+{\rm inv})$ can saturate the present KOTO bound. Besides invisible particles in the final state (which may account for dark matter) the models require additional light mediators around the GeV-scale.