Analysis of angular distribution asymmetries and the associated $C\!P$ asymmetries in three-body decays of bottom baryons

Abstract

We introduce a set of observables representing angular distribution asymmetries, which can be viewed as a generalization of the forward-backward asymmetry of angular distributions, and can be used as an effective tool to search for $C\!P$ violation in three-body decays of bottom and charmed baryons. We propose to search for such $C\!P$ asymmetries (1) in decays with $\Lambda^0$, $\Sigma^\pm$, or $\Lambda_c^+$ involved, such as $\Lambda_b\to \Lambda^0 D$ and $\Lambda_b\to\Lambda^0\rho(770)^0$; and (2) in three-body decays of bottom baryons with opposite parity intermediate resonances involved. Typical examples include $\Xi_b^-\to p K^- K^-$, $\Lambda_b^0\to p K_S\pi^-$ and $\Lambda_b^0\to p \pi^0\pi^-$, in which the last decay channel is used as a toy model to illustrate of the basic idea.