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Alexander L. Kagan

Publications and source records attributed to Alexander L. Kagan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Dispersive and Absorptive CP Violation in $D^0- \overline{D^0}$ Mixing

CP violation (CPV) in $D^0-\overline{D^0}$ mixing is described in terms of the dispersive and absorptive `weak phases' $ϕ_f^M$ and $ϕ_f^Γ$. They parametrize CPV originating from the interference of $D^0$ decays with and without dispersive mixing, and with and without absorptive mixing, respectively, for CP conjugate hadronic final states $f$, $\bar f$. These are distinct and separately measurable effects. For CP eigenstate final states, indirect CPV only depends on $ϕ_f^M$ (dispersive CPV), whereas $ϕ_f^Γ$ (absorptive CPV) can only be probed with non-CP eigenstate final states. Measurements of the final state dependent phases $ϕ_f^M$, $ϕ_f^Γ$ determine the intrinsic dispersive and absorptive mixing phases $ϕ_2^M$ and $ϕ_2^Γ$. The latter are the arguments of the dispersive and absorptive mixing amplitudes $M_{12}$ and $Γ_{12}$, relative to their dominant ($ΔU=2$) $U$-spin components. The intrinsic phases are experimentally accessible due to approximate universality: in the SM, and in extensions with negligible new CPV phases in Cabibbo favored/doubly Cabibbo suppressed (CF/DCS) decays, the deviation of $ϕ_f^{M,Γ}$ from $ϕ_2^{M,Γ}$ is negligible in CF/DCS decays $D^0 \to K^\pm X$, and below $10\% $ in CF/DCS decays $D^0 \to K_{S,L} X$ (up to precisely known $O(ε_K)$ corrections). In Singly Cabibbo Suppressed (SCS) decays, QCD pollution enters at $O(ε)$ in $U$-spin breaking and can be significant, but is $O(ε^2)$ in the average over $f=K^+K^-$, $π^+π^-$. SM estimates yield $ϕ_2^M, ϕ_2^Γ= O(0.2\%)$. A fit to current data allows $O(10)$ larger phases at $2σ$, from new physics. A fit based on naively extrapolated experimental precision suggests that sensitivity to $ϕ_2^{M}$ and $ϕ_2^Γ$ in the SM may be achieved at the LHCb Phase II upgrade.

hep-ph

A UV complete partially composite-pNGB Higgs

We explore an electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) scenario based on the mixture of a fundamental Higgs doublet and an SU(4)/Sp(4) composite pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone doublet -- a particular manifestation of bosonic technicolor/induced EWSB. Taking the fundamental Higgs mass parameter to be positive, EWSB is triggered by the mixing of the doublets. This setup has several attractive features and phenomenological consequences, which we highlight: i) Unlike traditional bosonic technicolor models, the hierarchy between $Λ_{\rm TC}$ and the electroweak scale depends on vacuum (mis)alignment and can be sizable, yielding an attractive framework for natural EWSB; ii) As the strong sector is based on SU(4)/Sp(4), a fundamental (UV-complete) description of the strong sector is possible, that is informed by the lattice; iii) The lightest vector resonances occur in the 10-plet, 5-plet and singlet of Sp(4). Misalignment leads to a 10-plet "parity-doubling" cancelation in the $S$ parameter, and a suppressed 5-plet contribution; iv) Higgs coupling deviations are typically of $\mathcal O(1\%)$; v) The 10-plet isotriplet resonances decay dominantly to a massive technipion and a gauge boson, or to technipion pairs, rather than to gauge boson or fermion pairs; moreover, their couplings to fermions are small. Thus, the bounds on this setup from conventional heavy-vector-triplet searches are weak. A supersymmetric $U(1)_R$ symmetric realization is briefly described.

hep-ph

On the 750 GeV di-photon excess

We explore several perturbative scenarios in which the di-photon excess at 750 GeV can potentially be explained: a scalar singlet, a two Higgs doublet model (2HDM), a 2HDM with an extra singlet, and the decays of heavier resonances, both vector and scalar. We draw the following conclusions: (i) due to gauge invariance a 750 GeV scalar singlet can accommodate the observed excess more readily than a scalar SU(2)_L doublet; (ii) scalar singlet production via gluon fusion is one option, however, vector boson fusion can also provide a large enough rate, (iii) 2HDMs with an extra singlet and no extra fermions can only give a signal in a severely tuned region of the parameter space; (iv) decays of heavier resonances can give a large enough di-photon signal at 750 GeV, while simultaneously explaining the absence of a signal at 8 TeV.

hep-ph

Uncovering Mass Generation Through Higgs Flavor Violation

A discovery of the flavor violating decay h --> tau mu at the LHC would require extra sources of electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) beyond the Higgs in order to reconcile it with the bounds from tau --> mu gamma, barring fine-tuned cancellations. In fact, an h --> tau mu decay rate at a level indicated by the CMS measurement is easily realized if the muon and electron masses are due to a new source of EWSB, while the tau mass is due to the Higgs. We illustrate this with two examples: a two Higgs doublet model, and a model in which the Higgs is partially composite, with EWSB triggered by a technicolor sector. The 1st and 2nd generation quark masses and CKM mixing can also be assigned to the new EWSB source. Large deviations in the flavor diagonal lepton and quark Higgs Yukawa couplings are generic. If the muon mass is due to a rank 1 mass matrix contribution, a novel Yukawa coupling sum rule holds, providing a precision test of our framework. Flavor violating quark and lepton (pseudo)scalar couplings combine to yield a sizable B_s --> tau mu decay rate, which could be O(100) times larger than the SM B_s --> mu mu decay rate.

hep-ph

Size of direct CP violation in singly Cabibbo-suppressed D decays

The first experimental evidence for direct CP violation in charm-quark decays has recently been presented by the LHCb collaboration in the difference between the D -> K+ K- and D -> pi+ pi- time-integrated CP asymmetries. We estimate the size of the effects that can be expected within the Standard Model and find that at leading order in 1/mc they are an order of magnitude smaller. However, tree-level annihilation type amplitudes are known to be large experimentally. This implies that certain formally 1/mc-suppressed penguin amplitudes could plausibly account for the LHCb measurement. Simultaneously, the flavor-breaking parts of these amplitudes could explain the large difference between the D -> K+ K- and D -> pi+ pi- decay rates.

hep-ph

Stealth QCD-like Strong Interactions and the t-tbar Asymmetry

We show that a new strongly interacting sector can produce large enhancements of the t-tbar asymmetries at the Tevatron. The Standard Model is extended by a new vector-like flavor triplet of fermions and one heavy scalar, all charged under a hypercolor gauge group SU(3) HC. This simple extension results in a number of new resonances. The predictions of our model are rather rigid once a small number of UV parameters are fixed, since all the strong dynamics can be directly taken over from our understanding of QCD dynamics. Despite the rather low hypercolor confinement scale of ~100 GeV, the new strongly interacting sector is stealth. It is shielded from present direct and indirect NP searches since the light resonances are QCD singlets, whereas the production of the heavier QCD colored resonances leads predominantly to high multiplicity final states. Improved searches can potentially be devised using top tagged final states or decays into a small number of hypercolor pions.

hep-ph

An Exclusive Window onto Higgs Yukawa Couplings

We show that both flavor-conserving and flavor-violating Yukawa couplings of the Higgs boson to first- and second-generation quarks can be probed by measuring rare decays of the form h->MV, where M denotes a vector meson and V indicates either gamma, W or Z. We calculate the branching ratios for these processes in both the Standard Model and its possible extensions. We discuss the experimental prospects for their observation. The possibility of accessing these Higgs couplings appears to be unique to the high-luminosity LHC and future hadron colliders, providing further motivation for those machines.

hep-ph

Forward Tevatron Tops and Backward LHC Tops with Associates

The anomalous forward-backward asymmetry (A_FB) in t tbar production at the Tevatron is in apparent contradiction with the t tbar charge asymmetry (A_C) measurements at the LHC, which agree well with the standard model predictions. We argue that associated production of a state with [u tbar] flavor quantum numbers can lead to a sizable negative contribution to A_C. Exchange of such a resonance in the t-channel would lead to positive contributions to A_FB and A_C, as has been extensively discussed in the literature. Given the additional negative A_C contribution, both the Tevatron and LHC data can be naturally accommodated within this framework. A simple realization of this setup is the well known example of a Z' with flavor off-diagonal up-top couplings. We provide a detailed study of this model, demonstrating that it indeed reproduces the t tbar asymmetry data, and is compatible with other constraints, e.g. t+jet resonance searches, t tbar inclusive jet multiplicities, and atomic parity violation.

hep-ph

Testing for new physics in singly Cabibbo suppressed D decays

We devise tests for a new physics origin of the recently measured direct CP violation in singly Cabibbo suppressed D decays. The tests take the form of sum rules for the CP asymmetries in various D decays. They are based on the fact that within the standard model CP violation arises from interference of the dominant tree amplitudes with the Delta I=1/2 penguin amplitudes. The sum rules would be violated if the observed CP violation is due to new physics contributions to the effective weak Hamiltonian that change isospin by Delta I=3/2.

hep-ph

A consistent picture for large penguins in D -> pi+ pi-, K+ K-

A long-standing puzzle in charm physics is the large difference between the D0 -> K+ K- and D0 -> pi+ pi- decay rates. Recently, the LHCb and CDF collaborations reported a surprisingly large difference between the direct CP asymmetries, Delta A_CP, in these two modes. We show that the two puzzles are naturally related in the Standard Model via s- and d-quark "penguin contractions". Their sum gives rise to Delta A_CP, while their difference contributes to the two branching ratios with opposite sign. Assuming nominal SU(3) breaking, a U-spin fit to the D0 -> K+ pi-, pi+ K-, pi+ pi-, K+ K- decay rates yields large penguin contractions that naturally explain Delta A_CP. Expectations for the individual CP asymmetries are also discussed.

hep-ph

Flavor Symmetric Sectors and Collider Physics

We discuss the phenomenology of effective field theories with new scalar or vector representations of the Standard Model quark flavor symmetry group, allowing for large flavor breaking involving the third generation. Such field content can have a relatively low mass scale \lesssim TeV and O(1) couplings to quarks, while being naturally consistent with both flavor violating and flavor diagonal constraints. These theories therefore have the potential for early discovery at LHC, and provide a flavor safe "tool box" for addressing anomalies at colliders and low energy experiments. We catalogue the possible flavor symmetric representations, and consider applications to the anomalous Tevatron t-tbar forward backward asymmetry and B_s mixing measurements, individually or concurrently. Collider signatures and constraints on flavor symmetric models are also studied more generally. In our examination of the t-tbar forward backward asymmetry we determine model independent acceptance corrections appropriate for comparing against CDF data that can be applied to any model seeking to explain the t-tbar forward backward asymmetry.

hep-ph

Forward-backward asymmetry in t anti-t production from flavour symmetries

We show that the forward-backward asymmetry in top quark pair production can be enhanced by fields that transform nontrivially under the flavour group and satisfy Minimal Flavour Violation, while at the same time the constraints from associated effects on the d σ(t anti-t)/d M_{t anti-t} distribution, dijet resonance searches, same sign top pair production and other phenomenology are satisfied. We work out two examples in detail, one where a scalar colour anti-sextet field, that is also an anti-sextet of SU(3)_U, enhances the forward-backward asymmetry, and one where the enhancement arises from a vector colour octet field that is also an octet of SU(3)_U.

hep-ph

Top LHCb Physics

We suggest that top physics can be studied at the LHCb experiment, and that top production could be observed. Since LHCb covers a large pseudorapidity region in the forward direction, it has unique abilities to probe new physics in the top sector. Furthermore, we demonstrate that LHCb may be able to measure a t\bar t production rate asymmetry, and thus indirectly probe an anomalous forward backward t\bar t asymmetry in the forward region; a possibility suggested by the enhanced forward-backward asymmetry reported by the CDF experiment.

hep-ph

Power corrections in e+ e- --> pi+ pi-, K+ K- and B --> K pi, pi pi

CLEO-c measurements of the timelike form factors F_pi, F_K at \sqrt{s}=3.671 GeV provide a direct probe of power corrections (PC's) at energies near m_B. PC's in F_pi, F_K and B \to K pi, pi pi are separated into perturbative and soft parts. In F_pi, F_K the latter are \ge O(10) larger. A PC fit to the B \to K pi, pi pi data also yields a \ge O(10) soft-to-perturbative hierarchy for the QCD penguin PC's. Hence, both can be attributed to dominance of the soft-ovelap between energetic (approximately) back-to-back collinear partons, and consistency of the B\to K pi, pi pi fit with the Standard Model appears to be naturally realized. The CP asymmetries S_{K_s pi^0}, C_{K_s pi^0} are well determined, providing a clean test for new physics.

hep-ph

On Indirect CP Violation and Implications for D0-\overline{D0} and Bs -\overline{Bs} mixing

The two kinds of indirect CP violation in neutral meson systems are related, in the absence of new weak phases in decay. The result is a model-independent expression relating CP violation in mixing, CP violation in the interference of decays with and without mixing, and the meson mass and width differences. It relates the semileptonic and time-dependent CP asymmetries; and CP-conjugate pairs of time-dependent $D^0$ CP asymmetries. CP violation in the interference of decays with and without mixing is related to the mixing parameters of relevance to model building: the off-diagonal mixing matrix elements |M12|, |Gamma12|, and phi12 = arg(M12 /Gamma12). Incorporating this relation into a fit to the D0 -\overline{D0} mixing data implies a level of sensitivity to |phiD12| of 0.10 [rad] at 1 sigma. The formalism is extended to include new weak phases in decay, and in Gamma12. The phases are highly constrained by direct CP violation measurements. Consequently, the bounds on |phiD12| are not significantly altered, and the effects of new weak phases in decay could be difficult to observe at a high luminosity flavor factory (D0) or at the LHC (Bs) via violations of the above relations, unlike in direct CP violation.

hep-ph

General Minimal Flavor Violation

A model independent study of the minimal flavor violation (MFV) framework is presented, where the only sources of flavor breaking at low energy are the up and down Yukawa matrices. Two limits are identified for the Yukawa coupling expansion: linear MFV, where it is truncated at the leading terms, and nonlinear MFV, where such a truncation is not possible due to large third generation Yukawa couplings. These are then resummed to all orders using non-linear sigma-model techniques familiar from models of collective breaking. Generically, flavor diagonal CP violating (CPV) sources in the UV can induce O(1) CPV in processes involving third generation quarks. Due to a residual U(2) symmetry, the extra CPV in B_d-\bar B_d mixing is bounded by CPV in B_s-\bar B_s mixing. If operators with right-handed light quarks are subdominant, the extra CPV is equal in the two systems, and is negligible in processes involving only the first two generations. We find large enhancements in the up type sector, both in CPV in D-\bar D mixing and in top flavor violation.

hep-ph

New Physics and CP Violation in Singly Cabibbo Suppressed D Decays

We analyze various theoretical aspects of CP violation in singly Cabibbo suppressed (SCS) D-meson decays, such as $D \to K K,ππ$. In particular, we explore the possibility that CP asymmetries will be measured close to the present level of experimental sensitivity of $O(10^{-2})$. Such measurements would signal new physics. We make the following points: (i) The mechanism at work in neutral D decays could be indirect or direct CP violation (or both). (ii) One can experimentally distinguish between these possibilities. (iii) If the dominant CP violation is indirect, then there are clear predictions for other modes. (iv) Tree-level direct CP violation in various known models is constrained to be much smaller than $10^{-2}$. (v) SCS decays, unlike Cabibbo favored or doubly Cabibbo suppressed decays, are sensitive to new contributions from QCD penguin operators and especially from chromomagnetic dipole operators. This point is illustrated with supersymmetric gluino-squark loops, which can yield direct CP violating effects of $O(10^{-2})$.

hep-ph

Polarization in B->VV Decays

Factorizable amplitudes in B decays to light vector meson pairs give a longitudinal polarization satisfying 1- f_L =O(1/m_b^2). This remains formally true when non-factorizable graphs are included in QCD factorization, and is numerically realized in B->Rho Rho. In ΔS=1 decays a QCD penguin annihilation graph can effectively contribute at leading power to the transverse and longitudinal amplitudes. The observed longitudinal polarization, f_L (B->phi K^*) \approx 50%, can therefore be accounted for in the SM. The ratio of perpendicular to parallel transverse rates provides a sensitive test for new right-handed currents. The transverse b->sg dipole operator amplitudes are highly suppressed. CP violation measurements can therefore discriminate between new contributions to the dipole and four quark operators. SU(3)_F violation in QCD penguin amplitudes can easily be O}(1), in general, due to annihilation. Implications for B->Rho K^* polarization and New Physics searches are pointed out.

hep-ph