arXiv subjects

Christopher Smith

Publications and source records attributed to Christopher Smith.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2006

Exploring the flavour structure of the MSSM with rare K decays

We present an extensive analysis of rare K decays, in particular of the two neutrino modes K+->pi+ nu nu-bar and KL->pi0 nu nu-bar, in the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model. We analyse the expectations for the branching ratios of these modes, both within the restrictive framework of the minimal flavour violation hypothesis and within a more general framework with new sources of flavour-symmetry breaking. In both scenarios, the information that can be extracted from precise measurements of the two neutrino modes turn out to be very useful in restricting the parameter space of the model, even after taking into account the possible information on the mass spectrum derived from high-energy colliders, and the constraints from B-physics experiments. In the presence of new sources of flavour-symmetry breaking, additional significant constraints on the model can be derived also from the two KL->pi0 l+l- modes.

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arXiv2005

Radiative Kaon Decays and the Penguin Contribution to the Delta I = 1/2 Rule

A consistent census of penguins in the Delta I = 1/2 rule is taken from the eta0 pole contribution to the radiative KL to gamma gamma, KS to pi0 gamma gamma and K+ to pi+ gamma gamma decay modes. We briefly comment on its impact for KL to pi0 pi0 gamma gamma, KL to pi+ pi- gamma and check its compatibility with the KL - KS mass difference and the CP violating epsilon-prime / epsilon parameter.

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arXiv2005

Long-Distance Effects in Rare K Decays

Rare K decays provide for very clean tests of the Standard Model, and are especially suited to search for New Physics signal. In this talk, recent progresses in the estimation of long-distance effects induced by light quarks in KL to pi0 mu+ mu- and K+ to pi+ nu nu are reported.

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arXiv2005

Light-quark Loops in K->pi nu nu

We present a comprehensive analysis of the contributions to K->pi nu nu decays not described by the leading dimension-six effective Hamiltonian. These include both dimension-eight four-fermion operators generated at the charm scale, and genuine long-distance contributions which can be described within the framework of chiral perturbation theory. We show that a consistent treatment of the latter contributions, which turn out to be the dominant effect, requires the introduction of new chiral operators already at O(GF^2 p^2). Using this new chiral Lagrangian, we analyze the long-distance structure of K->pi nu nu amplitudes at the one-loop level, and discuss the role of the dimension-eight operators in the matching between short- and long-distance components. From the numerical point of view, we find that these O(GF^2 LambdaQCD^2) corrections enhance the SM prediction of Br(K+->pi+ nu nu) by about 6%

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arXiv2004

Recent progress on the rare decay KL to pi0 mu+ mu-

The rare decay KL to pi0mu+mu- has a significant CP-conserving contribution. The reliable theoretical estimation of this piece from the experimental pi0-two photon branching ratio is shortly reviewed. Then, we discuss the exceptional sensitivity of the combined set of decays, into pi0 nu nubar, pi0e+e- and pi0mu+mu-, to New Physics signal, and also, interestingly, to New Physics nature.

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arXiv2004

Calorimetric transverse energy-energy correlations as a probe of jet quenching

The sensitivity of calorimetric energy-energy correlation function to the medium-induced energy loss of fast partons in high multiplicity heavy ion interactions is demonstrated at the appropriate selection of events for the analysis, namely, the availability of one high-pt jet in an event at least and using the procedure of ``thermal'' background subtraction. Without jet trigger this correlation function manifests the global structure of transverse energy flux: the correlator is isotropic for central collisions, and for non-central collisions it is sensitive to the azimuthal anisotropy of energy flow reproducing its Fourier harmonics but with the coefficients squared.

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arXiv2003

Searching for dominant rescattering sources in B to two pseudoscalar decays

Various rescattering sources are analyzed in the context of the SU(3) flavor symmetry. In particular, the possibility to account for intermediate charm at the hadronic level in B to PP is thoroughly investigated. Then, the rescattering sources are compared in light of recent B to two charmless pseudoscalar decay measurements, with emphasis on the size of strong phases and on patterns of direct CP-asymmetries.

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arXiv2003

What could be learnt from Positronium for Quarkonium?

In order to fulfill Low's theorem requirements, a new lowest order basis for bound state decay computations is proposed, in which the binding energy is treated non-perturbatively. The properties of the method are sketched by reviewing standard positronium decay processes. Then, it is shown how applying the method to quarkonia sheds new light on some longstanding puzzles.

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arXiv2003

Are B to PI K CP-asymmetries quantized ?

Search for patterns in the numerous B-decay modes now available is necessary in order to test the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa theory of CP-violation. In particular, the well-structured pattern of B to PI K branching ratios may lead to a quantized spectrum for direct CP-asymmetries, providing in this way a rather unique opportunity to discriminate between strong final state interaction models.

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arXiv2002

Very low energy matching of effective meson theories with QCD

A simple matching procedure is proposed to extract constraints on effective meson theories. In this way, a QCD prediction for the pion decay constant is found, F(pi)=2 m(pi)/pi, i.e. approximately 90MeV. The same procedure also determines other mesonic observables, like the decay width of the sigma meson to two photons. Finally, some information which can be gained about the hadronic light-by-light contributions to the muon anomalous moment are briefly commented.

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arXiv1999

SU(N) Elastic Rescattering in B and D Decays

The treatment of elastic final state interactions (FSI) under a symmetry group is presented. The proposed model is based on Watson's theorem, i.e. on symmetry properties of the S-matrix and on its unitarity. This theorem provides an easy way to introduce rescattering effects by defining final state interactions mixing matrices. A symmetry group fixes the structure of such mixing matrices, and the passage from one group to another is studied (for example, SU(2) to SU(3)). Mixings among two charmless pseudoscalar decay product states will be systematically analyzed. Finally, these mixing matrices will be used on quark diagram parametrizations of B and D decay amplitudes. This will have some important consequences on the definition of quark diagrams. It will be argued that these diagrams should not contain any FSI effects, i.e. they should be real (except for CKM factors). FSI are then introduced at the hadronic level, by mixing basic quark diagram topologies.

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