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P. Ball

Publications and source records attributed to P. Ball.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2008

B, D and K decays

With the advent of the LHC, we will be able to probe New Physics (NP) up to energy scales almost one order of magnitude larger than it has been possible with present accelerator facilities. While direct detection of new particles will be the main avenue to establish the presence of NP at the LHC, indirect searches will provide precious complementary information, since most probably it will not be possible to measure the full spectrum of new particles and their couplings through direct production. In particular, precision measurements and computations in the realm of flavour physics are expected to play a key role in constraining the unknown parameters of the Lagrangian of any NP model emerging from direct searches at the LHC. The aim of Working Group 2 was twofold: on one hand, to provide a coherent, up-to-date picture of the status of flavour physics before the start of the LHC; on the other hand, to initiate activities on the path towards integrating information on NP from high-pT and flavour data.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2003

B_s^0 - bar{B}_s^0 Mixing and the B_s -> J/psi phi Asymmetry in Supersymmetric Models

We analyse supersymmetric contributions to B_s mixing and their impact on mixing-induced CP asymmetries, using the mass insertion approximation. We discuss in particular the correlation of SUSY effects in the CP asymmetries of B_s -> J/psi phi and B_d -> phi K_S and find that the mass insertions dominant in B_s mixing and B_d -> phi K_S are (delta_{23}^d)_{LL, RR} and (delta_{23}^d)_{LR, RL}, respectively. We show that models with dominant (delta_{23}^d)_{LR, RL} can accomodate a negative value of S_{phi K_S}, in agreement with the BELLE measurement of that observable, but yield a B_s mixing phase too small to be observed. On the other hand, models with dominant (delta_{23}^d)_{LL, RR} predict sizeable SUSY contributions to both Delta M_s and the mixing phase, but do not allow the asymmetry in B_d -> phi K_S to become negative, except for small values of the average down squark mass, which, in turn, entail a value of Delta M_s too large to be observed at the Tevatron and the LHC. We conclude that the observation of B_s mixing at hadron machines, together with the confirmation of a negative value of S_{phi K_S}, disfavours models with a single dominant mass insertion.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2002

Photon Distribution Amplitudes in QCD

We develop a consistent technique for the calculation of real photon emission in hard exclusive processes, which is based on the background field formalism and allows a convenient separation of hard electromagnetic and soft hadronic components of the photon. The latter ones are related to matrix-elements of light-cone operators in the electromagnetic background field and can be parametrized in terms of photon distribution amplitudes. We construct a complete set of photon distribution amplitudes up to and including twist-4, for both chirality-conserving and chirality-violating operators. The distribution amplitudes involve several nonperturbative parameters and, most importantly, the magnetic susceptibility of the quark condensate. We review and update previous estimates of the susceptibility and also give new estimates of parameters describing higher-twist amplitudes from QCD sum rules.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1997

Radiative Corrections to the Decay $B\to \pi e\nu$ and the Heavy Quark Limit

We calculate radiative corrections to the light-cone sum rule for the semileptonic form factor in $B\to\pi e\nu$ decays and thus remove the major uncertainty in determining the CKM mixing angle $|V_{ub}|$ by this method. We discuss the remaining uncertainties and perspectives for further studies. The structure of the radiative corrections suggests factorization of soft (end-point) and hard rescattering contributions in heavy-to-light decays in the heavy quark limit.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1996

The $\rho$ Meson Light-Cone Distribution Amplitudes of Leading Twist Revisited

We give a complete re-analysis of the leading twist quark-antiquark light-cone distribution amplitudes of longitudinal and transverse $\rho$ mesons. We derive Wandzura-Wilczek type relations between different distributions and update the coefficients in their conformal expansion using QCD sum rules including next-to-leading order radiative corrections. We find that the distribution amplitudes of quarks inside longitudinally and transversely polarized $\rho$ mesons have a similar shape, which is in contradiction to previous analyses.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1995

Resummation of Running Coupling Effects in Semileptonic B Meson Decays and Extraction of $|V_{cb}|$

We present a determination of $|V_{cb}|$ from semileptonic B decays that includes resummation of supposedly large perturbative corrections, originating from the running of the strong coupling. We argue that the low value of the BLM scale found previously for inclusive decays is a manifestation of the renormalon divergence of the perturbative series starting already in third order. A reliable determination of $|V_{cb}|$ from inclusive decays is possible if one either uses a short-distance b quark mass or eliminates all unphysical mass parameters in terms of measured observables, such that all infra-red contributions of order $1/m_b$ cancel explicitly. We find that using the $\overline{\rm MS}$ running mass significantly reduces the perturbative coefficients already in low orders. For a semileptonic branching ratio of $10.9\%$ we obtain $|V_{cb}|(\tau_B/1.50\,{\rm ps})^{1/2}= 0.041\pm 0.002$ from inclusive decays, in good agreement with the value extracted from exclusive decays.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1995

Resummation of $(\beta_0 \alpha_s)^n$ Corrections in QCD: Techniques and Applications to the $\tau$ Hadronic Width and the Heavy Quark Pole Mass

We propose to resum exactly any number of one-loop vacuum polarization insertions into the scale of the coupling of lowest order radiative corrections. This makes maximal use of the information contained in one-loop perturbative corrections combined with the one-loop running of the effective coupling and provides a natural extension of the familiar BLM scale-fixing prescription to all orders in the perturbation theory. It is suggested that the remaining radiative corrections should be reduced after resummation. In this paper we implement this resummation by a dispersion technique and indicate a possible generalization to incorporate two-loop evolution. We investigate in some detail higher order perturbative corrections to the $\tau$ decay width and the pole mass of a heavy quark. We find that these corrections tend to reduce $\alpha_s(m_\tau)$ determined from $\tau$ decays by approximately 10\% and increase the difference between the bottom pole and $\MS$-renormalized mass by 30\%.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1994

Theory of Semi-- and Nonleptonic Decays of Heavy Mesons

I review some of the recent developments in the theoretical description of weak inclusive decays of heavy mesons. The topics cover the value of $|V_{cb}|$ as extracted from semileptonic inclusive decays and a short discussion of the theoretical errors. I also present the results of a recent calculation of next--to--leading order corrections to nonleptonic inclusive B decays which allows an improved prediction of the semileptonic branching ratio of B mesons.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1994

Radiative Corrections to Nonleptonic Inclusive B Decays and the Semileptonic Branching Ratio of B Mesons

We calculate the radiative corrections to the nonleptonic inclusive B decay mode $b\to c ud$ taking into account the charm quark mass. The corrections increase the decay rate by (4--8)\%, depending on the renormalization point. Using these results, we obtain an improved theoretical prediction for the semileptonic branching ratio of B mesons. This talk relies on work done in collaboration with E. Bagan, V.M.\ Braun and P. Gosdzinsky.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1994

Charm Quark Mass Dependence of QCD Corrections to Nonleptonic Inclusive B Decays

We calculate the radiative corrections to the nonleptonic inclusive B decay mode $b\rightarrow c\bar u d$ taking into account the charm quark mass. Compared to the massless case, corrections resulting from a nonvanishing c quark mass increase the nonleptonic rate by (4--8)\%, depending on the renormalization point. As a by--product of our calculation, we obtain an analytic expression for the radiative correction to the semileptonic decay $b\rightarrow u\tau\bar\nu$ taking into account the $\tau$ lepton mass, and estimate the c quark mass effects on the nonleptonic decay mode $b\rightarrow c\bar c s$.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1994

The Mass Definition in Hqet and a New Determination of V$_{\text{cb}}$

Positive powers of the mass parameter in a physical quantity calculated with the help of heavy quark effective theory originate from a Wilson coefficient in the matching of QCD and HQET Green function. We show that this mass parameter enters the calculation as a well--defined running current mass. We further argue that the recently found ill--definition of the pole mass, which is the natural expansion parameter of HQET, does not affect a phenomenological analysis which uses truncated perturbative series. We reanalyse inclusive semileptonic decays of heavy mesons and obtain the $c$ quark mass $m_c^{\overline{\text{MS}}}(m_c) = (1.35\pm 0.20)\,\text{GeV}$ where the error is almost entirely due to scale--uncertainties. We also obtain $m_b^{\overline{\text{MS}}}(m_b) = (4.6\pm 0.3)\,\text{GeV}$ and $|V_{cb}|(\tau_B/1.49\,\text{ps})^{1/2} = 0.036\pm 0.005$ where the errors come from the uncertainty in the kinetic energy of the heavy quark inside the meson, in the experimental branching ratios, in QCD input parameters, and scale--uncertainties.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1993

Finite Mass Corrections to Leptonic Decay Constants in the Heavy Quark Effective Theory

We calculate finite mass corrections to leptonic decay constants in HQET using QCD sum rules. The results are given to two--loop accuracy including renormalization group analysis. The contribution of unknown two--loop anomalous dimension matrix--elements is estimated. We find that the $1/m_Q$ corrections to $f_P$, the decay constant of a pseudoscalar meson, amount $-(23\pm4\pm2)\%$ for the B meson. The first error comes from the sum rule uncertainty, the second one from unknown or not accurately known matrix elements in HQET. We obtain a ratio of vector to pseudoscalar decay constant of $1.00\pm0.07+O(1/m_Q^2)$ for B mesons.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1993

Next--to--Leading Order Corrections to Meson Masses in the Heavy Quark Effective Theory

We use the QCD sum rule approach to calculate the splitting between vector and pseudoscalar mesons containing one light and one heavy quark, and the kinetic energy of the heavy quark. Our result for the splitting induced by the chromomagnetic interaction agrees to the experimental data on charm and beauty mesons. For the matrix element of the kinetic energy operator, we obtain the value $K=-(0.60\pm 0.10)\, {\rm GeV}^2$.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1993

Semileptonic Inclusive B--Decays and the Determination of $|V_{ub}|$ from QCD Sum Rules

We calculate the electron spectrum of semileptonic decays of B-mesons into non-charmed hadrons. The shape of the spectrum obtained from QCD sum rules is in general agreement with quark model calculations. At high electron energies the decrease of the spectrum is less steep than predicted by Altarelli et al. Our analysis yields a total decay rate $Γ(B\to X_u e\barν) = (6.8\pm 2.0) 10^{13} |V_{ub}|^2 {s}^{-1}$. For the spectrum integrated over electron energies in the interval $2.4{ GeV}\leq E_e \leq 2.6\mbox{\ GeV}$ in the laboratory frame we obtain $Γ(B\to X_u e \barν)= (5.0\pm 1.6) 10^{12} |V_{ub}|^2 {s}^{-1}$. Estimating all sorts of theoretical uncertainties, we obtain $|V_{ub}| = 0.003\pm 0.001$ for the $b \to u$ weak transition matrix element from the new CLEO-data.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1992

Remarks on the Heavy-Quark Symmetry in the Complex Plane

Hadronic systems built from a heavy quark and a cloud of light quarks and massless gluons posess the Isgur-Wise symmetry resulting in certain relations between various form factors. These relations can not be valid in the entire complex plane. We identify contributions which unavoidably violate strongly the symmetry in the time-like domain near thresholds. A possible connection with the heavy-quark phenomenology is discussed in brief.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1992

The Isgur-Wise Function to $O(\alpha_s)$ from Sum Rules in the Heavy Quark Effective Theory

Radiative corrections to both perturbative and non-perturbative contributions are added to existing calculations of the Isgur-Wise function $\xi_{IW}$. To this end, we develop a method for calculating two-loop integrals in the heavy quark effective theory involving two different scales. The inclusion of $O(\alpha_s)$ terms causes $\xi_{IW}$ to decrease as compared to the lowest order result and shows the importance of quantum effects. The slope parameter $\rho^2$ violates the bound given by de Rafael and Taron.

hep-ph↗