arXiv subjects

Sébastien Descotes-Genon

Publications and source records attributed to Sébastien Descotes-Genon.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Constraining the gauge and scalar sectors of the doublet left-right symmetric model

We consider a left-right symmetric extension of the Standard Model where the spontaneous breakdown of the left-right symmetry is triggered by doublets. The electroweak $ρ$ parameter is protected from large corrections in this Doublet Left-Right Model (DLRM), contrary to the triplet case. This allows in principle for more diverse patterns of symmetry breaking. We consider several constraints on the gauge and scalar sectors of DLRM: the unitarity of scattering processes involving gauge bosons with longitudinal polarisations, the radiative corrections to the muon $Δr$ parameter and the electroweak precision observables measured at the $Z$ pole and at low energies. Combining these constraints within the frequentist CKMfitter approach, we see that the fit pushes the scale of left-right symmetry breaking up to a few TeV, while favouring an electroweak symmetry breaking triggered not only by the $ SU(2)_L \times SU(2)_R $ bi-doublet, which is the case most commonly considered in the literature, but also by the $ SU(2)_L $ doublet.

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arXiv2020

Emerging patterns of New Physics with and without Lepton Flavour Universal contributions

We perform a model-independent global fit to $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ observables to confirm existing New Physics (NP) patterns (or scenarios) and to identify new ones emerging from the inclusion of the updated LHCb and Belle measurements of $R_K$ and $R_{K^*}$, respectively. Our analysis, updating Refs. [1,2] and including these new data, suggests the presence of right-handed couplings encoded in the Wilson coefficients ${\cal C}_{9'μ}$ and ${\cal C}_{10'μ}$. It also strengthens our earlier observation that a lepton flavour universality violating (LFUV) left-handed lepton coupling (${\cal C}_{9μ}^{\rm V}=-{\cal C}_{10μ}^{\rm V}$), often preferred from the model building point of view, accommodates the data better if lepton-flavour universal (LFU) NP is allowed, in particular in ${\cal C}_{9}^{\rm U}$. Furthermore, this scenario with LFU NP provides a simple and model-independent connection to the $b\to cτν$ anomalies, showing a preference of $\approx 7\,σ$ with respect to the SM. It may also explain why fits to the whole set of $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ data or to the subset of LFUV data exhibit stronger preferences for different NP scenarios. Finally, motivated by $Z^\prime$ models with vector-like quarks, we propose four new scenarios with LFU and LFUV NP contributions that give a very good fit to data. We provide also an addendum collecting our updated results after including the data for the $B\to K^*μμ$ angular distribution released in 2020 by the LHCb collaboration.

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arXiv2020

Symmetries in $B \to D^* \ell ν$ angular observables

We apply the formalism of amplitude symmetries to the angular distribution of the decays $B \to D^* \ell ν$ for $\ell=e,μ,τ$. We show that the angular observables used to describe the distribution of this class of decays are not independent in absence of New Physics contributing to tensor operators. We derive sets of relations among the angular coefficients of the decay distribution for the massless and massive lepton cases which can be used to probe in a very general way the consistency among the angular observables and the underlying New Physics at work. We use these relations to access the longitudinal polarisation fraction of the $D^*$ using different angular coefficients from the ones used by Belle experiment. This in the near future can provide an alternative strategy to measure $F_L^{D^*}$ in $B \to D^* τν$ and to understand the relatively high value measured by the Belle experiment. Using the same symmetries, we identify three observables which may exhibit a tension if the experimental value of $F_L^{D^*}$ remains high. We discuss how these relations can be exploited for binned measurements. We also propose a new observable that could test for specific scenarios of New Physics generated by light right-handed neutrinos. Finally we study the prospects of testing these relations based on the projected experimental sensitivity of new experiments.

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arXiv2020

Angular analysis of the rare decay $Λ_b\to Λ(1520)(\to NK)\ell^+\ell^-$

We study the differential decay rate for the rare decay $Λ_b\to Λ(1520)(\to NK)\ell^+\ell^-$ where $\ell$ is a light lepton, as this decay mode can provide new and complementary constraints on the Wilson coefficients in $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ transitions compared to other modes. We provide a determination of the complete angular distribution, assuming unpolarised $Λ_b$ baryons and neglecting the lepton mass. The resulting angular observables are expressed in terms of helicity amplitudes involving hadronic form factors within the Standard Model and New physics models with chirality-flipped operators. We study these observables at low and large $Λ$ recoils, using effective theories to determine relations among the hadronic form factors involved. As there is currently no determination of the form factors available from lattice simulations or light-cone sum rules, we perform a first illustration of the sensitivity of some observables to New Physics contributions using hadronic inputs from quark models.

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arXiv2020

Implications of $b\to sμμ$ Anomalies for Future Measurements of $B \to K^{(*)} ν\bar ν$ and $K\to πν\bar ν$

We investigate the consequences of deviations from the Standard Model observed in $b\to sμμ$ transitions for flavour-changing neutral-current processes involving down-type quarks and neutrinos. We derive the relevant Wilson coefficients within an effective field theory approach respecting the SM gauge symmetry, including right-handed currents, a flavour structure based on approximate $U(2)$ symmetry, and assuming only SM-like light neutrinos. We discuss correlations among $B \to K^{(*)} ν\bar ν$ and $K\to πν\bar ν$ branching ratios in the case of linear Minimal Flavour Violation and in a more general framework, highlighting in each case the role played by various New Physics scenarios proposed to explain $b\to sμμ$ deviations.

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arXiv2020

Light-Cone Sum Rules for $B\to Kπ$ Form Factors and Applications to Rare Decays

We derive a set of light-cone sum rules relating the hadronic form factors relevant for $B\to Kπ\ell^+\ell^-$ decays to the $B$-meson light-cone distribution amplitudes (LCDAs). We obtain the sum rule relations for all $B\to Kπ$ form factors of (axial)vector and (pseudo)tensor $b\to s$ currents with a $P$-wave $Kπ$ system. Our results reduce to the known light-cone sum rules for $B\to K^*$ form factors in the limit of a single narrow-width resonance. We update the operator-product expansion for the underlying correlation function by including a more complete set of $B$-meson LCDAs with higher twists, and produce numerical results for all $B\to K^*$ form factors in the narrow-width limit. We then use the new sum rules to estimate the effect of a non-vanishing $K^*$ width in $B\to K^*$ transitions, and find that this effect is universal and increases the factorizable part of the rate of $B\to K^*X$ decays by a factor of $20\%$. This effect, by itself, goes in the direction of increasing the current tension in the differential $B\to K^*μμ$ branching fractions. We also discuss $B\to Kπ$ transitions outside the $K^*$ window, and explain how measurements of $B\to Kπ\ell\ell$ observables above the $K^*$ region can be used to further constrain the $B\to K^*$ form factors.

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arXiv2019

What $R_K$ and $Q_5$ can tell us about New Physics in $b\to s\ell\ell$ transitions?

The deviations with respect to the Standard Model that are currently observed in $b \to s \ell\ell$ transitions, or $B$ anomalies, can be interpreted in terms of different New Physics (NP) scenarios within a model-independent effective approach. We identify a set of internal tensions of the fit that require further attention and whose theoretical or experimental nature could be determined with more data. In this landscape of NP, we discuss possible ways to discriminate among favoured NP hypotheses in the short term thanks to current and forthcoming observables. While an update of $R_K$ should help to disentangle the type of NP we may be observing (Lepton-Flavour Universality Violating and/or Lepton Flavour Universal), additional observables, in particular $Q_5$, turn out to be central to determine which NP hypothesis should be preferred. We also analyse the preferences shown by the current global fit concerning various NP hypotheses, using two different tools: the behaviour of the pulls of individual observables under NP scenarios and the directions favoured by approximate quadratic parametrisations of the observables in terms of Wilson coefficients.

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arXiv2019

The CKM parameters in the SMEFT

The extraction of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix from flavour observables can be affected by physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). We provide a general roadmap to take this into account, which we apply to the case of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). We choose a set of four input observables that determine the four Wolfenstein parameters, and discuss how the effects of dimension-six operators can be included in their definition. We provide numerical values and confidence intervals for the CKM parameters, and compare them with the results of CKM fits obtained in the SM context. Our approach allows one to perform general SMEFT analyses in a consistent fashion, independently of any assumptions about the way new physics affects flavour observables. We discuss a few examples illustrating how our approach can be implemented in practice.

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arXiv2019

Are we overlooking Lepton Flavour Universal New Physics in $b\to s\ell\ell$ ?

The deviations with respect to the Standard Model (SM) that are currently observed in $b \to s \ell\ell$ transitions (the so-called flavour anomalies) can be interpreted in terms of different New Physics (NP) scenarios within a model-independent effective approach. We reconsider the determination of NP in global fits from a different perspective by removing one implicit hypothesis of current analyses, namely that NP is only Lepton-Flavour Universality Violating (LFUV). We examine the roles played by LFUV NP and Lepton-Flavour Universal (LFU) NP altogether, providing new directions to identify the possible theory beyond the SM responsible for the anomalies observed. New patterns of NP emerge due to the possibility of allowing at the same time large LFUV and LFU NP contributions to $C_{10μ}$, which provides a different mechanism to obey the constraint from the $B_s \toμ^+μ^-$ branching ratio. In this landscape of NP, we discuss how to discriminate among these scenarios in the short term thanks to current and forthcoming observables. While the update of $R_K$ will be a major milestone to confirm the NP origin of the flavour anomalies, additional observables, in particular the LFUV angular observable $Q_5$, turn out to be central to assess the precise NP scenario responsible for the observed anomalies.

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arXiv2019

Rare B, D and K decays, radiative and electroweak penguin decays, including constraints on $V_{td}/V_{ts}$ and $ε'/ε$: Summary of CKM 2018 working group 3

Rare $B$, $D$ and $K$ decays provide interesting probes of the Standard Model (SM), with a potential sensitivity to New Physics (NP) higher than other, more common, decays. Their experimental measurement is challenging, and their theoretical interpretation requires a precise knowledge of QCD at low energies, in the non-perturbative (hadronic) regime. The various $b$, $c$, $s$ decays provide different types of tests of the Standard Model, which can be performed in different experimental settings and which may exhibit correlated deviations in models of New Physics.

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arXiv2019

Non-minimal $331$ model for Lepton Flavour Universality Violation in $b\to s\ell\ell$ decays

331 models constitute an extension of the Standard Model (SM) obtained by enlarging the SM gauge group $SU(3)_\text{C}\times SU(2)_\text{L}\times U(1)_Y$ to the group $SU(3)_\text{C}\times SU(3)_\text{L}\times U(1)_X$. We investigate how a non-minimal 331 model may embed lepton flavour universality violating contributions to $b\to s\ell\ell$ processes without introducing lepton flavour violation, as suggested by the recent LHCb measurements of the ratios $R_K$ and $R_{K^*}$. We discuss the model-independent scenarios of New Physics in $b\to s\ell\ell$ currently favoured by the data that could be accommodated by this model and consider a few phenomenological constraints on this model.

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arXiv2018

Patterns of New Physics in $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ transitions in the light of recent data

In the Standard Model (SM), the rare transitions where a bottom quark decays into a strange quark and a pair of light leptons exhibit a potential sensitivity to physics beyond the SM. In addition, the SM embeds Lepton Flavour Universality (LFU), leading to almost identical probabilities for muon and electron modes. The LHCb collaboration discovered a set of deviations from the SM expectations in decays to muons and also in ratios assessing LFU. Other experiments (Belle, ATLAS, CMS) found consistent measurements, albeit with large error bars. We perform a global fit to all available $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ data ($\ell=e,μ$) in a model-independent way allowing for different patterns of New Physics. For the first time, the NP hypothesis is preferred over the SM by $5\,σ$ in a general case when NP can enter SM-like operators and their chirally-flipped partners. LFU violation is favoured with respect to LFU at the 3-4$\,σ$ level. We discuss the impact of LFU-violating New Physics on the observable $P_5^\prime$ from $B \to K^*μ^+μ^-$ and we compare our estimate for long-distance charm contributions with an empirical model recently proposed by a group of LHCb experimentalists. Finally, we discuss NP models able to describe this consistent pattern of deviations.

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arXiv2017

Searching for New Physics with $b\to sτ^+τ^-$ processes

In recent years, intriguing hints for the violation of Lepton Flavour Universality (LFU) have been accumulated in semileptonic $B$ decays, both in the neutral-current transitions $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ (i.e., $R_K$ and $R_{K^*}$) and the charged-current transitions $b\to c\ell^-\barν_\ell$ (i.e., $R_D$, $R_{D^*}$ and $R_{J/ψ}$). LHCb has reported deviations from the Standard Model (SM) expectations in $b\to sμ^+μ^-$ processes as well as in the ratios $R_K$ and $R_{K^*}$, which together point at New Physics (NP) affecting muons with a high significance. Furthermore, hints for LFU violation in $R_{D^{(*)}}$ and $R_{J/ψ}$ point at large deviations from the SM in processes involving tau leptons. Together, these hints for NP motivate the possibility of huge LFU-violating effects in $b\to sτ^+τ^-$ transitions. In this article we predict the branching ratios of $B\to Kτ^+τ^-$, $B\to K^{*}τ^+τ^-$ and $B_s\to ϕτ^+τ^-$ taking into account NP effects in the Wilson coefficients $C_{9(')}^{ττ}$ and $C_{10(')}^{ττ}$. Assuming a common NP explanation of $R_{D^{}}$ , $R_{D^{(*)}}$ and $R_{J/ψ}$, we show that a very large enhancement of $b\to sτ^+τ^-$ processes, of around three orders of magnitude compared to the SM, can be expected under fairly general assumptions. We find that the branching ratios of $B_s\to τ^+τ^-$, $B_s\to ϕτ^+τ^-$ and $B\to K^{(*)}τ^+τ^-$ under these assumptions are in the observable range for LHCb and Belle II.

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arXiv2017

The CKM Parameters

The Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix is a key element to describe flavour dynamics in the Standard Model. With only four parameters, this matrix is able to describe a large range of phenomena in the quark sector, such as CP violation and rare decays. It can thus be constrained by many different processes, which have to be measured experimentally with a high accuracy and computed with a good theoretical control. With the advent of the B factories and the LHCb experiment taking data, the precision has significantly improved recently. The most relevant experimental constraints and theoretical inputs are reviewed and fits to the CKM matrix are presented for the Standard Model and for some topical model-independent studies of New Physics.

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arXiv2017

Modelling theoretical uncertainties in phenomenological analyses for particle physics

The determination of the fundamental parameters of the Standard Model (and its extensions) is often limited by the presence of statistical and theoretical uncertainties. We present several models for the latter uncertainties (random, nuisance, external) in the frequentist framework, and we derive the corresponding $p$-values. In the case of the nuisance approach where theoretical uncertainties are modeled as biases, we highlight the important, but arbitrary, issue of the range of variation chosen for the bias parameters. We introduce the concept of adaptive $p$-value, which is obtained by adjusting the range of variation for the bias according to the significance considered, and which allows us to tackle metrology and exclusion tests with a single and well-defined unified tool, which exhibits interesting frequentist properties. We discuss how the determination of fundamental parameters is impacted by the model chosen for theoretical uncertainties, illustrating several issues with examples from quark flavour physics.

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arXiv2016

Short-distance QCD corrections to $K^0\bar{K}^0$ mixing at next-to-leading order in Left-Right models

Left-Right (LR) models are extensions of the Standard Model where left-right symmetry is restored at high energies, and which are strongly constrained by kaon mixing described in the framework of the $|ΔS|=2$ effective Hamiltonian. We consider the short-distance QCD corrections to this Hamiltonian both in the Standard Model (SM) and in LR models. The leading logarithms occurring in these short-distance corrections can be resummed within a rigourous Effective Field Theory (EFT) approach integrating out heavy degrees of freedom progressively, or using an approximate simpler method of regions identifying the ranges of loop momentum generating large logarithms in the relevant two-loop diagrams. We compare the two approaches in the SM at next-to-leading order, finding a very good agreement when one scale dominates the problem, but only a fair agreement in the presence of a large logarithm at leading order. We compute the short-distance QCD corrections for LR models at next-to-leading order using the method of regions, and we compare the results with the EFT approach for the $WW'$ box with two charm quarks (together with additional diagrams forming a gauge-invariant combination), where a large logarithm occurs already at leading order. We conclude by providing next-to-leading-order estimates for $cc$, $ct$ and $tt$ boxes in LR models.

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arXiv2016

Global analysis of $b\to s\ell\ell$ anomalies

We present a detailed discussion of the current theoretical and experimental situation of the anomaly in the angular distribution of $B \to K^*(\to Kπ)μ^+μ^-$, observed at LHCb in the $1~\text{fb}^{-1}$ dataset and recently confirmed by the $3~\text{fb}^{-1}$ dataset. The impact of this data and other recent measurements on $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ transitions ($\ell=e,μ$) is considered. We review the observables of interest, focusing on their theoretical uncertainties and their sensitivity to New Physics, based on an analysis employing the QCD factorisation approach including several sources of hadronic uncertainties (form factors, power corrections, charm-loop effects). We perform fits to New Physics contributions including experimental and theoretical correlations. The solution that we proposed in 2013 to solve the $B\to K^*μ^+μ^-$ anomaly, with a contribution ${\mathcal C}_9^{\rm NP}\simeq -1$, is confirmed and reinforced. A wider range of New-Physics scenarios with high significances (between 4 and 5 $σ$) emerges from the fit, some of them being particularly relevant for model building. More data is needed to discriminate among them conclusively. The inclusion of $b\to s e^+ e^-$ observables increases the significance of the favoured scenarios under the hypothesis of New Physics breaking lepton flavour universality. Several tests illustrate the robustness of our conclusions.

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arXiv2016

The b --> s l^+ l^- anomalies and their implications for new physics

Recently, the LHC has found several anomalies in exclusive semileptonic b --> s l^+ l^- decays. In this proceeding, we summarize the most important results of our global analysis of the relevant decay modes. After a discussion of the hadronic uncertainties entering the theoretical predictions, we present an interpretation of the data in terms of generic new physics scenarios. To this end, we have performed model-independent fits of the corresponding Wilson coefficients to the data and have found that in certain scenarios the best fit point is prefererred over the Standard Model by a global significance of more than 4σ. Based on the results, the discrimination between high-scale new physics and low-energy QCD effects as well as the possibility of lepton-flavour universality violation are discussed.

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