Ds+ → π+ π+ π− decay: The $$1^3 P_0 s\bar s$$ component in scalar-isoscalar mesons

We calculate the processes \(D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + s\bar s\) and D _s ⁺ → π⁺resonance, respectively, in the spectator and W-annihilation mechanisms. The data on the reaction D _s ⁺ → π⁺ρ⁰, which is due to the W-annihilation mechanism only, point to a negligibly small contribution of the W annihilation to the production of scalar-isoscalar resonances D _s ⁺ ?π⁺f₀. As to spectator mechanism, we evaluate the \(1^3 P_0 s\bar s\) component in the resonances f₀(980), f₀(1300), and f₀(1500) and broad state f₀(1200–1600) on the basis of data on the decay ratios D _s ⁺ ?π⁺f₀/(D _s ⁺ ?π⁺_θ). The data point to a large \(s\bar s\) component in the \(f_0 (980):40 \lesssim s\bar s \lesssim 70\% \). Nearly 30% of the \(1^3 P_0 s\bar s\) component flows to the mass region 1300–1500 MeV, being shared by f₀(1300), f₀(1500), and broad state f₀(1200–1600): the interference of these states results in a peak near 1400 MeV with the width around 200 MeV. Our calculations show that the yield of the radial-excitation state\(2^3 P_0 s\bar s\)is relatively suppressed, \({{\Gamma (D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + (2^3 P_0 s\bar s))} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\Gamma (D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + (2^3 P_0 s\bar s))} {\Gamma (D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + (1^3 P_0 s\bar s))}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\Gamma (D_s^ + \to \pi ^ + (1^3 P_0 s\bar s))}} \lesssim 0.05\).     

Master integrals for double real radiation emission in heavy-to-light quark decay

We evaluate analytically the master integrals for double real radiation emission in the \(b \rightarrow u W^*\) decay, where b and u are a massive and massless quark, respectively, while \(W^{*}\) is an off-shell charged weak boson. Since the W boson can subsequently decay in a lepton anti-neutrino pair, the results of the present paper constitute a further step toward a fully analytic computation of differential distributions for the semileptonic decay of a b quark at NNLO in QCD. The latter partonic process plays a crucial role in the study of inclusive semileptonic charmless decays of B mesons. Our results are expressed in terms of multiple polylogarithms of maximum weight four.     

The strong decays of <Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis>(3940) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis>(4160)

The new mesons X(3940) and X(4160) have been found by Belle Collaboration in the processes \(e^+e^-\rightarrow J/\psi D^{(*)}{\bar{D}}^{(*)}\). Considering X(3940) and X(4160) as \(\eta _c(3S)\) and \(\eta _c(4S)\) states, the two-body open charm OZI-allowed strong decay of \(\eta _c(3S)\) and \(\eta _c(4S)\) are studied by the improved Bethe–Salpeter method combined with the \(^3P_0\) model. The strong decay width of \(\eta _c(3S)\) is \(\Gamma _{\eta _c(3S)}=(33.5^{+18.4}_{-15.3})\) MeV, which is close to the result of X(3940); therefore, \(\eta _c(3S)\) is a good candidate of X(3940). The strong decay width of \(\eta _c(4S)\) is \(\Gamma _{\eta _c(4S)}=(69.9^{+22.4}_{-21.1})\) MeV, considering the errors of the results, it is close to the lower limit of X(4160). But the ratio of the decay width \(\frac{\Gamma (D{\bar{D}}^*)}{\Gamma (D^*{\bar{D}}^*)}\) of \(\eta _c(4S)\) is larger than the experimental data of X(4160). According to the above analysis, \(\eta _c(4S)\) is not the candidate of X(4160), and more investigations of X(4160) is needed.     

Associated Production of the Charged and Neutral Higgs Bosons at the ILC within the Higgs Triplet Model

The Higgs Triplet Model (HTM) predicts the existences of the extra neutral scalars H_i(H_i = H, A) and the charged Higgs bosons (H^± and H^±±). In this work, we make a systematic investigation for the associated production of the singly-charged and neutral Higgs bosons via the processes: \(e^{+}e^{-}\rightarrow H^{+}W^{-}H\) and \(e^{+}e^{-}\rightarrow H^{+}W^{-}A\). From the numerical evaluations for the production cross sections and relevant phenomenological analysis we find that (i) the production rates of these processes can reach the level of several fb with reasonable parameter values; (ii) due to the large production rates and small backgrounds, the signals of these scalars might be detected via these processes at the future ILC experiments; and (iii) for the case of \(m_{H_{i}}> m_{H^{\pm }}> m_{H^{\pm \pm }}\), the cascade decay modes \(H_{i}\to H^{\pm }W^{\mp \ast }\) with \(H^{\pm }\to H^{\pm \pm }W^{\mp \ast }\) would lead to production of H⁺⁺H^?? accompanied by several virtual W bosons. Such characteristic feature can help us to distinguish the HTM from the Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM) and the Minimal Supersymmetric Model (MSSM).     

Investigation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hττ</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hbb</Emphasis> coupling constants for a scalar (pseudoscalar) Higgs boson at a future linear electron-positron collider

The possibility of setting constraints on the couplings of a scalar (pseudoscalar) Higgs boson to the tau lepton and the b quark in the reactions \(e^ + e^ - \to \nu \bar \nu \tau ^ + \tau ^ - \) and \(e^ + e^ - \to \nu \bar \nu b\bar b\) at a future linear electron-positron collider of total energy \(\sqrt s = 500 GeV\) is studied. The admixture of a new hypothetical pseudoscalar state of the Higgs boson in the H ff vertex is parametrized in the form (m _f /ν)(a+iγ₅b). On the basis of an analysis of differential distributions for the processes under study, it is shown that data from the future linear collider TESLA will make it possible to constrain the parameters a and b as ?0.32≤Δa≤0.24 and ?0.73≤b≤0.73 in the case of the reaction \(e^ + e^ - \to \nu \bar \nu \tau ^ + \tau ^ - \) and as ?0.026≤Δa≤0.027 and ?0.23≤b≤0.23 in the case of the reaction \(e^ + e^ - \to \nu \bar \nu b\bar b\). It is emphasized that the contribution of the fusion subprocess WW → H in the channel involving an electron neutrino is of particular importance, since this contribution enhances the sensitivity of data to the parameters being analyzed.     

Recent results on kaon decays by the NA48/2 experiment at CERN

The NA48/2 experiment reports the first observation of the rare decay K^± → π^±π⁰e⁺e^?, based on about 2000 candidates from 2003 data. The preliminary branching ratio in the full kinematic region is \(\mathcal {B}(K^{\pm } \to \pi ^{\pm }\pi ^{0}e^{+}e^{-})=(4.06\pm 0.17)\cdot 10^{-6}\). A sample of 4.687 × 10⁶\(K^{\pm }\to \pi ^{\pm }{\pi ^{0}_{D}}\) events collected in 2003/4 is analyzed to search for the dark photon (\(A^{\prime }\)) via the decay chain K^± → π^±π⁰, \(\pi ^{0}\to \gamma A^{\prime }\), \(A^{\prime }\to e^{+}e^{-}\). No signal is observed, limits in the plane mixing parameter ε² versus its mass \(m_{A^{\prime }}\) are reported.     

Determinations of $$|V_{cb}|$$ and $$|V_{ub}|$$|Vub| from baryonic $$\Lambda _b$$Λb decays

We present the first attempt to extract \(|V_{cb}|\) from the \(\Lambda _b\rightarrow \Lambda _c^+\ell \bar{\nu }_\ell \) decay without relying on \(|V_{ub}|\) inputs from the B meson decays. Meanwhile, the hadronic \(\Lambda _b\rightarrow \Lambda _c M_{(c)}\) decays with \(M=(\pi ^-,K^-)\) and \(M_c=(D^-,D^-_s)\) measured with high precisions are involved in the extraction. Explicitly, we find that \(|V_{cb}|=(44.6\pm 3.2)\times 10^{-3}\), agreeing with the value of \((42.11\pm 0.74)\times 10^{-3}\) from the inclusive \(B\rightarrow X_c\ell \bar{\nu }_\ell \) decays. Furthermore, based on the most recent ratio of \(|V_{ub}|/|V_{cb}|\) from the exclusive modes, we obtain \(|V_{ub}|=(4.3\pm 0.4)\times 10^{-3}\), which is close to the value of \((4.49\pm 0.24)\times 10^{-3}\) from the inclusive \(B\rightarrow X_u\ell \bar{\nu }_\ell \) decays. We conclude that our determinations of \(|V_{cb}|\) and \(|V_{ub}|\) favor the corresponding inclusive extractions in the B decays.     

CP violation at colliders

The prospects of experimental detection ofCP violation ate ⁺ e ^? and\(pp/p\bar p\) colliders are reviewed. After a general discussion on the quantities which can measureCP violation and on the implications of theCPT theorem, various possibilities of measuringCP violation arising outside the standard model are taken up.CP violation in leptonic processes, especially polarization effects ine ⁺ e ^?→l ⁺ l ^? are discussed next.CP violation in\(t\overline t \) andW ⁺ W ^? production and decay is also described.     

Sbottom signature of supersymmetric golden region

The experimental search limit on the Higgs boson mass points to a “golden region” in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model parameter space in which the fine-tuning in the electroweak sector is minimized. One of the sbottoms is relatively light since its mass parameter is related to that of the stop. The decay products of the light sbottom typically include a W boson and a b jet. We studied the pair production of the light sbottoms at the Large Hadron Collider and examined its discovery potential via collider signature of 4 jets + 1 lepton + missing E _T . Such channel differs from conventional sbottom searches of either \(\tilde{b}_{1} \rightarrow b \chi_{2}^{0} \rightarrow b \ell^{+}\ell^{-} \chi_{1}^{0}\) or \(\tilde{b}_{1} \rightarrow t \chi_{1}^{-}\) with reconstructed top quark. We analyzed the Standard Model backgrounds for this channel and developed a set of cuts to identify the signal and suppress the backgrounds. We showed that with 100 fb^?1 integrated luminosity, a significance level of 5–6 σ could be reached for the light sbottom discovery at the LHC.     

Quantum Diffusion and Eigenfunction Delocalization in a Random Band Matrix Model

We consider Hermitian and symmetric random band matrices H in d ≥ 1 dimensions. The matrix elements H _xy , indexed by \({x,y \in \Lambda \subset \mathbb{Z}^d}\), are independent, uniformly distributed random variables if \({\lvert{x-y}\rvert}\) is less than the band width W, and zero otherwise. We prove that the time evolution of a quantum particle subject to the Hamiltonian H is diffusive on time scales \({t\ll W^{d/3}}\). We also show that the localization length of the eigenvectors of H is larger than a factor W ^d/6 times the band width. All results are uniform in the size \({\lvert{\Lambda}\rvert}\) of the matrix.     

Analysis of th e $$Hb\bar b$$ coupling constant and CP-violation eff ects at th e futur e e+ e− collid er

The \(e^ + e^ - \to b\bar bv\bar v\) process, where υ is an electron, muon, or τ-lepton neutrino, is analyzed in detail for the general form of the coupling constant of a Higgs boson with b quarks, with the (m _b /v)(a+Iγ₅b) parameterization of the \(Hb\bar b\) interaction. This process is shown to be highly sensitive to this coupling constant. Experiments at the future with \(\sqrt s = 500 - GeV\) linear collider will provide limits of 2 and 20% for deviations of the parameters a and b, respectively, from their Standard Model values. Results concerning the \(e^ + e^ - \to b\bar bv\bar v\) process in combination with the independent measurements of the partial width \(\Gamma _{H \to b\bar b}\) can testify to the CP origin of the Higgs sector of the theory.     

New physics effects in charm meson decays involving $$c \rightarrow u l^+ l^- (l_i^{\mp } l_j^{\,\pm \,})$$ transitions

We study the effect of the scalar leptoquark and \(Z^\prime \) boson on the rare decays of the D mesons involving flavour changing transitions \(c \rightarrow u l^+ l^- (l^{\mp }_i l^{\,\pm \,}_j)\). We constrain the new physics parameter space using the branching ratio of the rare decay mode \(D^0 \rightarrow \mu ^+ \mu ^-\) and the \(D^0 - {\bar{D}}^0\) oscillation data. We compute the branching ratios, forward–backward asymmetry parameters and flat terms in \(D^{+(0)} \rightarrow \pi ^{+(0)} \mu ^+ \mu ^-\) processes using the constrained parameters. The branching ratios of the lepton flavour violating D meson decays, such as \(D^0 \rightarrow \mu e, ~\tau e\) and \(D^{+(0)} \rightarrow \pi ^{+(0)} \mu ^- e^+\) are also investigated.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript>-boson decays in a strong electromagnetic field

The probability of Z ⁰-boson decay to a pair of charged fermions in a strong electromagnetic field, Z ⁰ → \(\bar f\) f, is calculated. On the basis of a method that employs exact solutions to relativistic wave equations for charged particles, an analytic expression for the partial decay width Γ(?) = Γ(Z ⁰ → \(\bar f\) f) is obtained at an arbitrary value of the parameter ? = \(eM_Z^{ - 3} \sqrt { - (F_{\mu \nu } q^\nu )^2 } \), which characterizes the external-field strength. The total Z ⁰-boson decay width in an intense electromagnetic field, Γ _Z (?), is calculated by summing these results over all known generations of charged leptons and quarks. It is found that, in the region of relatively weak fields (? < 0.06), the field-induced corrections to the standard Z ⁰-boson decay width in a vacuum do not exceed 2%. As ? increases, the total decay width Γ _Z (?) develops oscillations against the background of its gradual decrease to the absolute-minimum point. At ?_min = 0.445, the total Z ⁰-boson decay width reaches the minimum value of Γ _Z (?_min) = 2.164 GeV, which is smaller than the Z ⁰-boson decay width in a vacuum by more than 10%. In the region of superstrong fields (? > 1), Γ _Z (?) grows monotonically with increasing external-field strength. In the region ? > 5, the t-quark-production process Z ⁰ → \(\bar t\) t, which is forbidden in the absence of an external field, begins contributing significantly to the total decay width of the Z ⁰ boson.     

Update of the global electroweak fit and constraints on two-Higgs-doublet models

We present an update of the global fit of the Standard Model electroweak sector to latest experimental results. We include new kinematic top quark and W boson mass measurements from the LHC, a \(\sin \!^2\theta ^{\ell }_{\mathrm{eff}}\) result from the Tevatron, and a new evaluation of the hadronic contribution to \(\alpha (M_Z^2)\). We present tests of the internal consistency of the electroweak Standard Model and updated numerical predictions of key observables. The electroweak data combined with measurements of the Higgs boson coupling strengths and flavour physics observables are used to constrain parameters of two-Higgs-doublet models.     

Effect of FCNC mediated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> boson on lepton flavor violating decays

We study the three body lepton flavor violating (LFV) decays μ ^?→e ^? e ⁺ e ^?, \(\tau^{-} \to l_{i}^{-} l_{j}^{+} l_{j}^{-}\) and the semileptonic decay τ→μφ in the flavor changing neutral current (FCNC) mediated Z boson model. We also calculate the branching ratios for LFV leptonic B decays, B _d,s →μe, B _d,s →τe, B _d,s →τμ and the conversion of muon to electron in Ti nucleus. The new physics parameter space is constrained by using the experimental limits on μ ^?→e ^? e ⁺ e ^? and τ ^?→μ ^? μ ⁺ μ ^?. We find that the branching ratios for τ→eee and τ→μφ processes could be as large as \({\sim}{\mathcal{O}}(10^{-8})\) and \(\mathrm{Br}(B_{d,s} \to \tau \mu,~ \tau e) \sim {\mathcal{O}}(10^{-10})\). For other LFV B decays the branching ratios are found to be too small to be observed in the near future.     

Pentaquark decay is suppressed by chirality conservation

It is shown that, if the pentaquark \(\Theta ^ + = uudd\bar s\) baryon can be represented by the local quark current η_Θ, its decay Θ⁺→nK⁺(pK⁰) is forbidden in the limit of chirality conservation. The Θ⁺ decay width Γ is proportional to \(\alpha _s^2 \left\langle {0\left| {\bar qq} \right|0} \right\rangle ^2\), where \(\left\langle {0\left| {\bar qq} \right|0} \right\rangle ,q = u,d,s\), is quark condensate, and, therefore, is strongly suppressed. The polarization operator of the pentaquark current is calculated using the operator product expansion. The Θ⁺ mass found by the QCD sum rules method is in reasonable agreement with experiment.     

General one-loop formulas for decay $$h\rightarrow Z\gamma $$

Radiative corrections to the decay \(h\rightarrow Z\gamma \) are evaluated in the one-loop approximation. The unitary gauge is used. The analytic result is expressed in terms of the Passarino-Veltman functions. The calculations are applicable for the Standard Model as well for a wide class of its gauge extensions. In particular, the decay width of a charged Higgs boson \(H^{\pm }\rightarrow W^{\pm }\gamma \) can be derived. The consistence of our formulas and several specific earlier results is shown.     

Application of the hidden local symmetry effective chiral Lagrangian to evaluation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">ω</Emphasis>(782), <Emphasis Type="Italic">ϕ</Emphasis>(1020) → 5<Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis> decay widths

The amplitudes obtained from the effective chiral Lagrangian with anomalous terms based on hidden local symmetry are applied to the evaluation of the partial widths of the decays ω → 2π⁺2π^?π⁰ and ω → π⁺π^?3π⁰. Combining the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule, applied to the five-pion final state, with the Adler condition of vanishing of the amplitude at the vanishing of four-momentum of any final pion in the chiral limit, the ? → 2π⁺2π^?π⁰ and ? → π⁺π^?3π⁰ decay amplitudes are also calculated. The partial widths of the above decays are evaluated, and the resonance excitation curves in e⁺e^? annihilation are obtained, assuming reasonable particular relations among the free parameters characterizing the anomalous terms of the Lagrangian. The evaluated branching ratios \(Br_{\phi \to \pi + \pi - 3\pi ^0 } \approx 2 \times 10^{ - 7} \) and \(Br_{\phi \to 2\pi + 2\pi - \pi ^0 } \approx 5 \times 10^{ - 7} \) are such that with the luminosity L = 500 pb^?1, attained at the DAΦNE ? factory, one may already possess about 1340 events of the decays ? → 5π.     

Decays of a neutral particle with zero spin and arbitrary CP parity into two off-mass-shell <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> bosons

We investigate effects of CP symmetry violation in the decay of a scalar particle X (the Higgs boson) into two off-mass-shell Z bosons both decaying into a fermion–antifermion pair, \(X \to {Z_1}*{Z_2}* \to {f_1}{\bar f_1}{f_2}{\bar f_2}\). The most general form of the amplitude of the transition X → Z₁*Z₂*, wherein the boson X may not have definite CP parity, is considered. The applicability limits of the narrow-Z-width approximation used in obtaining differential widths of the decay under consideration are determined. Various observables connected with the structure of the amplitude of the decay X → Z₁*Z₂* are studied. These observables are analyzed in the Standard Model as well as in models conceding indefinite CP parity of the Higgs boson. An experimental measurement of angular and invariant mass distributions of the decay \(X \to {Z_1}*{Z_2}* \to {f_1}{\bar f_1}{f_2}{\bar f_2}\) at the LHC can give information about the CP properties of the Higgs boson and its interaction with the Z boson.     

The fully differential top decay distribution

We write down the four-dimensional fully differential decay distribution for the top quark decay \(t \rightarrow Wb \rightarrow \ell \nu b\). We discuss how its eight physical parameters can be measured, either with a global fit or with the use of selected one-dimensional distributions and asymmetries. We give expressions for the top decay amplitudes for a general tbW interaction, and show how the untangled measurement of the two components of the fraction of longitudinal W bosons – those with b quark helicities of 1 / 2 and \(-1/2\), respectively – could improve the precision of a global fit to the tbW vertex.