Precision Studies of Duality in the 't Hooft Model

We address numerical aspects of local quark-hadron duality using the example of the exactly solvable 't Hooft model, two-dimensional QCD with N_c --> infinity. The primary focus of these studies is total semileptonic decay widths relevant for extracting |V_{cb}| and |V_{ub}|. We compare the exact channel-by-channel sum of exclusive modes to the corresponding rates obtained in the standard 1/m_Q expansion arising from the Operator Product Expansion. An impressive agreement sets in unexpectedly early, immediately after the threshold for the first hadronic excitation in the final state. Yet even at higher energy release it is possible to discern the seeds of duality-violating oscillations. We find the ``Small Velocity'' sum rules to be exceptionally well saturated already by the first excited state. We also obtain a convincing degree of duality in the differential distributions and in an analogue of R_{e^+e^-}(s). Finally, we discuss possible lessons for semileptonic decays of actual heavy quarks in QCD.Comment: 45 pages, 16 eps figures include

A Vademecum on Quark-Hadron Duality

We present an elementary introduction to the problem of quark-hadron duality and its practical limitations, in particular as it concerns local duality violation in inclusive B meson decays. We show that the accurate definition of duality violation elaborated over the recent years allows one to derive informative constraints on violations of local duality. The magnitude of duality violation is particularly restricted in the total semileptonic widths. This explains its strong suppression in concrete dynamical estimates. We analyze the origin of the suppression factors in a model-independent setting, including a fresh perspective on the Small Velocity expansion. A new potentially significant mechanism for violation of local duality in \Gamma_sl(B) is analyzed. Yet we conclude that the amount of duality violation in \Gamma_sl(B) must be safely below the half percent level, with realistic estimates being actually much smaller. Violation of local duality in \Gamma_sl(B) is thus far below the level relevant to phenomenology. We also present a cautionary note on the B->D^* decay amplitude at zero recoil and show that it is much more vulnerable to violations of quark-hadron duality than \Gamma_sl(B). A critical review of some recent literature is given. We point out that the presently limiting factor in genuinely model-independent extraction of V_cb is the precise value of the short-distance charm quark mass. We suggest a direct and precise experimental check of local quark-hadron duality in semileptonic B->X_c l\nu decays.Comment: 48 pages, 4 figures; LaTe

Final state phases in B -> D\pi, \bar{D}\pi decays and CP-asymmetry

Final state phases \delta_f and \delta_f' in B-> D pi, barD pi decays are shown to be equal i.e. \delta =\delta_f-\delta_f' = 0. Thus CP-violating asymmetry A(t) is independent of final state phases. The estimate for the phases \delta_f and \delta_f' is also given.Comment: 6 pages, no figur

Transverse Momentum Distribution in b-> s Gamma

We present the complete calculation of the transverse momentum distribution for the decay b->s Gamma. The contributions of the leading operator O_7 are computed: infrared logarithms are resummed with next-to-leading accuracy, according to usual techniques of resummation. Non logarithmic terms are evaluated to O(alpha_S) by calculating one loop diagrams.Comment: Talk given 10th International QCD Conference (QCD 03), Montpellier, France, 2-9 Jul 2003. 4 page

Analytical Heavy Quark Expansion in the 't Hooft Model

We present a number of exact relations for the heavy quark limit and develop an analytical 1/m_Q expansion for heavy mesons in the 't Hooft model. Among the new results are relation 3\mu_\pi^2=\bar\Lambda^2 - m_{sp}^2+\beta^2, 1/m_Q corrections to the decay constants, to the kinetic expectation values and 1/m_Q^2 nonperturbative corrections to the B->D amplitude at zero recoil. The properties of the IW functions are addressed and the small velocity sum rules are verified.Comment: 22 pages, plain LaTeX (no figures

Hadron Spectra for Semileptonic Heavy Quark Decay

We calculate the leading perturbative and power corrections to the hadronic invariant mass and energy spectra in semileptonic heavy hadron decays. We apply our results to the $B$ system. Moments of the invariant mass spectrum, which vanish in the parton model, probe gluon bremsstrahlung and nonperturbative effects. Combining our results with recent data on $B$ meson branching ratios, we obtain a lower bound $\bar\Lambda>410\,{\rm MeV}$ and an upper bound $m_b^{\rm pole}<4.89\,$GeV. The Brodsky-Lepage-Mackenzie scale setting procedure suggests that higher order perturbative corrections are small for bottom decay, and even tractable for charm decay.Comment: 24 pages, uses REVTeX, 5 EPS figures embedded with epsf.sty, slightly modified version to appear in Phys. Rev.