IUE observations of blue halo high luminosity stars

Two high luminosity population II blue stars of high galactic latitude, BD+33 deg 2642 and HD 137569 were observed at high resolution. The stellar spectra show the effect of mass loss in BD+33 deg 2642 and abnormally weak metallic lines in HD 137569. The interstellar lines in the direction of BD+33 deg 2642, which lies at a height z greater than or equal to 6.2 kpc from the galactic plane, are split into two components. No high ionization stages are found at the low velocity component; nor can they be detected in the higher velocity clouds because of mixing with the corresponding stellar/circumstellar lines

Scheme Independence of the Effective Hamiltonian for b→s γb \rightarrow s \, \gamma and b→s gb \rightarrow s \, g Decays

We present a calculation of the effective weak Hamiltonian which governs $b \rightarrow s\, \gamma$ and $b \rightarrow s \, g$ transitions in two different renormalization schemes (NDR and HV). In the leading logarithmic approximation, we show that the coefficients of the effective Hamiltonian are scheme independent only when one takes correctly into account the scheme dependence of one- and two- loop diagrams. We demonstrate that in NDR there are contributions which were missed in previous calculations. These contributions are necessary to obtain scheme independent coefficients in the final results.Comment: 16 pp + 5 figures not included (available by anonymous ftp at amisan.iss.infn.it (141.108.15.215), directory /ftp/bsgamma), LaTeX, LPTENS 93/28, ROME 93/958, ULB-TH 93/0

Two Body B Decays, Factorization and LambdaQCD/mb Corrections

By using the recent experimental measurements of B -> pi pi and B -> K pi branching ratios, we find that the amplitudes computed at the leading order of the LambdaQCD/mb expansion disagree with the observed BRs, even taking into account the uncertainties of the input parameters. Beyond the leading order, Charming and GIM penguins allow to reconcile the theoretical predictions with the data. Because of these large effects, we conclude, however, that it is not possible, with the present theoretical and experimental accuracy, to determine the CP violation angle gamma from these decays. We compare our results with those obtained with the parametrization of the chirally enhanced non-perturbative contributions by BBNS. We also predict large asymmetries for several of the particle--antiparticle BRs, in particular BR(B+ -> K+ pi0), BR(Bd -> K+ pi-) and BR(Bd -> pi+ pi-).Comment: 14 pages 3 figures uses aippro

Charming Penguins in B decays

Full expressions of the $B^0_d \to \pi^+ \pi^-$ and $B^0_d \to \pi^0 \pi^0$ amplitudes, given in terms of matrix elements of operators of the effective weak Hamiltonian, are used to study the dependence of the relevant branching ratios on the different contributions. The uncertainty in the extraction of the weak phase $\alpha$ from the measurement of the time-dependent asymmetry in $B^0_d \to \pi^+ \pi^-$ decays is also analyzed. We find that, among several effects which may enhance the $B^0_d \to \pi^0 \pi^0$ branching ratio, the most important is due to ``charming penguin" diagrams that have never been studied before. These diagrams easily increase $BR(B^0_d \to \pi^0 \pi^0)$ up to a value of $1-3 \times 10^{-6}$. The same effect produces, however, a large error in the extraction of $\alpha$ from the measurement of the $B^0_d \to \pi^+ \pi^-$ time-dependent asymmetry. We show that it is possible to determine charming-penguin amplitudes from the experimental measurement of many decay rates. Their effect is impressive in $B^+ \to \pi^+ K^0$ and $B^0_d \to K^+ \pi^-$ decays, where charming-penguin contributions easily give values of $BR(B^+ \to \pi^+ K^0)$ and $BR(B^0_d \to K^+ \pi^-)$ of about $1 \times 10^{-5}$. Among other possibilities, we also suggest to use $B^0_d \to K^0 \bar K^0$, the BR of which can be as large as $2-3 \times 10^{-6}$, to determine the size of charming-penguin amplitudes.Comment: LaTeX, 28 pages, 8 figure

Worries and Hopes for SUSY in CKM Physics: The b to s Example

We discuss the twofold role of flavor and CP violation as a constraint in model building and as a signal of SUSY. Considering as an example b to s transitions, we analyze present bounds on SUSY parameters, discuss possible deviations from SM predictions in Bd and Bs physics and present strategies to reveal SUSY signals in present and future experiments in the CKM domain.Comment: Invited talks given by A. Masiero and L. Silvestrini at the Workshop on the CKM Unitarity Triangle, IPPP Durham, April 2003 (eConf C0304052). 9 pages, 5 figure