Properties of heavy quarkonia and B_c mesons in the relativistic quark model

The mass spectra and electromagnetic decay rates of charmonium, bottomonium and B_c mesons are comprehensively investigated in the relativistic quark model. The presence of only heavy quarks allows the expansion in powers of their velocities. All relativistic corrections of order v^2/c^2, including retardation effects and one-loop radiative corrections, are systematically taken into account in the computations of the mass spectra. The obtained wave functions are used for the calculation of radiative magnetic dipole (M1) and electric dipole (E1) transitions. It is found that relativistic effects play a substantial role. Their account and the proper choice of the Lorentz structure of the quark-antiquark interaction in a meson is crucial for bringing theoretical predictions in accord with experimental data. A detailed comparison of the calculated decay rates and branching fractions with available experimental data for radiative decays of charmonium and bottomonium is presented. The possibilities to observe the currently missing spin-singlet S and P states as well as D states in bottomonium are discussed. The results for B_c masses and decays are compared with other quark model predictions.Comment: 31 pages, 2 figures, minor correction

Rare radiative B decays to orbitally excited K mesons

The exclusive rare radiative B meson decays to orbitally excited axial-vector mesons K_1^*(1270), K_1(1400) and to the tensor meson K_2^*(1430) are investigated in the framework of the relativistic quark model based on the quasipotential approach in quantum field theory. These decays are considered without employing the heavy quark expansion for the s quark. Instead the s quark is treated to be light and the expansion in inverse powers of the large recoil momentum of the final K^{**} meson is used to simplify calculations. It is found that the ratio of the branching fractions of rare radiative B decays to axial vector K^*_1(1270) and K_1(1400) mesons is significantly influenced by relativistic effects. The obtained results for B decays to the tensor meson K_2^*(1430) agree with recent experimental data from CLEO.Comment: 17 pages, revte

Weak decays of the B_c meson to charmonium and D mesons in the relativistic quark model

Semileptonic and nonleptonic decays of the B_c meson to charmonium and D mesons are studied in the framework of the relativistic quark model. The decay form factors are explicitly expressed through the overlap integrals of the meson wave functions in the whole accessible kinematical range. The relativistic meson wave functions are used for the calculation of the decay rates. The obtained results are compared with the predictions of other approaches.Comment: 27 pages, 17 figures, 1 figure and 1 reference added, version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Algebraic approach to the spectral problem for the Schroedinger equation with power potentials

The method reducing the solution of the Schroedinger equation for several types of power potentials to the solution of the eigenvalue problem for the infinite system of algebraic equations is developed. The finite truncation of this system provides high accuracy results for low-lying levels. The proposed approach is appropriate both for analytic calculations and for numerical computations. This method allows also to determine the spectrum of the Schroedinger-like relativistic equations. The heavy quarkonium (charmonium and bottomonium) mass spectra for the Cornell potential and the sum of the Coulomb and oscillator potentials are calculated. The results are in good agreement with experimental data.Comment: 17 pages, including 6 PostScript figures (epsf style

Results and prospects on registration of reflected Cherenkov light of EAS from cosmic particles above 10^{15} eV

We give an overview of the SPHERE experiment based on detection of reflected Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation (Cherenkov light) from extensive air showers in the energy region E>10^{15} eV. A brief history of the reflected Cherenkov light technique is given; the observations carried out with the SPHERE-2 detector are summarized; the methods of the experimental datasample analysis are described. The first results on the primary cosmic ray all-nuclei energy spectrum and mass composition are presented. Finally, the prospects of the SPHERE experiment and the reflected Cherenkov light technique are given.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Proc. PANIC-201

Quark-antiquark potential with retardation and radiative contributions and the heavy quarkonium mass spectra

The charmonium and bottomonium mass spectra are calculated with the systematic account of all relativistic corrections of order v^2/c^2 and the one-loop radiative corrections. Special attention is paid to the contribution of the retardation effects to the spin-independent part of the quark-antiquark potential, and a general approach to accounting for retardation effects in the long-range (confining) part of the potential is presented. A good fit to available experimental data on the mass spectra is obtained.Comment: 20 pages, revtex, 2 Postscript figure

Exclusive semileptonic B decays to radially excited D mesons

Exclusive semileptonic B decays to radially excited charmed mesons are investigated at the first order of the heavy quark expansion. The arising leading and subleading Isgur-Wise functions are calculated in the framework of the relativistic quark model. It is found that the 1/m_Q corrections play an important role and substantially modify results. An interesting interplay between different corrections is found. As a result the branching ratio for the B-> D'e\nu decay is essentially increased by 1/m_Q corrections, while the one for B-> D*'e\nu is only slightly influenced by them.Comment: 19 pages, revtex, 6 figures, uses rotating.st