Triple-Product Correlations in B -> V1 V2$ Decays and New Physics

In this paper we examine T-violating triple-product correlations (TP's) in B -> V1 V2 decays. TP's are excellent probes of physics beyond the standard model (SM) for two reasons: (i) within the SM, most TP's are expected to be tiny, and (ii) unlike direct CP asymmetries, TP's are not suppressed by the small strong phases which are expected in B decays. TP's are obtained via the angular analysis of B -> V1 V2. In a general analysis based on factorization, we demonstrate that the most promising decays for measuring TP's in the SM involve excited final-state vector mesons, and we provide estimates of such TP's. We find that there are only a handful of decays in which large TP's are possible, and the size of these TP's depends strongly on the size of nonfactorizable effects. We show that TP's which vanish in the SM can be very large in models with new physics. The measurement of a nonzero TP asymmetry in a decay where none is expected would specifically point to new physics involving large couplings to the right-handed b-quark.Comment: 42 pages, LaTeX, no figures. Title changed, several explanatory paragraphs added, references added, analysis and conclusions unchange

Quark Mass Matrices in the A_4 Model

If the standard model of quark interactions is supplemented by a discrete A_4 symmetry (which may be relevant for the lepton sector), the spontaneous breaking of the electroweak gauge symmetry allows arbitrary quark masses, but all mixing angles are predicted to be zero. A pattern of the explicit breaking of A_4 is proposed, which results in a realistic charged-current mixing matrix.Comment: 6 pages, no figur

B lifetime measurements with exclusively reconstructed B decays

Data collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric B Factory at SLAC are used to study the lifetime of the B0 and B+ mesons. The data sample consists of 7.4 fb-1 collected near the Y(4S) resonance. B0 and B+ mesons are fully reconstructed in several exclusive hadronic decay modes to charm and charmonium final states. The B lifetime are determined from the flight length difference between the two B mesons. The preliminary measurements of the lifetimes are tau_{B0} = 1.506 +/- 0.052 (stat) +/- 0.029 (syst) ps tau_{B+} = 1.602 +/- 0.049 (stat) +/- 0.035 (syst) ps and of their ratio is tau_{B+}/tau_{B0} = 1.065 +/- 0.044 (stat) +/- 0.021 (syst).Comment: 4 pages, 2 postscript figues, submitted to DPF200

Exploring timelike exclusive processes in the light-front approach

We discuss a necessary nonvalence contribution in timelike exclusive processes. Utilizing a Schwinger-Dyson type of approach, we relate the nonvalence contribution to an ordinary light-front wave function that has been extensively tested in the spacelike exclusive processes. An application to $K_{\ell3}$ decays provides encouraging results.Comment: Contribution to the third international conference on ``Perspectives in Hadronic Physics", 7-11 May 2001, Miramare-Trieste, Italy; 4 pages including 2 figure

Scalar meson spectroscopy: achievements and traps

Interactions in three coupled channels: pi-pi, K-anti K and sigma-sigma have been investigated in a wide two-pion effective mass region from the pi-pi threshold up to 1600 MeV. Analytical structure of amplitudes in all channels has been studied. It was shown that its knowledge is necessary to understand spectrum of scalar mesons and their nature.Comment: 6 pages, Invited talk at YITP Workshop on Possible Existence of the sigma meson and it Implications to Hadron Physics (sigma-meson 2000), Kyoto, Japan, 12-14 Jun 200

Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay with Negligible Neutrino Mass

If the electron neutrino has an effective nonzero Majorana mass, then neutrinoless double beta decay will occur. However, the latter is possible also with a negligible neutrino mass. We show how this may happen in a simple model of scalar diquarks and dileptons. This possibility allows neutrino masses to be small and hierarchical, without conflicting with the possible experimental evidence of neutrinoless double beta decay.Comment: 9 pages, including 1 figur

g_{rho sigma gamma} coupling constant in light cone QCD

The coupling constant g_{rho sigma gamma} is determined from light cone QCD sum rules. A comparison of our result with the ones existing in literature is presented.Comment: 7 pp, 2 figures (postscript formatted), LaTex formatte