New ways to explore factorization in b decays

We propose to study factorization breaking effects in exclusive b decays where they are strongly enhanced over the factorizing contributions. This can be done by selecting final-state mesons with a small decay constant or with spin greater than one. We find a variety of decay modes which could help understand the dynamical origin of factorization and the mechanisms responsible for its breaking.Comment: 30 pages, 5 figures, references added, signs corrected in eqs. 10-13,19,2

A Theoretical Reappraisal of Branching Ratios and CP Asymmetries in the Decays B→(Xd,Xs)ℓ+ℓ−B \to (X_d,X_s) \ell^+ \ell^- and Determination of the CKM Parameters

We present a theoretical reappraisal of the branching ratios and CP asymmetries for the decays $B \to X_q \ell^+ \ell^-$, with $q=d,s$, taking into account current theoretical uncertainties in the description of the inclusive decay amplitudes from the long-distance contributions, an improved treatment of the renormalization scale dependence, and other parametric dependencies. Concentrating on the partial branching ratios $\Delta {\cal B}(B \to X_q \ell^+ \ell^-)$, integrated over the invariant dilepton mass region $1 {GeV}^2 \leq s \leq 6 {GeV}^2$, we calculate theoretical precision on the charge-conjugate averaged partial branching ratios $= (\Delta {\cal B}(B \to X_q \ell^+ \ell^-) + \Delta {\cal B}(\bar{B} \to \bar{X}_q \ell^+ \ell^-))/2$, CP asymmetries in partial decay rates $(a_{CP})_q=(\Delta {\cal B}(B \to X_q \ell^+ \ell^-) - \Delta {\cal B}(\bar{B} \to \bar{X}_q \ell^+ \ell^-))/(2 )$, and the ratio of the branching ratios $\Delta {\cal R} = /$. For the central values of the CKM parameters, we find $=(2.22^{+0.29}_{-0.30}) \times 10^{-6}$, $=(9.61^{+1.32}_{-1.47}) \times 10^{-8}$, $(a_{CP})_s =-(0.19^{+0.17}_{-0.19})$, $(a_{CP})_d =(4.40^{+3.87}_{-4.46})$, and $\Delta {\cal R} =(4.32 \pm 0.03)$. The dependence of $$ and $\Delta {\cal R}$ on the CKM parameters is worked out and the resulting constraints on the unitarity triangle from an eventual measurement of $\Delta {\cal R}$ are illustrated.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures (require epsf.sty

Rare b hadron decays at the LHC

With the completion of Run~I of the CERN Large Hadron Collider, particle physics has entered a new era. The production of unprecedented numbers of heavy-flavoured hadrons in high energy proton-proton collisions allows detailed studies of flavour-changing processes. The increasingly precise measurements allow to probe the Standard Model with a new level of accuracy. Rare $b$ hadron decays provide some of the most promising approaches for such tests, since there are several observables which can be cleanly interpreted from a theoretical viewpoint. In this article, the status and prospects in this field are reviewed, with a focus on precision measurements and null tests.Comment: Invited review for Annual Reviews of Nuclear and Particle Physics. v2 as publishe

Sonoluminescence: Nature's Smallest BlackBody

The Spectrum of the light emitted by a sonoluminescing bubble is extremely well fit by the spectrum of a blackbody. Furthermore the radius of emission can be smaller than the wavelength of the light. Consequences, for theories of sonoluminescence are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 3 Figure

Biotic indicators of carabid species richness on organically and conventionally managed arable fields

Carabids, a species rich arthropod family, potentially contribute much to biodiversity in agroecosystems, but assessing and monitoring carabid diversity is costly and time consuming. Therefore, this study aimed at finding more easily measurable parameters indicating high carabid diversity within organic and conventional management systems. Cover and number of weed species as well as activity density of single carabid species and of total carabids were investigated as potential indicators of carabid species richness. The study was carried out near Reckenfeld in Westphalia on sandy Plaggenesch soils. Three organically and four conventionally managed fields (cereals and corn) were investigated at the field margins and in the field centres from April to August 1999. Additionally, data of carabid catches and weed flora in winter cereals from an extended study in Düren (Northrhine-Westphalia) were reanalysed to validate the results. However, neither of the potential indicators showed consistently significant positive correlation with carabid diversity. This is partly attributed to the low variability of management conditions within the management systems in the studies presented

Time-delayed feedback in neurosystems

The influence of time delay in systems of two coupled excitable neurons is studied in the framework of the FitzHugh-Nagumo model. Time-delay can occur in the coupling between neurons or in a self-feedback loop. The stochastic synchronization of instantaneously coupled neurons under the influence of white noise can be deliberately controlled by local time-delayed feedback. By appropriate choice of the delay time synchronization can be either enhanced or suppressed. In delay-coupled neurons, antiphase oscillations can be induced for sufficiently large delay and coupling strength. The additional application of time-delayed self-feedback leads to complex scenarios of synchronized in-phase or antiphase oscillations, bursting patterns, or amplitude death.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figure

A Comparative Study of the Decays B→(K,K∗)ℓ+ℓ−B \to (K,K^*) \ell^+ \ell^- in Standard Model and Supersymmetric Theories

Using improved theoretical calculations of the decay form factors in the Light Cone-QCD sum rule approach, we investigate the decay rates, dilepton invariant mass spectra and the forward-backward (FB) asymmetry in the decays $B \to (K,K^*) \ell^+ \ell^-$ ($\ell^\pm =e^\pm,\mu^\pm,\tau^\pm$) in the standard model (SM) and a number of popular variants of the supersymmetric (SUSY) models. Theoretical precision on the differential decay rates and FB-asymmetry is estimated in these theories taking into account various parametric uncertainties. We show that existing data on $B \to X_s \gamma$ and the experimental upper limit on the branching ratio ${\cal B}(B \to K^* \mu^+ \mu^-)$ provide interesting bounds on the coefficients of the underlying effective theory. We argue that the FB-asymmetry in $B \to K^* \ell^+ \ell^-$ constitutes a precision test of the SM and its measurement in forthcoming experiments may reveal new physics. In particular, the presently allowed large-$\tan \beta$ solutions in SUGRA models, as well as more general flavor-violating SUSY models, yield FB-asymmetries which are characteristically different from the corresponding ones in the SM.Comment: 36 pages, 12 figures (require epsfig.sty), 8 Tables, LaTeX2e; subsection 6.4 corrected, minor changes in numerical results, Figures 3 and 9 to 12 modified; submitted to Physical Review

b→sℓ+ℓ−b \to s \ell^+ \ell^- decays in and beyond the Standard Model

We briefly review the status of rare radiative and semileptonic $b \to s (\gamma, \ell^+ \ell^-)$, ($\ell=e,\mu$) decays. We discuss possible signatures of new physics in these modes and emphazise the role of the exclusive channels. In particular, measurements of the Forward-Backward asymmetry in $B \to K^* \ell^+ \ell^-$ decays and its zero provide a clean test of the Standard Model, complementary to studies in $b \to s \gamma$ decays. Further, the Forward-Backward CP asymmetry in $B \to K^* \ell^+ \ell^-$ decays is sensitive to possible non-standard sources of CP violation mediated by flavor changing neutral current $Z$-penguins.Comment: Invited Talk at 7th Conference on the Intersections of Particle and Nuclear Physics, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, May 22-28, 200