Measuring the Photon Helicity in Radiative B Decays

Abstract

We propose a way of measuring the photon polarization in radiative B decays into K resonance states decaying to K\pi\pi, which can test the Standard Model and probe new physics. The photon polarization is shown to be measured by the up-down asymmetry of the photon direction relative to the K\pi\pi decay plane in the K resonance rest frame. The integrated asymmetry in K_1(1400)\to K\pi\pi, calculated to be 0.34\pm 0.05 in the Standard Model, is measurable at currently operating B factories.Comment: 4 pages, final version to appear in Physical Review Letter