Christopher T. Sachrajda

QCD factorization for B ---> pi pi decays: Strong phases and CP violation in the heavy quark limit

We show that, in the heavy quark limit, the hadronic matrix elements that enter B meson decays into two light mesons can be computed from first principles, including {open_quotes}nonfactorizable{close_quotes} strong interaction corrections, and expressed in terms of form factors and meson light-cone distribution amplitudes. The conventional factorization result follows in the limit when both power corrections in 1/m{sub b} and radiative corrections in {alpha}{sub s} are neglected. We compute the order-{alpha}{sub s} corrections to the decays B{sub d}{r_arrow}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup {minus}} , B{sub d}{r_arrow}{pi}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0} , and B{sup +}{r_arrow}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup 0} in the heavy quark limit and briefly discuss the phenomenological implications for the branching ratios, strong phases and {ital CP } violation. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}

QCD factorization for exclusive non-leptonic B-meson decays: General arguments and the case of heavy-light final states

We provide a rigorous basis for factorization for a large class of non-leptonic twobody B-meson decays in the heavy-quark limit. The resulting factorization formula incorporates elements of the naive factorization approach and the hard-scattering approach, but allows us to compute systematically radiative (“non-factorizable”) corrections to naive factorization for decays such as B → Dπ and B → ππ. We first discuss the factorization formula from a general point of view. We then consider factorization for decays into heavy-light final states (such as B → Dπ) in more detail, including a proof of the factorization formula at two-loop order. Explicit results for the leading QCD corrections to factorization are presented and compared to existing measurements of branching fractions and final-state interaction phases.

QCD factorization in B ---> pi K, pi pi decays and extraction of Wolfenstein parameters

Abstract In the heavy-quark limit, the hadronic matrix elements entering nonleptonic B-meson decays into two light mesons can be calculated from first principles including “nonfactorizable” strong-interaction corrections. The B→πK, ππ decay amplitudes are computed including electroweak penguin contributions, SU(3) violation in the light-cone distribution amplitudes, and an estimate of power corrections from chirally-enhanced terms and annihilation graphs. The results are then used to reduce the theoretical uncertainties in determinations of the weak phases γ and α. In that way, new constraints in the ( ρ , η ) plane are derived. Predictions for the B→πK, ππ branching ratios and CP asymmetries are also presented. A good global fit to the (in part preliminary) experimental data on the branching fractions is obtained without taking recourse to phenomenological models.

Review of lattice results concerning low-energy particle physics: Flavour Lattice Averaging Group (FLAG)

We review lattice results related to pion, kaon, D- and B-meson physics with the aim of making them easily accessible to the particle-physics community. More specifically, we report on the determination of the light-quark masses, the form factor

A lattice calculation of the pion's form factor and structure function

f_+(0)

Domain wall QCD with physical quark masses

f+(0), arising in the semileptonic

Computation of the b quark mass with perturbative matching at the next-to-next-to-leading order

K \rightarrow \pi