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First observation of the decays B(0) → D(+)K(-)π(+)π(-) and B(-) → D(0)K(-)π(+)π(-)

R Aaij1, C Abellan Beteta, B Adeva

  • 1Nikhef National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Physical Review Letters
|June 12, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Researchers observed new Cabibbo-suppressed B meson decays, B(0) → D(+)K(-)π(+)π(-) and B(-) → D(0)K(-)π(+)π(-). These findings provide new ways to study fundamental particle physics, including measuring the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa phase gamma.

Area of Science:

  • High Energy Physics
  • Particle Physics
  • Quantum Chromodynamics

Background:

  • B meson decays offer insights into the Standard Model of particle physics.
  • Cabibbo-suppressed decays are rare but crucial for testing fundamental symmetries.
  • Previous studies have focused on dominant decay modes, leaving rare modes less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the first observations of two specific Cabibbo-suppressed B meson decays: B(0) → D(+)K(-)π(+)π(-) and B(-) → D(0)K(-)π(+)π(-).
  • To measure the branching fractions of these decays relative to their Cabibbo-favored counterparts.
  • To explore the potential of the B(-) → D(0)K(-)π(+)π(-) decay for measuring the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa phase gamma.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 35 pb⁻¹ of data collected by the LHCb detector.
  • Reconstruction of B meson decays involving D mesons, kaons, and pions.
  • Relative branching fraction measurements using established Cabibbo-favored decays as references.

Main Results:

  • Observed B(0) → D(+)K(-)π(+)π(-) with a relative branching fraction of (5.9 ± 1.1 ± 0.5) × 10⁻².
  • Observed B(-) → D(0)K(-)π(+)π(-) with a relative branching fraction of (9.4 ± 1.3 ± 0.9) × 10⁻².
  • The B(-) → D(0)K(-)π(+)π(-) decay is identified as a promising channel for future measurements of the CKM phase gamma.

Conclusions:

  • The first experimental evidence for B(0) → D(+)K(-)π(+)π(-) and B(-) → D(0)K(-)π(+)π(-) decays has been established.
  • The measured branching fractions provide valuable data for theoretical models of B meson decays.
  • The B(-) → D(0)K(-)π(+)π(-) decay presents a novel opportunity to constrain the CKM phase gamma, enhancing our understanding of CP violation.

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