The B^0 -> J/ψK_{S,L} channels are outstanding probes of CP violation. We have a detailed look at the associated Standard-Model uncertainties, which are related to doubly Cabibbo-suppressed penguin contributions, and point out that these usually neglected effects can actually be taken into account unambiguously through the CP asymmetries and the branching ratio of the B^0 -> J/ψpi^0 decay. Using the most recent B-factory measurements, we find a negative shift of the extracted value of beta, which softens the tension in the fits of the unitarity triangle. In addition, this strategy can be used to constrain a possible new-physics phase in B^0-\bar B^0 mixing. The proposed strategy is crucial to fully exploit the tremendous accuracies for the search for this kind of new physics that can be achieved at the LHC and future super-flavour factories.
In this paper we study an SU(5) x A5 flavour model which exhibits a neutrino mass sum rule and golden ratio mixing in the neutrino sector which is corrected from the charged lepton Yukawa couplings. We give the full renormalizable superpotential for the model which breaks SU(5) and A5 after integrating out heavy messenger fields and minimising the scalar potential. The mass sum rule allows for both mass orderings but we will show that inverted ordering is not valid in this setup. For normal ordering we find the lightest neutrino to have a mass of about 10-50 meV, and all leptonic mixing angles…
We formulate a consistent model predicting, in the leading order approximation, maximal atmospheric mixing angle, vanishing reactor angle and tan θ_12 = 1/ϕ where ϕ is the Golden Ratio. The model is based on the flavour symmetry A5 \times Z5 \times Z3, spontaneously broken by a set of flavon fields. By minimizing the scalar potential of the theory up to the next-to-leading order in the symmetry breaking parameter, we demonstrate that this mixing pattern is naturally achieved in a finite portion of the parameter space, through the vacuum alignment of the flavon fields. The leading order approxi…
We derive and discuss the solution of the Boltzmann equations for leptogenesis in a phenomenologically viable SU(5) x A5 golden ratio flavour model proposed in arXiv:1410.2057 [hep-ph], arXiv:1502.00110 [hep-ph] . The model employs, in particular, the seesaw mechanism of neutrino mass generation. We find that the results on the baryon asymmetry of the Universe, obtained earlier in arXiv:1502.00110 [hep-ph] using approximate analytic expressions for the relevant CP violating asymmetry and efficiency factors, are correct, as was expected, up to 20-30 %. The phenomenological predictions for the l…
In this paper we discuss a minor modification of a previous SU(5) x A5 flavour model which exhibits at leading order golden ratio mixing and sum rules for the heavy and the light neutrino masses. Although this model could predict all mixing angles well it fails in generating a sufficient large baryon asymmetry via the leptogenesis mechanism. We repair this deficit here, discuss model building aspects and give analytical estimates for the generated baryon asymmetry before we perform a numerical parameter scan. Our setup has only a few parameters in the lepton sector. This leads to specific cons…
The recently reported measurements of the CP asymmetry a(psi K) by the BABAR and BELLE collaborations are in good agreement with the standard model (SM) prediction, resulting from the unitarity of the CKM matrix. The so-called minimal flavour violating (MFV) supersymmetric extensions of the standard model, in which the CKM matrix remains the only flavour changing structure, predict a(psi K) similar to the one in the SM. With the anticipated precision in a(psi K) and other CP asymmetries at the B factories and hadron colliders, one hopes to pin down any possible deviation from the SM. We discus…
The recently reported measurements of the CP asymmetry a(psi K) by the BABAR and BELLE collaborations are in good agreement with the standard model prediction. With the anticipated precision in a(psi K) at the B factories and hadron colliders, one hopes to pin down any possible deviation from the SM. We discuss an extension of the MFV-supersymmetric models which comfortably accommodates the current measurements of the CP asymmetry a(psi K), but differs from the SM due to an additional flavour changing structure beyond the CKM matrix. We analyze the compatibility of this model with present data…
We present an extensive analysis of Delta F=2 observables and of B -> X_s gamma in the framework of a specific Maximally Gauged Flavour (MGF) model of Grinstein et al. including all relevant contributions, in particular tree-level heavy gauge boson exchanges that are considered in the present paper for the first time. The model allows in principle for significant deviations from the Standard Model predictions for epsilon_K, Delta M_{B_{d,s}}, mixing induced CP-asymmetries S_{psi K_S} and S_{psi phi} and B -> X_s gamma decay. The tension between epsilon_K and S_{psi K_S} present in the SM can b…
The high precision to which the standard model has been confirmed implies that new physics effects have to be small in the observed processes. Together with the outstanding precision expected from present and future collider experiments this renders the evaluation of subleading SM contributions necessary. For the "golden mode", B_d to J/Psi K, these so-called "penguin pollution" terms can be controlled by using flavour symmetry relations. A recent analysis is presented which yields a stronger bound on the maximal penguin influence than previous ones and shows how the corresponding uncertainty …
We emphasize that the recent measurements of the B^0_s - bar B^0_s mass difference Delta M_s by the CDF and D0 collaborations offer an important model independent test of minimal flavour violation (MFV). The improved measurements of the angle gamma in the unitarity triangle and of |V_ub| from tree level decays, combined with future accurate measurements of Delta M_s, S_{psi K_S}, S_{psi phi}, Br(B_{d,s} -> mu+ mu-), Br(B -> X_{d,s} nu bar nu), Br(K+ -> pi+ nu bar nu) and Br(K_L -> pi^0 nu bar nu) and improved values of the relevant non-perturbative parameters, will allow to test the MFV hypoth…
We analyze the correlations between electric dipole moments (EDMs) of the neutron and heavy atoms and CP violation in B_{s,d} mixing in two Higgs doublet models respecting the Minimal Flavour Violation hypothesis, with flavour-blind CP-violating (CPV) phases. In particular, we consider the case of flavour-blind CPV phases from i) the Yukawa interactions and ii) the Higgs potential. We show that in both cases the upper bounds on the above EDMs do not forbid sizable non-standard CPV effects in B_s mixing. However, if a large CPV phase in B_s mixing will be confirmed, this will imply EDMs very cl…
The stringent correlations between flavour observables in models with CMFV are consistent with the present data except for the correlation Delta M_{s,d}-epsilon_K. Motivated by the recent work of Barbieri et al, we compare the CMFV correlations with the ones present in a special class of models with an approximate global U(2)^3 flavour symmetry, constrained by a minimal set of spurions governing the breakdown of this symmetry and the assumption that only SM operators are relevant in flavour physics. This analog of CMFV to be called MU(2)^3 allows to avoid the Delta M_{s,d}-epsilon_K tension in…
Study of CP violation in the decay channel Bs->J/psi phi is essential to exploring and constraining physics beyond the Standard Model in the quark flavour sector. The experimental progress in this area of activity at the LHC and Tevatron is discussed.
The coming flavour precision era will allow to uncover various patterns of flavour violation in different New Physics (NP) scenarios that are presently washed out by hadronic and experimental uncertainties. We illustrate this by performing the anatomy of flavour violation in the 331 models, based on the gauge group SU(3)_C X SU(3)_L X U(1)_X that are among the simplest NP scenarios with new sources of flavour and CP violation. The latter originate dominantly through the flavour violating interactions of ordinary quarks and leptons with a new heavy Z' gauge boson. After discussing first these m…
We furnish a supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model with a flavour discrete symmetry $A_5$ under which the lepton fields transform as an irreducible triplet. Additional (`flavon') superfields are used to break $A_5$ into a $\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2$ subgroup in the charged-lepton sector and another $\mathbb{Z}_2$ subgroup in the neutrino sector. The first column of the resulting lepton mixing matrix is predicted and has entries which are related to the golden ratio. Using the observed $θ_{13}$ as input, our model predicts a solar mixing angle $θ_{12}$ in very good agreement wit…
Complex flavour couplings (off-diagonal mass terms) in the squark sector of supersymmetric theories may drastically alter both the rate and the CP-violating asymmetry of certain B-meson decays. We consider the effects of couplings that induce b -> s transitions and lead to final state with strangeness one. We investigate the bounds that must be satisfied by the new terms and explore the possible implications on direct and mixing induced asymmetries in the charged and neutral B -> J/Psi K and B -> phi K decays.
Flavour physics offers interesting probes for the exploration of the Standard Model and the search for new physics. In these lectures, we focus on B- and K-meson decays, introduce the concept of low-energy effective Hamiltonians to describe them theoretically, and discuss how physics beyond the Standard Model may generically affect the roadmap of quark-flavour physics. We address then both the implications of the B-factory data for the B_d -> J/psi K_S channel and the prospects of B_s -> J/psi phi modes for hadron colliders, and discuss how the Standard Model may be challenged through B_d -> p…
We present an overview of recent work on flavour physics in the presence of a sequential fourth generation. We will discuss shortly the constraints on the new parameters and in the reminder present predictions for observables like Br(B_s -> mu+ mu-), Br(K -> pi nu nubar) and the indirect CP violation S(psi phi) in the B_s system. We will further stress the importance of epsilon'/epsilon as a possible constraint once reliable lattice results for B_6 and B_8 become available. Lepton flavour violation is also briefly discussed in view of prospects for tau physics at an upgraded flavour factory as…
We calculate a number of observables related to particle-antiparticle mixing and the branching ratios for the most interesting rare and CP-violating K and B decays in the Standard Model (SM3) extended by a fourth generation of quarks and leptons (SM4). A model-independent parameterisation of these observables in terms of gauge-independent functions is adopted, which is useful for studying the breaking of the universality between K, Bd and Bs systems through non-minimal flavour violating interactions. We calculate first the mass differences Delta M_i in the neutral K and B system, the mixing-in…
We compare the effectiveness of two hypotheses, Natural Flavour Conservation (NFC) and Minimal Flavour Violation (MFV), in suppressing the strength of flavour-changing neutral-currents (FCNCs) in models with more than one Higgs doublet. We show that the MFV hypothesis, in its general formulation, is more stable in suppressing FCNCs than the hypothesis of NFC alone when quantum corrections are taken into account. The phenomenological implications of the two scenarios are discussed analysing meson-antimeson mixing observables and the rare decays B -> mu+ mu-. We demonstrate that, introducing fla…
The Littlest Higgs model with T-parity (LHT) contains new sources of flavour and CP violation both in the quark and the lepton sector. They originate from the interactions of ordinary fermions with mirror fermions mediated by new gauge bosons: W_H, Z_H and A_H. The most spectacular departures from the Standard Model are found in K_L -> pi^0 nu {bar nu}, K^+ -> pi^+ nu {bar nu}, in the CP-asymmetry S_{psi phi} and in lepton flavour violating decays. In particular, the latter decays offer a clear distinction between the LHT model and the MSSM. We summarize the most interesting results of three e…
Models with an approximate U(2)^3 flavour symmetry represent simple non-MFV extensions of the SM. We compare correlations of Delta F = 2 observables in CMFV and in a minimal version of U(2)^3 models, MU(2)^3, where only the minimal set of spurions for breaking the symmetry is used and where only SM operators are relevant. Due to the different treatment of the third generation MU(2)^3 models avoid the Delta M_{s,d}-|epsilon_K| correlation of CMFV which precludes to solve the S_{psi K_S}- |epsilon_K| tension present in the flavour data. While the flavour structure in K meson system is the same f…
The prospects for the coming Golden Age of heavy-flavour physics are discussed from the perspective of one who hopes it may provide a window onto physics beyond the Standard Model. Precise QCD calculations are necessary for accurate determinations of CKM parameters, and may be provided by the lattice and new perturbative techniques. The future of CKMology in the wake of the relatively small branching ratio for B_d -> pi pi are discussed, including alternative strategies for measuring alpha and gamma. The opportunities for measurements of rare B decays are reviewed briefly, as are possible K-de…
The B^0_s -> J/psi K_S decay has recently been observed by the CDF collaboration and will be of interest for the LHCb experiment. It is the U-spin partner of the golden B^0_d -> J/psi K_S channel and offers a determination of the angle gamma of the unitarity triangle. Moreover, it allows us to control the hadronic penguin effects in the extraction of the B^0_d-\bar B^0_d mixing phase phi_d through a measurement of CP violation in B^0_d^0 -> J/psi K_S. We discuss the picture emerging for these measurements from an LHCb feasibility study. While LHCb will be able to extract gamma from the CP viol…
The results of an extensive flavour physics analysis in the Littlest Higgs model with T-parity are presented. In particular, mixing and CP-violation in K^0 and B^0_{d,s} systems have been studied. Several scenarios defined by the values of mirror quark masses and the parameters of the new flavour mixing matrix V_Hd have been considered. A very interesting scenario is identified, where the well-known kaon constraints are satisfied, the sin(2beta) and Delta M_s issues are improved w.r.t the Standard Model and visible effects could be soon found in A_SL^s and S_{psi phi}.
We have studied neutrinoless double beta decay and charged lepton flavour violation in broken $μ-τ$ symmetric neutrino masses in a generic left-right symmetric model (LRSM). The leading order $μ-τ$ symmetric mass matrix originates from the type I (II) seesaw mechanism, whereas the perturbations to $μ-τ$ symmetry in order for generation of non-zero reactor mixing angle $θ_{13}$, as required by latest neutrino oscillation data, originates from the type II (I) seesaw mechanism. In our work, we considered four different realizations of $μ-τ$ symmetry, viz. Tribimaximal Mixing (TBM), Bimaximal Mixi…
The decay B -> J/Psi K_S remains the most important source of information for the B_d mixing phase, determined by the CKM angle beta in the standard model. When aiming at a precision appropriate for present and coming high luminosity colliders, the corresponding hadronic matrix elements are a major obstacle, as their precise calculation is still not feasible with existing methods. Flavour symmetries offer a possibility to extract them from data, however again with limited precision. In this article, we propose a framework to take subleading contributions in B_{u,d,s} -> J/Psi P decays into acc…
In supersymmetric (SUSY) models the misalignment between fermion and sfermion families introduces unsuppressed flavor-changing processes. Even if the mass parameters are chosen to give no flavor violation, family dependent radiative corrections make this adjustment not stable. We analyze the rate of l --> l' gamma in SUSY-GUT models with three quasi-degenerate neutrinos and universal scalar masses at the Planck scale. We pay special attention to a recently proposed scenario where the low-energy neutrino mixings are generated from identical quark and lepton mixings at large scales. We show that…
Studying heavy flavour physics is driven by multiple motivations: to probe our theoretical control over QCD; enhance our information on gluon and sea quark structure functions; use heavy flavour production as signal for the onset of the quark-gluon plasma; revisit light flavour spectroscopy through the final states in heavy flavour decays; extract fundamental quantities like CKM and MNS parameters; search for new Physics. The last two years have witnessed tremendous amplification in our knowledge of heavy flavour dynamics. We know the elements of the CKM matrix with significantly improved reli…
We study the possibility of generating non-zero reactor mixing angle $θ_{13}$ by perturbing the $μ-τ$ symmetric neutrino mass matrix. The leading order $μ-τ$ symmetric neutrino mass matrix originates from type I seesaw mechanism whereas the perturbations to $μ-τ$ symmetry originate from type II seesaw term. We consider four different realizations of $μ-τ$ symmetry: Bimaximal Mixing(BM), Tri-bimaximal Mixing (TBM), Hexagonal Mixing (HM) and Golden Ratio Mixing (GRM) all giving rise to $θ_{13} = 0, θ_{23} = \fracπ{4}$ but different non-zero values of solar mixing angle $θ_{12}$. We assume a mini…
SuperB is a high luminosity e+e- collider that will be able to indirectly probe new physics at energy scales far beyond the reach of any man made accelerator planned or in existence. Just as detailed understanding of the Standard Model of particle physics was developed from stringent constraints imposed by flavour changing processes between quarks, the detailed structure of any new physics is severely constrained by flavour processes. In order to elucidate this structure it is necessary to perform a number of complementary studies of a set of golden channels. With these measurements in hand, t…
The non-minimal flavour violating interactions of mirror quarks and new heavy gauge bosons in the Littlest Higgs model with T-parity (LHT) give rise to naturally large CP-violating effects in the B_s system. In view of a large new CP phase in B_s - anti-B_s mixing hinted by the CDF and D0 data and the recent UTfit analysis, we update our 2006 analysis of particle-antiparticle mixing and rare K and B decays in the LHT model, using the most recent values of a number of input parameters and performing a more careful error analysis. We find that the CP-asymmetry S_{psi phi} can easily reach values…
I give an introduction to the theory of meson-antimeson mixing, aiming at students who plan to work at a flavour physics experiment or intend to do associated theoretical studies. I derive the formulae for the time evolution of a neutral meson system and show how the mass and width differences among the neutral meson eigenstates and the CP phase in mixing are calculated in the Standard Model. Special emphasis is laid on CP violation, which is covered in detail for K mixing, Bd mixing and Bs mixing. I explain the constraints on the apex (rho-bar,eta-bar) of the unitarity triangle implied by eps…
During last decade a number of detailed analyses of flavour observables and of their correlations within more than a dozen specific BSM models have been performed at the TUM. One of the goals of these analyses was to investigate which model is capable of obtaining large mixing induced CP asymmetry in the B_s system, S_{psi phi}, and to find out what this would imply for other flavour observables. In this context also the rare decays B_{s,d}->mu^+ mu^- have been considered. In some models their branching ratios can be enhanced by orders of magnitude above the SM expectations. The recent data on…
The data on high-precision flavour observables reveal certain puzzles when compared to Standard Model expectations based on a global fit of the CKM unitarity triangle and general theoretical estimates. The discussion of these tensions in the channels B to J/psi K, B to phi K, and B to pi K, and the deduced constraints for New Physics operators of the class (bs)(qq) form the content of this talk.
New Physics contributions to Delta F=2 transitions in models with constrained Minimal Flavour Violation (CMFV), are parametrized by a single variable S(v), the value of the real box diagram function. With already precise experimental values of epsilon_K, Delta M_d, Delta M_s, CP-asymmetry S_{psi K_S} and of hat{B}_K entering the evaluation of epsilon_K, the future of CMFV in the Delta F=2 sector depends crucially on the values of |Vcb|, |Vub|, gamma, F_{B_s} sqrt{hat B_{B_s}} and F_{B_d} sqrt{hat B_{B_d}}. The ratio xi of the latter two parameters, rather precisely determined from lattice calc…
We present a model independent analysis of new-physics contributions to the decays K^+ \to π^+ ν\bar νand K_L \to π^0 ν\bar ν. We parameterize the effects of new physics in these decays by two parameters: r_K and θ_K, with r_K=1 and θ_K=0 in the Standard Model (SM). We show how these parameters can be extracted from future data. This analysis offers some insight in a possible violation of a "golden relation" between K \to πν\bar νdecays and the CP asymmetry in B \to ψK_S in the SM pointed out some time ago. We illustrate these ideas by considering a general class of supersymmetric models. We f…
We propose a flavour theory in which the family symmetry results naturally from a six-dimensional orbifold compactification. "Diracness" of neutrinos is a consequence of the spacetime dimensionality, and the fact that right-handed neutrinos live in the bulk. Dark matter is incorporated in a scotogenic way, as a result of an auxiliary $\mathbb{Z}_3$ symmetry, and its stability is associated to the conservation of a "dark parity" symmetry. The model leads naturally to a "golden" quark-lepton mass relation.
We study N_f D6-brane probes in the supergravity background dual to N_c D4-branes compactified on a circle with supersymmetry-breaking boundary conditions. In the limit in which the resulting Kaluza--Klein modes decouple, the gauge theory reduces to non-supersymmetric, four-dimensional QCD with N_c colours and N_f << N_c flavours. As expected, this decoupling is not fully realised within the supergravity/Born--Infeld approximation. For N_f = 1 and massless quarks, m_q = 0, we exhibit spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking by a quark condensate, <\bar{psi} ψ> \neq 0, and find the associated massl…
We make the simple observation that there exists a universal unitarity triangle for all models, like the SM, the Two Higgs Doublet Models I and II and the MSSM with minimal flavour violation, that do not have any new operators beyond those present in the SM and in which all flavour changing transitions are governed by the CKM matrix with no new phases beyond the CKM phase. This universal triangle can be determined in the near future from the ratio (Delta M)_d/(Delta M)_s and sin(2 beta) measured first through the CP asymmetry in B_d^0 to psi K_S and later in K to pi nu nubar decays. Also suita…
We have just entered a new round in the testing of the flavour sector of the Standard Model through high-precision measurements of B-meson decays. A particularly exciting aspect is the exploration of the B_s-meson system at LHCb. We focus on two particularly promising probes of new physics which may give us first solid evidence for New Physics at the LHC: the strongly suppressed rare decay B_s^0 -> mu^+mu^- and CP-violating effects in the B_s^0 -> J/psi phi channel. We discuss recent theoretical developments related to these measurements and shall also sketch other highlights of the B-physics …
Recent topics regarding CP violation in heavy meson systems are discussed. As an introduction, the status of the Unitarity Triangle fit and CP violation in B meson mixing are briefly reviewed. Two topics are covered in more detail: Penguin pollution in the "golden mode" B_d to J/psi K has gained importance due to the apparent smallness of new physics effects, together with the outstanding precision expected from present and future collider experiments. A very recent analysis is presented, which yields a stronger bound for the maximal influence of penguin contributions than previous analyses an…
Working within the Standard Model effective field theory approach, we examine the possibility to test charged lepton flavour violating (cLFV) new physics (NP) by angular measurements of the outgoing electron and positrons in the polarised $μ^{+}\to e^{+}e^{+}e^{-}$ decay. This decay is planned to be studied with a sensitivity to the branching ratio of $B_{μ\to3e}\sim 10^{-15}$ by the Mu3e experiment at PSI. To illustrate the potential of these measurements, we consider a set of eight effective operators generating the decay at the tree level, including dimension-five dipole operators and dimen…
