The charmless bottom meson decays are systematically investigated based on an approximate six quark operator effective Hamiltonian from perturbative QCD. It is shown that within this framework the naive QCD factorization method provides a simple way to evaluate the hadronic matrix elements of two body mesonic decays. The singularities caused by on mass-shell quark propagator and gluon exchanging interaction are appropriately treated. Such a simple framework allows us to make theoretical predictions for the decay amplitudes with reasonable input parameters. The resulting theoretical predictions for all the branching ratios and CP asymmetries in the charmless $B^0, B^+, B_s\to ππ, πK, KK$ decays are found to be consistent with the current experimental data except for a few decay modes. The observed large branching ratio in $B\to π^0π^0$ decay remains a puzzle though the predicted branching ratio may be significantly improved by considering the large vertex corrections in the effective Wilson coefficients. More precise measurements of charmless bottom meson decays, especially on CP-violations in $B\to K K$ and $B_s\to ππ, πK, KK$ decay modes, will provide a useful test and guide us to a better understanding on perturbative and nonperturbative QCD.
We give the first estimate of charmless scalar meson emitting weak hadronic decays of 0 $\Lembda_{b}^{0}$, $Ξ_{b}^{0}$ and $Ξ_{b}^{-}$ bottom baryons employing the pole model and consequently predict their branching ratios.
Two types of predictions for charmless B decays are compared. One involves estimates based on factorization and models for form factors, while the other involves the use of flavor SU(3), sometimes with assumptions about the smallness of certain amplitudes. After a comparison of some factorization predictions with recent data, specific decays of $B$ mesons to two charmless mesons are discussed.
We compare the factorization approach, the perturbative QCD approach and the Beneke-Buchalla-Neubert-Sachrajda approach to nonleptonic charmless $B$ meson decays. We discuss their treatments of factorizable, nonfactorizable, and annihilation contributions, infrared-cutoff and scale dependences, and strong phases. It is proposed that measurement of CP asymmetries in two-body $B$ meson decays provides an appropriate test of the these approaches.
We present fits to charmless strangeless hadronic B decay data for mean branching ratios and CP-violating asymmetries using the QCD factorization model of Beneke et al. Apart from one CP-violating parameter, the model gives a very good representation of 26 measured data. We find the CKM angle alpha = (93.5 +/- 8.4 -1.3) degrees and to be quite stable to plausible "charming penguin" corrections.
We present fits to charmless hadronic B decay data from the BaBar, Belle and Cleo experiments using two theoretical models: (i) the QCD factorization model of Beneke et al. and (ii) QCD factorization complemented with the so-called charming penguins of Ciuchini et al. When we include the data from pseudoscalar-vector decays the results favor the incorporation of the charming penguin terms. We also fit results for the unitarity triangle parameters and the CP-violating asymmetries.
We calculate the two-body nonleptonic B decays using the factorization method. The recent measured decays by CLEO Collaboration can be explained in the factorization approach. We propose a number of ratios of branching ratios to determine the effective coefficients and the form factors.
The global analysis of B-->PP, PV charmless decays with QCD factorization (QCDF) is presented. The predictions of QCDF are in good agreement with experiments. The best fitted CKM angel gamma is around 79 degree. The predicted branching ratios of B --> pi^0 pi^0, omega K^+, omega pi^+, pi^+ K^{{\ast}0} etc. are also in good agreement with new data of BaBar and Belle
We study the hadronic charmless two-body B decays to final states involving pseudoscalar and vector mesons with QCD factorization approach, including the contributions from the chirally enhanced power corrections and weak annihilations. The CP-averaged branching ratios and CP-violating asymmetries are given. Most of our results are in agreement with the present measurements, but the branching ratios of some decay channels are only marginally consistent with the experimental observations. Considering the large uncertainties, great advances in both experiment and theory in the near future are st…
We calculated the CP averaged branching ratios and CP-violating asymmetries of two-body charmless hadronic Bs->PP,PV decays with the QCDF approach, including the contributions from the chirally enhanced power corrections and weak annihilations. Only several decay modes, such as Bs -> K^(*)K, K^(*{\pm})π^{\mp}, K^{\pm}ρ^{\mp}, η^(')η^('), have large branching ratios, which may be observed in the near future. The penguin-to-tree ratio P_{ππ}/T_{ππ} and a bound on angle $γ$ are given.
Toward the goal of extracting the weak angle alpha, the decay B^0/B^0-bar to a_0^{+/-}pi^{-/+} was recently measured. The decay B^0 to a_0^+pi^- is not only forbidden in the factorization limit of the tree interaction, but also strongly suppressed for the penguin interaction if short-distance QCD dominates. This makes extraction of alpha very difficult from a^{+/-}π^{-/+}. We examine the simlar factorization-suppressed decays, in particular, B^0\to b_1^+pi^-. The prospect of obtaining alpha is even less promising with b_1^{+/-}pi^{-/+}. To probe how well the short-distance dominance works, we …
The two body charmless decays of $B_s$ meson to light vector mesons are analyzed within the framework of QCD factorization. This approach implies that the nonfactorizable corrections to different helicity amplitudes are not the same. The effective parameters $a_i^h$ for helicity $h=0,+,-$ states receive different nonfactorizable contributions and hence are helicity dependent, contrary to naive factorization approach where $a_i^h$ are universal and polarization independent. The branching ratios for $\bar{B}_s\to VV$ decays are calculated and we find that branching ratios of some channels are of…
We first present a model-independent analysis using flavor SU(3) symmetry with SU(3) breaking effects in $B$ decays to two charmless vector mesons ($VV$) in the final state. In order to bridge the flavor SU(3) symmetry approach and the factorization approach in $B \to VV$ decays, we explicitly show how to translate each SU(3) amplitude into a corresponding amplitude in factorization. Various decay modes, including $B \to K^* ϕ$ which is so far the only $B \to VV$ mode having some experimental evidence, are discussed in both the SU(3) symmetry and factorization approaches. Within the generalize…
We analyze charmless two-body non-leptonic $B$ decays under the framework of factorization assisted topological amplitude approach. Unlike the conventional flavor diagram approach, we consider flavor $SU(3)$ breaking effect assisted by factorization hypothesis for topological diagram amplitudes of different decay modes, by factorizing out the corresponding decay constants and form factors. The non-perturbative parameters of topology diagram magnitudes $χ$ and strong phase $ϕ$ are universal that can be extracted by $χ^2$ fit from current abundant experimental data of charmless $B$ decays. The n…
We analyze charmless two-body non-leptonic B decays $B \to PP, PV$ under the framework of factorization assisted topological amplitude approach, where $P(V)$ denotes a light pseudoscalar (vector) meson. Compared with the conventional flavor diagram approach, we consider flavor $SU(3)$ breaking effect assisted by factorization hypothesis for topological diagram amplitudes of different decay modes, factorizing out the corresponding decay constants and form factors. The non-perturbative parameters of topology diagram magnitudes $χ$ and strong phase $ϕ$ are universal that can be extracted by $χ^2$…
We address a number of theoretical and phenomenological issues in two-body charmless non-leptonic B decays in the context of a factorization model. A classification of the exclusive decays involving tree and penguin amplitudes is reviewed. The role of QCD anomaly in exclusive decays involving an $η$ or $η'$ is elucidated and comparison is made with the existing data. We argue that the factorization approach accounts for most of the observed two-body B decays.
In this paper, we studied the charmless $B_{c}\to VV$ ($V$ denotes the light ground $\rm SU(3)$ vector meson) decays within the framework of QCD factorization. In the evaluation, two different schemes for regulating the end-point divergence are adopted. One (scheme I) is to use parameterization model, which is usually employed in the QCD factorization approach; the other (scheme II) is based on the infrared finite gluon propagator of Cornwall prescription. It is found that, in the annihilation amplitudes, the end-point divergence appears only in the power-suppressed corrections related to the …
Using the QCD factorization approach, we reexamine the two-body hadronic charmless $B$-meson decays to final states involving a pseudoscalar~($P$) and a vector~($V$) meson, with inclusion of the penguin contractions of spectator-scattering amplitudes induced by the $b\to D g^\ast g^\ast$~(where $D=d$ or $s$, and $g^\ast$ denotes an off-shell gluon) transitions, which are of order $α_s^2$. Their impacts on the CP-averaged branching ratios and CP-violating asymmetries are examined. We find that these higher order penguin contraction contributions have significant impacts on some specific decay m…
In this paper, with the framework of (p)NRQCD and SCET, the processes $B_c\to M_1 M_2$ are investigated. Here $M_{1(2)}$ denotes the light charmless meson, such as $π$, $ρ$, $K$ or $K^*$. Based on the SCET power counting rules, the leading transition amplitudes are picked out, which include $A_{wA}^2$, $A_{wB}^2$, $A_{wC}^2$, $A_{wD}^2$ and $A_{c}^0$. From SCET, their factorization formulae are proven. Based on the obtained factorization formulae, in particular, the numerical calculation on $A_{wB}^2$ is performed.
Branching fractions and CP-violating asymmetries of charmless $\bar B_s\to PP, VP, VV$ decays (P and V denoting pseudoscalar and vector mesons, respectively) are re-examined in the framework of QCD factorization (QCDF). We take into account subleading power corrections to the penguin annihilation topology and to color-suppressed tree amplitudes that are crucial for resolving the CP puzzles and rate deficit problems with penguin-dominated two-body decays and color-suppressed tree-dominated $π^0π^0$ and $ρ^0π^0$ modes in the $B_{u,d}$ sector. Many of the $B_s\to h_1h_2$ decays can be related to …
We report on the status of the perturbative calculation in the QCD factorization framework to charmless hadronic B meson decays and present a compilation of available NNLO results.
Charmless hadronic decays of B mesons to a vector meson (V) and a tensor meson (T) are analyzed in the frameworks of both flavor SU(3) symmetry and generalized factorization. We also make comments on B decays to two tensor mesons in the final states. Certain ways to test validity of the generalized factorization are proposed, using $B \to VT$ decays. We calculate the branching ratios and CP asymmetries using the full effective Hamiltonian including all the penguin operators and the form factors obtained in the non-relativistic quark model of Isgur, Scora, Grinstein and Wise.
The charmless $B_{c}$ $\to$ $PP$, $PV$~(where $P$ and $V$ denote the light pseudoscalar and vector mesons, respectively) decays can occur only via the weak annihilation diagrams within the Standard Model and provide, therefore, an ideal place to probe the strength of annihilation contribution in hadronic $B_{u,d,s}$ decays. In this paper, we study these kinds of decays in the framework of QCD factorization, by adopting two different schemes: scheme I is similar to the method usually adopted in the QCD factorization approach, while scheme II is based on the infrared behavior of gluon propagator…
We compute the real part of the 2-loop vertex corrections for charmless hadronic B decays, completing the NNLO calculation of the topological tree amplitudes in QCD factorization. Among the technical aspects we show that the hard-scattering kernels are free of soft and collinear infrared divergences at the 2-loop level, which follows after an intricate subtraction procedure involving evanescent four quark operators. The numerical impact of the considered corrections is found to be moderate, whereas the factorization scale dependence of the topological tree amplitudes is significantly reduced a…
The perturbative QCD (PQCD) approach based on $k_T$ factorization has made a great achievement for the QCD calculation of the hadronic B decays. Regulating the endpoint divergence by the transverse momentum of quarks in the propagators, one can do the perturbation calculation for kinds of diagrams including the annihilation type diagrams. In this paper, we review the current status of PQCD factorization calculation of two-body charmless $B\to PP, PV, VV$ decays up to the next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD corrections. two new power suppressed terms in decaying amplitudes are also taken into accou…
We study two-body charmless hadronic decays of $B$ mesons to a pseudoscalar meson ($P$) and a tensor meson ($T$) in the frameworks of both flavor SU(3) symmetry and generalized factorization. Certain ways to test validity of the generalized factorization are proposed, based on the flavor SU(3) analysis. We present a set of relations between a flavor SU(3) amplitude and a corresponding amplitude in the generalized factorization which bridge both approaches in $B \to PT$ decays. The branching ratios and CP asymmetries are calculated using the \emph{full} effective Hamiltonian including all the \…
Using the next-to-leading order QCD-corrected effective Hamiltonian, charmless exclusive nonleptonic decays of the $B_s$ meson into $η$ or $η'$ are calculated within the generalized factorization approach. Nonfactorizable contributions are included with two different treatments. Some subtleties involved are discussed.
We compute the imaginary part of the 2-loop vertex corrections in the QCD Factorization framework for hadronic two-body decays as B -> pi pi. This completes the NNLO calculation of the imaginary part of the topological tree amplitudes and represents an important step towards a NNLO prediction of direct CP asymmetries in QCD Factorization. Concerning the technical aspects, we find that soft and collinear infrared divergences cancel in the hard-scattering kernels which demonstrates factorization at the 2-loop order. All results are obtained analytically including the dependence on the charm quar…
With the generalized factorization approximation, we calculate the branching ratios and CP asymmetries in B meson decays into two charmless pseudoscalar mesons. We give a new estimation of the matrix elements of (S+P)(S-P) current products with the PQCD method instead of equation of motion. We find that our results are comparatively smaller than those in the literature.
In this paper, we perform a global analysis of $B \to PP$ and $PV$ decays with the QCD factorization approach. It is encouraging to observe that the predictions of QCD factorization are in good agreement with experiment. The best fit $γ$ is around $79^\circ$. The penguin-to-tree ratio $|P_{ππ}/T_{ππ}|$ of $π^+ π^-$ decays is preferred to be larger than 0.3. We also show the confidence levels for some interesting channels: $B^0 \to π^0 π^0$, $K^+ K^-$ and $B^+ \to ωπ^+$, $ωK^+$. For $B \to πK^\ast$ decays, they are expected to have smaller branching ratios with more precise measurements.
We search for new charmless decays of neutral b-hadrons to pairs of charged hadrons with the upgraded Collider Detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. Using a data sample corresponding to 1 fb-1 of integrated luminosity, we report the first observation of the B0s->K-pi+ decay, with a significance of 8.2 sigma, and measure BR(B0s->K-pi+)= (5.0+-0.7(stat)+-0.8(syst))*10^{-6}. We also report the first observation of charmless b-baryon decays in the channels Lambda_b -> p pi and Lambda_b -> pK with significances of 6.0 sigma and 11.5 sigma respectively, and we measure BR(Lambda_b->p pi-) = (3.5+-0.6(st…
Using a theoretical framework based on the next-to-leading order QCD improved effective Hamiltonian, we have estimated the branching ratios and asymmetry parameters for the two body charmless nonleptonic decay modes of $Λ_b$ baryon i.e. $Λ_b \to p (π/ρ),~p(K/K^*)$ and $Λ(π/ρ)$, within the framework of generalized factorization. The nonfactorizable contributions are parametrized in terms of the effective number of colors, $N_c^{eff}$. So in addition to the naive factorization approach ($N_c^{eff}=3 $), here we have taken two more values for $N_c^{eff}$ i.e., $N_c^{eff}=2 $ and $\infty $. The ba…
We discuss a novel pertubative QCD approach on the exclusive non-leptonic two body B-meson decays. We briefly review its ingredients and some important theoretical issues on the factorization approaches. We show numerical results which is compatible with recent experimantal data for the charmless B-meson decays.
Two-body charmless hadronic B decays involving a light tensor meson in the final states are studied in the perturbative QCD approach based on $k_T$ factorization. From our calculations, we find that the decay branching ratios for color allowed tree-dominated decays $B\to a_{2}^{0}π^{+}$ and $B\to a_{2}^{-}π^{+}$ modes are of order $10^{-6}$ and $10^{-5}$, respectively. While other color suppressed tree-dominated decays have very small branching ratios. In general, the branching ratios of most decays are in the range of $10^{-5}$ to $10^{-8}$, which are bigger by one or two orders of magnitude …
By choosing two typical input parameter points in the minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model and using the QCD factorization (QCDF) approach, we studied the supersymmetric effects to the CP violation of the two-body charmless hadronic $B$ meson decays. We found that though the SUSY contributions can give large corrections to the CP asymmetries for some decay channels, they could not be distinguished experimentally from the SM values because of the large theoretical errors dominated by calculating the annihilation contributions in the QCDF approach.
Motivated by recent data on B-> p pbar K decay, we study various charmless three-body baryonic B decay modes, including Lambda pbar pi, Sigma0 pbar pi, p pbar pi, p pbar Kbar0, in a factorization approach. These modes have rates of order 10^{-6}. There are two mechanisms for the baryon pair production, current-produced and transition. The behavior of decay spectra from these baryon production mechanisms can be understood by using QCD counting rules. Predictions on rates and decay spectra can be checked in the near future.
In the heavy quark limit, both vector mesons in the charmless B -> VV decay should have zero helicity and the corresponding amplitude is proportional to the form factor difference $(A_1-A_2)$. The first observed charmless $B\to VV$ mode, $B\toϕK^*$, indicates that the form factors $A_1(q^2)$ and $A_2(q^2)$ cannot be very similar at low $q^2$ as shown in some form-factor models. The approach of QCD-improved factorization implies that the nonfactorizable correction to each partial-wave or helicity amplitude is not the same; the effective parameters $a_i$ vary for different helicity amplitudes. T…
Within the factorization-assisted topological-amplitude approach, we studied the 33 charmless $B_{(s)} \to VV$ decays, where $V$ stands for a light vector meson. According to the flavor flows, the amplitude of each process can be decomposed into 8 different topologies. In contrast to the conventional flavor diagrammatic approach, we further factorize each topological amplitude into decay constant, form factors and unknown universal parameters. By $χ^2$ fitting 46 experimental observables, we extracted 10 theoretical parameters with $χ^2$ per degree of freedom around 2. Using the fitted paramet…
Two-body charmless nonleptonic decays of $B_u \to V V$ are studied within the generalized factorization approach using a recent calculation of the effective Wilson coefficients $c^{eff}_i$, which are not only renormalization-scale and -scheme independent but also gauge invariant and infrared finite. After making a universal ansatz for the nonfactorizable contributions, we parametrize these effects in terms of $N_c^{eff}(LL)$ and $N_c^{eff}(LR)$, the effective numbers of colors arising from $(V-A)(V-A)$ and $(V-A)(V+A)$ four-quark operators, respectively. Three different schemes for these contr…
Nonfactorizable effects in charmless $B\to PP, VP$ decays can be lumped into the effective parameters a_i that are linear combinations of Wilson coefficients, or equivalently absorbed into the effective number of colors N_c. Naive factorization with N_c=3 fails to explain the CLEO data of $B^\pm \to ωK^\pm$, showing the first evidence for the importance of nonfactorizable contributions to the penguin amplitude. The decays $B^\pm \to ωπ^\pm$ dominated by tree amplitudes are sensitive to the interference between external and internal W-emission diagrams. Destructive interference implied by $N_c=…
Some recent progress in China in the study of charmless B decays with QCD factorization is reviewed. Chirally enhanced power corrections and infrared divergence problem are stressed.
We have studied charmless two-body B decays involving $η$ and $η'$ in the framework of QCD improved factorization appraoch. The spectator hard scattering mechanism for $η'$ production have been re-examined and extended, which contributions are incorporated consistently into the factorizable leading contributions. It is found that the conventional mechanism would give $Br(B\to η' K)\sim 30\times 10^{-6}$ which agrees with predictions based on naive factorization approaches. With the incorporation of spectator hard scattering mechanism contributions, theoretical predictions are improved much and…
Using a theoretical framework based on the next-to-leading order QCD-improved effective Hamiltonian and a factorization Ansatz for the hadronic matrix elements of the four-quark operators, we reassess branching fractions in two-body non-leptonic decays $B \to PP, PV, VV$, involving the lowest lying light pseudoscalar $(P)$ and vector $(V)$ mesons in the standard model. Using the sensitivity of the decay rates on the effective number of colors, $N_c$, as a criterion of theoretical predictivity, we classify all the current-current (tree) and penguin transitions in five different classes. The rec…
By employing the QCD factorization approach, we calculate the new physics contributions to the branching radios of the two-body charmless $ B \to PV$ and $B \to VV$ decays in the framework of the minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model. we choose three typical sets of the mSUGRA input parameters in which the Wilson coefficient $C_{7γ}(m_b)$ can be either SM-like (the case A and C) or has a flipped-sign (the case B). We found numerically that (a) the SUSY contributions are always very small for both case A and C; (b) for those tree-dominated decays, the SUSY contributions in case B are also very sm…
I review the theoretical and phenomenological status of two- and three-body charmless non-leptonic B decays, with an emphasis on factorization approaches. Most of the material presented here is based on talks given by the participants of the workshop "Future Challenges in Non-Leptonic B Decays: Theory and Experiment", held at Bad Honnef in February 2016.
We study charmless pure annihilation type radiative B decays within the QCD factorization approach. After adding the vertex corrections to the naive factorization approach, we find that the branching ratios of $\bar{B}^0_d\toϕγ$, $\bar{B}^0_s\toρ^0γ$ and $\bar{B}^0_s\toωγ$ within the standard model are at the order of $\mathcal{O}(10^{-12})$, $\mathcal{O}(10^{-10})$ and $\mathcal{O}(10^{-11})$, respectively. The smallness of these decays in the standard model makes them sensitive probes of flavor physics beyond the standard model. To explore their physics potential, we have estimated the contr…
Within the framework of QCD factorization (QCDF), we consider two different types of power correction effects in order to resolve the CP puzzles and rate deficit problems with penguin-dominated two-body decays of B mesons and color-suppressed tree-dominated $π^0π^0$ and $ρ^0π^0$ modes: penguin annihilation and soft corrections to the color-suppressed tree amplitude. We emphasize that the electroweak penguin solution to the $B\to Kπ$ CP puzzle via New Physics is irrelevant for solving the CP and rate puzzles related to tree-dominated decays. While some channels e.g. $K^-π^+,K^-ρ^0,π^+π^-,ρ^\pmπ…
A leading-power factorization formula for weight functions relating the B to Xs gamma photon spectrum to arbitrary partial decay rates in B to Xu l nu is derived. These weight functions are independent of the hadronic shape function and allow for the determination of V_{ub} in a model-independent way. We calculate the weight function in renormalization-group improved perturbation theory to complete next-to-next-to leading order at the jet scale mu_i^2 ~ m_b Lambda_{QCD} and to next-to leading order at the hard scale mu_h ~ m_b. First-order power corrections are also included, where a model-dep…
I introduce the properties of the light axial-vector mesons. The branching ratios, longitudinal fractions and direct CP asymmetries of the related charmless two-body B decays into final states involving two axial-vector mesons ($AA$) or one vector and one axial-vector meson ($VA$) are discussed within the framework of QCD factorization.
Using factorization, we compute, within the standard model, the T-violating triple-product correlations in the charmless decays Lambda_b -> F_1 F_2, where F_1 is a light spin-1/2 baryon and F_2 is a pseudoscalar (P) or vector (V) meson. We find a large triple-product asymmetry of 18% for the decay Lambda_b -> p K^-. However, for other classes of Lambda_b -> F_1 P decays, the asymmetry is found to be at most at the percent level. For Lambda_b -> F_1 V decays, we find that all triple-product asymmetries are small (at most O(1%)) for a transversely-polarized V, and are even smaller for longitudin…
Using the next-to-leading order QCD-corrected effective Hamiltonian, charmless exclusive nonleptonic decays of the $B_s$ meson into $η$ or $η'$ are calculated within the generalized factorization approach. Nonfactorizable contributions, which can be parametrized in terms of the effective number of colors $N_c^{\rm eff}$ for $P P$ and $V P$ decay modes, are studied in two different schemes: (i) the one with the "homogeneous" structure in which $(N_c^{\rm eff})_1 \approx (N_c^{\rm eff})_2 \approx ... \approx (N_c^{\rm eff})_{10}$ is assumed, and (ii) the "heterogeneous" one in which the possibil…
We discuss the perturbative QCD approach for the exclusive two body B-meson decays to light mesons. We briefly review its ingredients and some important theoretical issues on factorization approach. We show numerical results which are compatible with present experimantal data for the charmless B-meson decays. Specailly we predict the possibility of large direct CP violation effects in $B^0 \to π^{+}π^{-}$ $(23\pm7 %)$ and $B^0\to K^{+}π^{-}$ $(-17\pm5%)$. In the last section we investigate two methods to determine the weak phases $ϕ_2$ and $ϕ_3$ from $B \to ππ,Kπ$ processes. We obtain bounds o…
We derive several relations between CP violating rate differences $Δ(B\to PV) = Γ(B\to PV) - Γ(\bar B \to \bar P \bar V)$ for charmless $B\to P V$ decays in the Standard Model using SU(3) flavor symmetry. It is found that although the relations between branching ratios of $ΔS = 0$ and $ΔS = -1$ processes are complicated, there are simple relations independent of hadronic models between some of the $ΔS =0$ and $ΔS = -1$ rate differences due to the unitarity property of the Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, such as $ Δ(B\to π^+ ρ^-) = -Δ(B\to π^+ K^{*-})$, $Δ(B\to π^- ρ^+) = - Δ(K^- ρ^+)$. SU(3) breakin…
Based upon flavor SU(3) symmetry, we perform global fits to charmless B decays into one pseudoscalar meson and one vector meson in the final states. We consider different symmetry breaking schemes and find that the one implied by na{ï}ve factorization is slightly favored over the exact symmetry case. The $(\barρ,\barη)$ vertex of the unitarity triangle (UT) constrained by our fits is consistent with other methods within errors. We have found large color-suppressed, electroweak penguin and singlet penguin amplitudes when the spectator quark ends up in the final-state vector meson. Nontrivial re…
We study the charmless decays $B\to K_hη$ and $B\to K_hη'$ within the framework of QCD factorization (QCDF) for $K_h= K,K^*,K_0^*(1430)$ and naive factorization for $K_h=K_2^*(1430)$. There are three distinct types of penguin contributions: (i) $b\to sq\bar q\to sη_{q}$, (ii) $b\to ss\bar s\to sη_s$, and (iii) $b\to s q\bar q\to q \bar K_h$, where $η_q=(u\bar u+d\bar d)/\sqrt{2}$ and $η_s=s\bar s$. $B\to K^{(*)}η^{(')}$ decays are dominated by type-II and type-III penguin contributions. The interference, constructive for $Kη'$ and $K^*η$ and destructive for $Kη$ and $K^*η'$, between type-II an…
We use currently available data of nonleptonic charmless 2-body $B\to MM$ decays ($MM = PP, PV, VV$) that are mediated by $b\to (d, s)$ QCD- and QED-penguin operators to study weak annihilation and new-physics effects in the framework of QCD factorization. In particular we introduce one weak annihilation parameter for decays related by ($u \leftrightarrow d$) quark interchange and test this universality assumption. Within the standard model, the data supports this assumption with the only exceptions in the $B\to K π$ system, which exhibits the well-known "$ΔA_{CP}$ puzzle", and some tensions i…
In the study of two-body charmless B decays as a mean of looking for direct CP-violation and measuring the CKM mixing parameters in the Standard Model, the short-distance penguin contribution with its absorptive part generated by charm quark loop seems capable of producing sufficient $B \to Kπ$ decays rates, as obtained in factorization and QCD-improved factorization models. However there are also long-distance charming penguin contributions which could give rise to a strong phase due to the rescattering $D^{*}D^{*}_{s} \to Kπ$ etc. In this talk, I would like to discuss recent works on the cha…
