Improved branching ratio measurement for the decay K(0)(L) --> &mgr;(+)&mgr;(-)

New physics searches at kaon and hyperon factories

Rare meson decays are among the most sensitive probes of both heavy and light new physics. Among them, new physics searches using kaons benefit from their small total decay widths and the availability of very large datasets. On the other hand, useful complementary information is provided by hyperon decay measurements. We summarize the relevant phenomenological models and the status of the searches in a comprehensive list of kaon and hyperon decay channels. We identify new search strategies for under-explored signatures, and demonstrate that the improved sensitivities from current and next-generation experiments could lead to a qualitative leap in the exploration of light dark sectors.

Constraints on the K_{S}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-} Branching Fraction

A search for the decay K_{S}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-} is performed using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.6  fb^{-1} and collected with the LHCb experiment during 2016, 2017, and 2018 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The observed signal yield is consistent with zero, yielding an upper limit of B(K_{S}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-})<2.2×10^{-10} at 90% C.L.. The limit reduces to B(K_{S}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-})<2.1×10^{-10} at 90% C.L. once combined with the result from data taken in 2011 and 2012.

Charm-quark contribution to KL-->mu+mu- at next-to-next-to-leading order

We calculate the charm-quark contribution to the decay K(L)-->mu(+)mu(-) in next-to-next-to-leading order of QCD. This new contribution reduces the theoretical uncertainty in the relevant parameter P(c) from +/-22% down to +/-7%, corresponding to scale uncertainties of +/-3% and +/-6% in the short-distance part of the branching ratio and the determination of the Wolfenstein parameter rho[over] from K(L)-->mu(+)mu(-) The error in P(c)=0.115+/-0.018 is now in equal shares due to the combined scale uncertainties and the current uncertainty in the charm-quark mass. We find B(K(L)-->mu(+)mu(-)) SD=(0.79+/-0.12)x10(-9), with the present uncertainty in the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa element V(td) being the dominant individual source in the quoted error.

Polarization transfer in the 4He(e-->,e'p-->)3H reaction up to Q2=2.6 (GeV/c)2

We have measured the proton recoil polarization in the 4He(e-->,e(')p-->)4H reaction at Q(2)=0.5, 1.0, 1.6, and 2.6 (GeV/c)(2). The measured ratio of polarization transfer coefficients differs from a fully relativistic calculation, favoring the inclusion of a medium modification of the proton form factors predicted by a quark-meson coupling model. In addition, the measured induced polarizations agree reasonably well with the fully relativistic calculation indicating that the treatment of final-state interactions is under control.