Further evidence for the decay K+ -->pi+nu(nu)

Search for A^{'}→μ^{+}μ^{-} Decays

Searches are performed for both promptlike and long-lived dark photons, A^{'}, produced in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. These searches look for A^{'}→μ^{+}μ^{-} decays using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.5  fb^{-1} collected with the LHCb detector. Neither search finds evidence for a signal, and 90% confidence-level exclusion limits are placed on the γ-A^{'} kinetic mixing strength. The promptlike A^{'} search explores the mass region from near the dimuon threshold up to 70 GeV and places the most stringent constraints to date on dark photons with 214<m(A^{'})≲740  MeV and 10.6<m(A^{'})≲30  GeV. The search for long-lived A^{'}→μ^{+}μ^{-} decays places world-leading constraints on low-mass dark photons with lifetimes O(1)  ps.

Recent progress in applying lattice QCD to kaon physics

Standard lattice calculations in kaon physics are based on the evaluation of matrix elements of local operators between two single-hadron states or a single-hadron state and the vacuum. Recent progress in lattice QCD has gone beyond these standard observables. I will review the status and prospects of lattice kaon physics with an emphasis on non-leptonic K → ππ decay and long-distance processes including K0-K0 mixing and rare kaon decays.

Search for Invisible Decays of a Dark Photon Produced in e^{+}e^{-} Collisions at BaBar

We search for single-photon events in 53  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B-Factory. We look for events with a single high-energy photon and a large missing momentum and energy, consistent with production of a spin-1 particle A^{'} through the process e^{+}e^{-}→γA^{'}; A^{'}→invisible. Such particles, referred to as "dark photons," are motivated by theories applying a U(1) gauge symmetry to dark matter. We find no evidence for such processes and set 90% confidence level upper limits on the coupling strength of A^{'} to e^{+}e^{-} in the mass range m_{A^{'}}≤8  GeV. In particular, our limits exclude the values of the A^{'} coupling suggested by the dark-photon interpretation of the muon (g-2)_{μ} anomaly, as well as a broad range of parameters for the dark-sector models.

Supersymmetry facing experiment: much ado (already) about nothing (yet)

This report emphasizes the comparison between supersymmetric models and experiments. A minimal theoretical introduction is included as a guide to the interpretation of results. The existing constraints from low energy measurements, accelerator searches (LEP, Tevatron and HERA) and non-accelerator searches for neutralinos are presented. Prospects for upgrades of these facilities and for the LHC and linear collider are summarized. Most discussions are made in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric standard model inspired by supergravity (MSUGRA). But alternatives such as gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking (GMSB), anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking (AMSB), models with R-parity violation and even alternatives to supersymmetry are also briefly considered.

Rare decay K+ --> pi+ nunu at the next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD

We calculate the charm quark contribution to the rare decay Kappa(+)--> pi(+) nunu in the next-to-next-to-leading order of QCD. This new contribution reduces the theoretical uncertainty in the relevant parameter Pc from +/-10.1% down to +/-2.4%, corresponding to scale uncertainties of +/-1.3%, +/-1.0%, +/-0.006, and +/-1.2 degrees in Beta(Kappa(+) --> pi(+) nunu) and in |V(td)|, sin2(Beta), and gamma extracted from the Kappa --> pinunu system. The error in Rho(c) = 0.37 +/- 0.04 is now fully dominated by the current uncertainty of +/-3.8% in the charm quark mass m(c). We find Beta(Kappa(+) --> pi(+)nunu) = (8.0 +/- 1.1) x 10(-11), where the quoted error stems almost entirely from the present uncertainties in m(c) and the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa elements.

Dark matter particle production in b-->s transitions with missing energy

Dedicated underground experiments searching for dark matter have little sensitivity to GeV and sub-GeV masses of dark matter particles. We show that the decay of B mesons to K(K(*)) and missing energy in the final state can be an efficient probe of dark matter models in this mass range. We analyze the minimal scalar dark matter model to show that the width of the decay mode with two dark matter scalars B-->KSS may exceed the decay width in the standard model channel, B-->Knunu , by up to 2 orders of magnitude. Existing data from B physics experiments almost entirely exclude dark matter scalars with masses less than 1 GeV. Expected data from B factories probe the range of dark matter masses up to 2 GeV.

Improved measurement of the K+-->pi+nunu; branching ratio

An additional event near the upper kinematic limit for K+-->pi(+)nunu; has been observed by experiment E949 at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Combining previously reported and new data, the branching ratio is B(K+-->pi(+)nunu;)=(1.47(+1.30)(-0.89))x10(-10) based on three events observed in the pion momentum region 211<P<229 MeV/c. At the measured central value of the branching ratio, the additional event had a signal-to-background ratio of 0.9.

B-->pipi, new physics in B-->piK, and implications for rare K and B decays

The measured B-->pipi,piK branching ratios (BRs) exhibit puzzling patterns. We point out that the B-->pipi hierarchy can be nicely accommodated in the standard model (SM) through nonfactorizable hadronic interference effects, whereas the B-->piK system may indicate new physics (NP) in the electroweak (EW) penguin sector. Using the B-->pipi data and the SU(3) flavor symmetry, we fix the hadronic B-->piK parameters and show that any currently observed feature of the B-->piK system can be easily explained through enhanced EW penguin diagrams with a large CP-violating NP phase. This in turn implies in particular an enhancement of the K(L)-->pi(0)nunu rate by 1 order of magnitude, with BR(K(L)-->pi(0)nunu) approximately 4BR(K+-->pi(+)nunu), BR(K(L)-->pi(0)e(+)e(-))=O(10(-10)), and (sin(2beta)(pinunu)<0. We address also other rare K and B decays and B(d)-->phiK(S).