Abstract
This set of lectures covers the very basics of flavour physics and are aimed to be an entry point to the subject. A lot of problems are provided in the hope of making the manuscript a self study guide.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
- 1.
We introduced here some vocabulary. UV refers to short distance or high energy. While we did not use the term IR yet, it worth mentioning that it refers to long distance or low energy.
- 2.
In fact there is one extra parameter that is related to the vacuum structure of the strong interaction, Θ QCD. Discussing this parameter is far beyond the scope of these lectures.
- 3.
This definition is needed so as to bring the neutral component to be the upper one.
- 4.
It goes without saying that every student in high energy physics must have the PDG [16]. If, for some reason you do not have one, order it now. It is free and has a lot of important stuff. Until you get it, you can use the online version at pdg.lbl.gov.
- 5.
The term “new physics” refers to any model that extends the SM. We are eager to find indications for new physics and determine what that new physics is. At the end of the lectures we expand on this point.
- 6.
There is an easy way to remember the mass of the B meson that is based on the fact that it is easier to remember two things than one. It is rather amusing to note that the number of feet there are in one mile and the mass of the B meson in MeV are, in fact, the same, 5,280.
- 7.
In the first lecture we proved that in the SM there are no tree-level FCNCs. Why do we talk about FCNCs here? I hope the answer is clear.
- 8.
You may be wondering why there are only four meson mixing systems. If you do not wonder and do not know the answer, then you should wonder. We will answer this question shortly.
- 9.
Another possible choice, which is standard for K mesons, is to define the mass eigenstates according to their lifetimes: K S for the short-lived and K L for the long-lived state. The K L is experimentally found to be the heavier state.
- 10.
What we refer to here is, of course, 1∕Δ m. Yet, at this stage of our life as physicists, we know how to match dimensions, and thus I interchange between time and energy freely, counting on you to understand what I am referring to.
- 11.
This is the case we are very familiar with when we talk about decays into mass eigenstates. There is never a decay into a mass eigenstate. Only when the oscillations are very fast and the oscillatory term in the decay rate averages out, the result seems like the decay is into a mass eigenstate.
- 12.
We do not explicitly write the Dirac structure. Anything that does not vanish is possible.
- 13.
This is the first time we introduce the name penguin. It is just a name, and it refers to a one-loop amplitude of the form f 1 → f 2 B where B is a neutral boson that can be on–shell or off–shell. If the boson is a gluon we may call it QCD penguin. When it is a photon or a Z boson it is called an electroweak penguin.
- 14.
The flavour structure of the SM is interesting since the quark masses and mixing angles exhibit some hierarchies. These are not explained within the SM, and this fact is usually called “the SM flavour puzzle”. This puzzle is different from the new physics flavour problem that we are discussing here.
References
G. Isidori, Flavor physics and CP violation, in 2012 European School of High-Energy Physics, Anjou, 6–19 Jun 2012. To be published in the School proceedings, arXiv:1302.0661 [hep-ph].
O. Gedalia and G. Perez, TASI 2009 lectures – flavor physics, in TASI 2009, Boulder. CO, USA, arXiv:1005.3106 [hep-ph].
G. Isidori, Y. Nir and G. Perez, Flavor physics constraints for physics beyond the standard model. Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 60, 355 (2010) [arXiv:1002.0900 [hep-ph]].
G. Isidori, B physics in the LHC era, in 65th Scottish Universities Summer School in Physics, St. Andrews. arXiv:1001.3431 [hep-ph].
A. J. Buras, Flavour Theory: 2009. PoS EPS HEP2009, 024 (2009) [arXiv:0910.1032 [hep-ph]].
U. Nierste, Three lectures on meson mixing and CKM phenomenology, in Helmholtz International Summer School on Heavy quark physics, Dubna. arXiv:0904.1869 [hep-ph].
M. Artuso, E. Barberio and S. Stone, B meson decays. PMC Phys. A 3, 3 (2009) [arXiv:0902.3743 [hep-ph]].
Y. Nir, Probing new physics with flavor physics (and probing flavor physics with new physics), in PiTP 2007 on Standard Model and Beyond, IAS, Princeton. arXiv:0708.1872 [hep-ph].
A. Hocker and Z. Ligeti, CP violation and the CKM matrix. Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci.56, 501 (2006) [arXiv:hep-ph/0605217].
M. Neubert, Effective field theory and heavy quark physics, in TASI 2004, Boulder. CO, USA, arXiv:hep-ph/0512222.
Y. Nir, CP violation in meson decays, in Third CERN-CLAF School of High Energy Physics, Malargue. arXiv:hep-ph/0510413.
A. J. Buras, Flavour physics and CP violation, in CERN School 2004. arXiv:hep-ph/0505175.
Z. Ligeti, Introduction to heavy meson decays and CP asymmetries, in Proceedings of 30th SLAC Summer Institute on Particle Physics: Secrets of the B Meson (SSI 2002), SLAC, Menlo Park, 5–16 Aug 2002, pp. L02 [arXiv:hep-ph/0302031].
I. I. Y. Bigi and A. I. Sanda, CP violation. Camb. Monogr. Part. Phys Nucl. Phys. Cosmol.9, 1 (2000).
G. C. Branco, L. Lavoura and J. P. Silva, CP violation. Int. Ser. Monogr. Phys.103, 1 (1999).
J. Beringer et al., Particle Data Group Collaboration, Phys. Rev. D 86, 010001 (2012). Recent updates can be found online at pdg.lbl.gov.
J. Charles et al., CKMfitter Group Collaboration, Eur. Phys. J. C 41, 1 (2005) [hep-ph/0406184]; updated results and plots available at: http://ckmfitter.in2p3.fr
Acknowledgements
I thank Joshua Berger, Mario Martone, and Dean Robinson for comments on the manuscript. The work of YG is supported by NSF grant number PHY-0757868 and by a U.S.-Israeli BSF grant.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Grossman, Y. (2015). Introduction to Flavour Physics. In: Gardi, E., Glover, N., Robson, A. (eds) LHC Phenomenology. Scottish Graduate Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05362-2_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05362-2_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-05361-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05362-2
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)