Segregating Old Physics From New Physics

A new paper uses the interesting strategy of trying to make Standard Model predictions for experiments under the assumption that some of the data usually used to make Standard Model physics predictions to which experimental results are compared reflects some New Physics. The paper finds ways to ignore that "infection" of New Physics, so that the true New Physics effect can be better isolated from the true Standard Model alone prediction. 

The Standard Model (SM) does not contain by definition any new physics (NP) contributions to any observable but contains four CKM parameters which are not predicted by this model. We point out that if these four parameters are determined in a global fit that includes processes which are infected by NP, the resulting SM contributions to rare decay branching ratios cannot be considered as true SM contributions to the latter. On the other hand true SM predictions, that are free from the CKM dependence, can be obtained for suitable ratios of the K and B rare decay branching ratios to ΔMs, ΔMd and |εK|, all calculated within the SM. These three observables contain by now only small hadronic uncertainties and are already well measured so that rather precise true SM predictions for the ratios in question can be obtained. In this context the rapid test of NP infection in the ΔF=2 sector is provided by a |Vcb|−γ plot that involves ΔMs, ΔMd, |εK|, and the mixing induced CP-asymmetry SψKS. As with the present hadronic matrix elements this test turns out to be negative, assuming negligible NP infection in the ΔF=2 sector and setting the values of these four observables to the experimental ones, allows to obtain SM predictions for all K and B rare decay branching ratios that are most accurate to date and as a byproduct to obtain the full CKM matrix on the basis of ΔF=2 transitions alone. Using this strategy we obtain SM predictions for 26 branching ratios for rare semileptonic and leptonic K and B decays with the μ+μ− pair or the νν¯ pair in the final state. Most interesting turn out to be the anomalies in the low q2 bin in B+→K+μ+μ− (5.1σ) and Bs→ϕμ+μ− (4.8σ).

Andrzej J. Buras, "Standard Model Predictions for Rare K and B Decays without New Physics Infection" arXiv:2209.03968 (September 8, 2022).