HFLAV $\tau$ branching fractions fit and measurements of Vus with $\tau$ lepton data

Abstract

We report the status of the Heavy Flavour Averaging Group (HFLAV) averages of the $\tau$ lepton measurements We then update the latest published HFLAV global fit of the $\tau$ lepton branching fractions (Spring 2017) with recent results by BABAR. We use the fit results to update the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix element Vus measurements with the $\tau$ branching fractions. We combine the direct $\tau$ branching fraction measurements with indirect predictions using kaon branching fractions measurements to improve the determination of Vus using $\tau$ branching fractions. The Vus determinations based on the inclusive branching fraction of $\tau$ to strange final states are about $3\sigma$ lower than the Vus determination from the CKM matrix unitarity.

Comments: Proceedings of the 15th International Workshop on Tau Lepton Physics (Tau 2018). SciPost editorial revisions applied. Fixed radiative correction that was erroneously including an isospin-breaking correction, fixed one formula, corrected a few typos