On the effective lifetime of $B_s\to \mu \mu \gamma$

Abstract

We consider the $B_s^0\to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}\gamma$ effective lifetime, and the related CP-phase sensitive quantity $A_{\Delta {\Gamma }_s}^{\mu \mu \gamma }$, as a way to obtain qualitatively new insights on the current $B$-decay discrepancies. Through a fit comparing pre- to post-Moriond-2021 data we identify a few theory benchmark scenarios addressing these discrepancies, and featuring large CP violation in addition. We then explore the possibility of telling apart these scenarios with $A_{\Delta {\Gamma }_s}^{\mu \mu \gamma }$, once resonance-modeling and form-factor uncertainties are taken into account. We do so in both regions of low and high invariant di-lepton mass-squared $q^2$. For low $q^2$, we show how to shape the integration range in order to reduce the impact of the $\varphi$-resonance modelling on the $A_{\Delta {\Gamma }_s}^{\mu \mu \gamma }$ prediction. For high $q^2$, we find that the corresponding pollution from broad-charmonium resonances has a surprisingly small effect on $A_{\Delta {\Gamma }_s}^{\mu \mu \gamma }$. This is due to a number of cancellations, that can be traced back to the complete dominance of semi-leptonic operator contributions for high $q^2$ -- at variance with low $q^2$ -- and to $A_{\Delta {\Gamma }_s}^{\mu \mu \gamma }$ behaving like a ratio-of-amplitudes observable. Our study suggests that $A_{\Delta {\Gamma }_s}^{\mu \mu \gamma }$ is -- especially at high $q^2$ -- a potentially valuable probe of short-distance CP-violating effects in the very same Wilson coefficients that are associated to current $b\to s$ discrepancies. Its discriminating power, however, relies on progress in form-factor uncertainties. Interestingly, high $q^2$ is the region where $B_s^0\to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}\gamma$ is already being accessed experimentally, and the region where form factors are more accessible through non-perturbative QCD methods.

Comments: 37 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables. v4: major overhaul of numerics, because of inclusion of new form-factor parameterization made available in the literature; added appendix D on analytic argument for near-cancellation of broad-charmonium uncertainties; main conclusions unchanged. Matches journal version