Model Independent Extraction of $|V_{\mathrm{bc}}|$ Without Heavy Quark Symmetry

Abstract

A new method to extract $|V_{\mathrm{bc}}|$ is proposed based on a sum--rule for semileptonic decays of the $B$ meson. The method relies on much weaker assumptions than previous approaches which are based on heavy--quark symmetry. This sum--rule only relies on the assumption that the virtual $c\overline{c}$ pair content of the $B$ meson can be neglected. The extraction of the CKM matrix element also requires that the sum--rule saturates in the kinematically accessible region.

Comments: 10 pages revtex3 manuscript. No figures, U. of MD PP #94--086. With our apologies, some innocuous errors corrected and some references added that had been brought to our attention