CP Violation in the B Meson System

Abstract

CP violation in $B$ decays is reviewed in the Standard Model (SM) and beyond the SM. The present explanation of CP violation in terms of a phase in the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix can be tested through a variety of CP asymmetries in neutral and charged $B$ decays. Usually, new mechanisms of CP nonconservation enter via $B-\bar{B}$ mixing and violate SM constraints on the CKM parameters in a few characteristic ways. Different models can be partially distinguished by penguin-dominated $B$ decay rate measurements. In radiative decays, large mixing-induced asymmetries may occur due to new contributions to the decay amplitude.

Comments: 17 pages, Talk at FCNC97, Santa Monica, CA , Feb. 19-21, 1997