No Pain, No Gain -- On the Challenges and Promises of Charm Studies

Abstract

The observation of $D^0-{\bar{D}}^0$ oscillations has left us in a tantalizing quandary concerning the theoretical interpretation: are they still compatible with the SM or might they require new dynamics (NP)? A comprehensive search for CP violation in $D$ decays should resolve the issue. Finding it should provide compelling evidence for the intervention of New Physics. While the absolute size of CP asymmetries will presumably be modest at best, the ratio of `signal' to `noise' -- i.e. NP over SM contributions -- might well be larger for $D$ than $B$ transitions. A list of promising channels is provided, most of which should be observable in a hadronic environment. Yet to saturate the discovery potential for NP, we need a Superflavour Factory. Valuable lessons can be obtained by analyzing three- and four-body final states.

arXiv comment19 pages, 1 figure; draft of invited talk given at `Charm09', Leimen (Germany), May 2009; feedback welcome

References in corpus (6)

• Combining K-\bar K mixing and D-\bar D mixing to constrain the flavor structure of new physics
• Testing New Indirect CP Violation
• Relating D0-anti-D0 Mixing and D0 -> l+l- with New Physics
• CP Violation in D0 - anti-D0 Oscillations: General Considerations and Applications to the Littlest Higgs Model with T-Parity
• Littlest Higgs Model with T-Parity Confronting the New Data on D^0-\bar D^0 Mixing
• Search for T Violation in Charm Meson Decays

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Covariant Description of Flavor Conversion in the LHC Era
• TASI 2009 Lectures - Flavor Physics
• New Experiments with Antiprotons
• CKM studies in the charm sector