A Search for the Decay $B^{-}\to K^{-} ν\barν$
Abstract
Description
We present a search for the rare flavour-changing neutral-current decay $B^{-}\to K^{-} ν\barν$ based on a sample of $(86.9 \pm 1.0) \times 10^{6}$ $Υ(4S) \to $B\bar{B}$ events collected by the BABAR experiment at the SLAC B-factory. Signal candidate events are selected by fully reconstructing a $B^+ \to \bar{D}^{0} X^+$ decay, where $X^+$ represents a combination of up to three charged pions or kaons and up to two $π^0$ candidates. The charged tracks and calorimeter clusters not used in the $B^+$ reconstruction are required to be compatible with a $B^{-}\to K^{-} ν\barν$ decay. We observe a total of three signal candidate events with an expected background of $2.7 \pm 0.8$, resulting in a preliminary limit of $\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to K^{-} ν\barν) < 1.05 \times 10^{-4}$ at the 90% confidence level. This search is combined with the results of a previous and statistically independent preliminary BABAR search for $B^{-}\to K^{-} ν\barν$ to give a limit of $\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to K^{-} ν\barν) < 7.0 \times 10^{-5}$ at the 90% confidence level.
Presented at XXXVIII Rencontres de Moriond on Electroweak Interactions and Unified Theories
Presented at XXXVIII Rencontres de Moriond on Electroweak Interactions and Unified Theories