The Mass Definition in Hqet and a New Determination of Vcb_{\text{cb}}

Positive powers of the mass parameter in a physical quantity calculated with the help of heavy quark effective theory originate from a Wilson coefficient in the matching of QCD and HQET Green function. We show that this mass parameter enters the calculation as a well--defined running current mass. We further argue that the recently found ill--definition of the pole mass, which is the natural expansion parameter of HQET, does not affect a phenomenological analysis which uses truncated perturbative series. We reanalyse inclusive semileptonic decays of heavy mesons and obtain the $c$ quark mass $m_c^{\overline{\text{MS}}}(m_c) = (1.35\pm 0.20)\,\text{GeV}$ where the error is almost entirely due to scale--uncertainties. We also obtain $m_b^{\overline{\text{MS}}}(m_b) = (4.6\pm 0.3)\,\text{GeV}$ and $|V_{cb}|(\tau_B/1.49\,\text{ps})^{1/2} = 0.036\pm 0.005$ where the errors come from the uncertainty in the kinetic energy of the heavy quark inside the meson, in the experimental branching ratios, in QCD input parameters, and scale--uncertainties.Comment: 21 p., 5 figs, all style files incl., TUM-T31-56/R (Sec. 2 revised, phenomenological results unchanged

On The Expected Photon Spectrum in B -> X_s + gamma and Its Uses

Measuring the photon energy spectrum in radiative B decays provides essential help for gaining theoretical control over semileptonic B transitions. The hadronic recoil mass distribution in B -> X_u \ell\nu promises the best environment for determining |V_ub|. The theoretical uncertainties are largest in the domain of low values of the lepton pair mass q^2. Universality relations allow to describe this domain reliably in terms of the photon spectrum in B -> X_s + \gamma. A method is proposed to incorporate 1/m_b corrections into this relation. The low-E_\gamma tail in radiative decays is important in the context of extracting |V_ub|. We argue that CLEO's recent fit to the spectrum underestimates the fraction of the photon spectrum below 2 GeV. Potentially significant uncertainties enter in the theoretical evaluation of the integrated end-point lepton spectrum or the B -> X_u \ell\nu width with a too high value of the lower cut on q^2 in alternative approaches to |V_ub|.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures, LaTeX. Revised: Complete version. Numerical predictions are improved and the estimate for the decay fraction revised. The theoretical expectations for the decay fraction and the spectrum itself are given on the plot

On the Determination of ∣Vub∣|V_{ub}| from Inclusive Semileptonic Decay Spectra

We propose a model independent method to determine $|V_{ub}|$ from the energy spectrum of the charged lepton in inclusive semileptonic $B$ decays. The method includes perturbative QCD corrections as well as nonperturbative ones.Comment: LaTeX, 19 pages, 8 figures appended after \end{document} as uu-encoded and compressed .eps files, uses epsf, Technion-PH-94/9, CERN-TH.7308/9

Two-loop QCD corrections to semileptonic b decays at maximal recoil

We present a complete $O(\alpha_s^2)$ correction to the differential width of the inclusive semileptonic decay $b\to cl\nu_l$ at the kinematical point of vanishing invariant mass of the leptons, $q^2=0$. Together with the recently computed $O(\alpha_s^2)$ correction at the upper boundary of the lepton invariant mass spectrum, this new information permits an estimate of the $O(\alpha_s^2)$ effect in the total inclusive semileptonic decay width $b\to cl\nu_l$. We argue that the non-BLM part of the $O(\alpha_s^2)$ correction gives at most 1% correction to the inclusive semileptonic decay width $b\to cl\nu_l$. This significantly improves the credibility of extracting $|V_{cb}|$ from the inclusive semileptonic decays of the b-hadrons.Comment: 8 pages, revte

A Vademecum on Quark-Hadron Duality

We present an elementary introduction to the problem of quark-hadron duality and its practical limitations, in particular as it concerns local duality violation in inclusive B meson decays. We show that the accurate definition of duality violation elaborated over the recent years allows one to derive informative constraints on violations of local duality. The magnitude of duality violation is particularly restricted in the total semileptonic widths. This explains its strong suppression in concrete dynamical estimates. We analyze the origin of the suppression factors in a model-independent setting, including a fresh perspective on the Small Velocity expansion. A new potentially significant mechanism for violation of local duality in \Gamma_sl(B) is analyzed. Yet we conclude that the amount of duality violation in \Gamma_sl(B) must be safely below the half percent level, with realistic estimates being actually much smaller. Violation of local duality in \Gamma_sl(B) is thus far below the level relevant to phenomenology. We also present a cautionary note on the B->D^* decay amplitude at zero recoil and show that it is much more vulnerable to violations of quark-hadron duality than \Gamma_sl(B). A critical review of some recent literature is given. We point out that the presently limiting factor in genuinely model-independent extraction of V_cb is the precise value of the short-distance charm quark mass. We suggest a direct and precise experimental check of local quark-hadron duality in semileptonic B->X_c l\nu decays.Comment: 48 pages, 4 figures; LaTe

Heavy Quark Distribution Function in QCD and the AC2^2M2^2 Model

We show that the phenomenological \ACM ansatz is consistent with QCD through order $1/m_b$ in the description of B\ra l\bar \nu_l+X_u and B\ra \gamma +X_s transitions, including their energy spectra and differential distributions. This suggests a concrete realization for the QCD distribution function, which we call the ``Roman'' function. On the other hand the \ACM model description of the end-point domain in B\ra l\bar \nu_l + X_c is incompatible with QCD: a different distribution function enters the description of b\ra c decays as compared to the transitions to the massless quarks. Both observations -- the validity of the {\ACM}-like description for heavy-to-light transitions and the emergence of the new distribution function in the b\ra c case -- are in contradiction to a recent claim in the literature. The intrinsic limitation of the \ACM model could reveal itself in different values of the effective $b$ quark mass from fits of the $\Lambda _b$ and $B$ decays.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, 2 figures are included (as 2 appended postscript files), CERN-TH.7159/94, TPI-MINN-94/2-T, UND-HEP-94-BIG02 (a few comments on the literature are added

The Baffling Semileptonic Branching Ratio of BB Mesons

The apparent gap between the measured and the expected value for the semileptonic branching ratio of $B$ mesons has become more serious over the last year. This is due to the improved quality of the data and to the increasing maturity of the theoretical treatment of non-perturbative corrections. We discuss various theoretical options to reduce the semileptonic $B$ branching ratio; among the more spectacular resolutions of the apparent puzzle is the possibility of an unorthodox enhancement in non-perturbative corrections or even of an intervention by `New Physics'. Phenomenological implications of such scenarios are pointed out.Comment: 16 Latex pages; 4 figures to be obtained from I.Bigi; preprint CERN-TH.7082/93; some misprints in the original version have been corrected and some references adde

Sum Rules for Heavy Flavor Transitions in the SV Limit

We show how sum rules for the weak decays of heavy flavor hadrons can be derived as the moments of spectral distributions in the small velocity (SV) limit. This systematic approach allows us to determine corrections to these sum rules, to obtain new sum rules and it provides us with a transparent physical interpretation; it also opens a new perspective on the notion of the heavy quark mass. Applying these sum rules we derive a lower bound on the deviation of the exclusive form factor $F_{B->D^*}$ from unity at zero recoil; likewise we give a field-theoretical derivation of a previously formulated inequality between the expectation value for the kinetic energy operator of the heavy quark and for the chromomagnetic operator. We analyze how the known results on nonperturbative corrections must be understood when one takes into account the normalization point dependence of the low scale parameters. Relation between the field-theoretic derivation of the sum rules and the quantum-mechanical approach is elucidated.Comment: 72 pages, 5 figures (uuencoded ps files added using figures option), Revised version. Paper is considerably extended to include some new results. New section on quantum mechanical approach is adde