O(\alpha_s^2) corrections to semileptonic decay b \to c l \bar \nu_l

TL;DR

This paper calculates the NNLO QCD corrections to the semileptonic decay of a b quark into a c quark, lepton, and neutrino, enabling more precise theoretical predictions for decay rates and moments.

Contribution

It provides the first fully differential NNLO QCD corrections to b  c l   decay, allowing for detailed phenomenological analyses.

Findings

Accurate NNLO corrections for decay rate and moments

Flexible kinematic cuts in the calculation

Enhanced precision for global fits of B-decays

Abstract

We compute the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD corrections to b \to c l \bar \nu_l decay rate at a fully differential level. Arbitrary cuts on kinematic variables of the decay products can be imposed. Our computation can be used to study the NNLO QCD corrections to the total decay rate as well as to the lepton energy, hadronic invariant mass and hadronic energy moments and to incorporate those corrections into global fits of inclusive semileptonic B-decays.