A Search for the Decay $B^{-}\to K^{-} \nu \bar{\nu}$

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for the rare decay $B^{-}\to K^{-} \nu \bar{\nu}$ using BABAR data, setting upper limits on its branching fraction and combining results from previous analyses to improve sensitivity.

Contribution

First search for $B^{-}\to K^{-} \nu \bar{\nu}$ decay using BABAR data, establishing the most stringent upper limits to date on its branching fraction.

Findings

Observed 3 candidate events with expected background of 2.7

Set a preliminary upper limit of $1.05 \times 10^{-4}$ at 90% CL

Combined with previous results to improve the limit to $7.0 \times 10^{-5}$ at 90% CL

Abstract

We present a search for the rare flavour-changing neutral-current decay $B^{-}\to K^{-} \nu \bar{\nu}$ based on a sample of $(86.9 \pm 1.0) \times 10^{6}$ $\Upsilon (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 $\pi^0$ candidates. The charged tracks and calorimeter clusters not used in the $B^+$ reconstruction are required to be compatible with a $B^{-}\to K^{-} \nu \bar{\nu}$ 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 $\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to K^{-} \nu \bar{\nu}) < 1.05 \times 10^{-4}$ at the 90% confidence level. This search is combined with the results of a previous and statistically independent preliminary BABAR search for $B^{-}\to K^{-} \nu \bar{\nu}$ to give a limit of $\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to K^{-} \nu \bar{\nu}) < 7.0 \times 10^{-5}$ at the 90% confidence level.