New systematics in charmless strange $B^+ \to VP$ decays

Abstract

Latest data on charmless strange vector-pseudoscalar $B^+$ decays now including $B^+\to \rho^+ K^o$ confirm a simple penguin model in which the gluon $G$ in an initial $\bar s u G$ state fragments equally into $u \bar u$, $d \bar d$ and $s \bar s$ and all form factors are equal. A search for possible additional contributions shows only a few signals not obscured by experimental errors whose implications are discussed. The experimental value of $0.25 \pm 0.11$ for the ratio of the branching ratios $BR(B^+ \to K^{*+}\eta)$ to $BR(B^+\to K^{*+}\eta')$ confirms the parity selection rule prediction 0.32. Large violations arise in a new sum rule for the sum of these branching ratios, analogous to the similar pseudoscalar sum rule including $K^+\eta$ and $K^+\eta'$. Indications for either an electroweak penguin contribution or additional admixtures like instrinsic charm in the $\eta-\eta'$ system remain to be clarified. An alternative symmetry description with new predictive power clarifies the simple penguin approximation and presents new predictions which can be tested experimentally. The fragmentation of the $\bar s u G$ state into two mesons is described by a strong interaction S-matrix dominated by nonexotic hadron resonances in multiparticle intermediate states.