Effective Lifetimes of $B_s$ Decays and their Constraints on the $B_s^0$-$\bar B_s^0$ Mixing Parameters

Abstract

Measurements of the effective lifetimes of $B_s$-meson decays, which only require untagged rate analyses, allow us to probe the width difference $\Delta\Gamma_s$ and the CP-violating phase $\phi_s$ of $B^0_s$-$\bar B^0_s$ mixing. We point out that the dependence of the effective lifetime on non-linear terms in $\Delta\Gamma_s$ allows for a determination of $\phi_s$ and $\Delta\Gamma_s$ given a pair of $B_s$ decays into CP-even and CP-odd final states. Using recent lifetime measurements of $B^0_s\to K^+K^-$ and $B^0_s\to J/\psi f_0(980)$ decays, we illustrate this method and show how it complements the constraints in the $\phi_s$-$\Delta\Gamma_s$ plane from other observables.