Search for New Physics in Rare Top Decays

Abstract

Top physics provides a fertile ground for new-physics searches. At present, most top observables appear to be in good agreement with the respective Standard Model predictions. However, in the case of decay modes that are suppressed in the Standard Model, new-physics contributions of comparable magnitude may exist and yet go unnoticed because their impact on the total decay width is small. Hence it is interesting to probe rare top decays. This analysis focuses on the decay $t \to b \bar b c$. Useful observables are identified and prospects for measuring new-physics parameters are examined.