Impact on the decay rate of $B_s\to \mu^+\mu^-$ from the dispersive two-photon transition

Abstract

We study the long-distance contribution to $B_s\to\mu^+\mu^-$ decay, which is generated by the two-photon intermediate state via $B_s\to\gamma^*\gamma^*\to\mu^+\mu^-$ transition. It is found that the dispersive two-photon amplitude can interfere with the dominant short-distance amplitude, which gives rise to new theoretical uncertainty in the branching ratio of $B_s\to\mu^+\mu^-$. Our analysis shows that, by taking into account present experimental constraints, this uncertainty could be up to the same order of magnitude as some theoretical uncertainties of ${\cal B}(B_s\to\mu^+\mu^-)$ given in the past literature. Future precise studies of the double radiative $B_s\to\gamma\gamma$ decay, both experimentally and theoretically, may help to reduce the uncertainty. This novel effect has never been examined in $B_s\to\mu^+\mu^-$ decay.