CP Violation in the Decays B -> K Kbar in the Presence of D Dbar <-> K Kbar Mixing

Abstract

We have recently shown that the large direct CP violation observed in the decay B^0 -> pi^+ pi^-, and the enhanced branching ratio for B^0 -> pi^0 pi^0, can be understood by invoking a small mixing of the pi pi system with the dominant D Dbar channel. We examine here the analogous effect of D Dbar <-> K Kbar mixing on the rare decays B^0 -> K^0 K^0bar, B^- -> K^- K^0 and B^0 -> K^+ K^-. We find (a) significant values for the asymmetry parameters C and S in B^0 / B^0bar -> K^0 K^0bar, (b) a possible enhancement of the suppressed mode B^0 -> K^+ K^-, (c) a correlation between the three decay channels following from a triangle relation between amplitudes A_{K^0 K^0bar} - A_{K^+ K^-} = A_{K^- K^0}. The pattern of asymmetries and branching ratios is compared with that derived from the short-distance QCD penguin interaction.