CP Violation in B Decays

Abstract

In the near future, we will have the first significant experimental measurements of CP violation in B decays. These measurements will easily test crucial questions such as whether the Standard Model Kobayashi-Maskawa phase plays a dominant role in CP violation or whether CP is an approximate symmetry in nature. We explain the different types of CP violation in B decays, and the usefulness of measuring them. We use the same formalism to describe the epsilon and epsilon(prime) parameters of the neutral K system and to explain the terms direct and indirect CP violation. We present the Standard Model predictions for the various asymmetries. We argue that certain CP asymmetries in B decays are subject to a very clean theoretical interpretation in terms of fundamental Lagrangian parameters. Within the Standard Model, these asymmetries will provide very accurate measurements of the CKM parameters. In case that deviations from the Standard Model predictions will be found, there is enough information to understand the nature of New Physics that is required to explain them. We demonstrate this statement by analyzing the impact of various Supersymmetric flavor models on CP violation.