The angle γ, with an uncertainty of approximately 10° is the least well constrained angle of the unitary triangle. Better experimental constraints on this parameter are required in order to provide a consistency check on the standard model description of CP violation. A promising strategy for measuring γ involves exploiting interference effects present in B^± → DK^± decays where the D subsequently decays to a three or four body final state. The three body decay D → K_S ⁰p⁺p^- and the four body decay D⁰ → K⁺K^-p⁺p^- are suitable candidates for making such a measurement. However independent knowledge of the decay structure of these decays is required. The impact of the model, used to describe the p⁺p^- S wave, in the D⁰ → K⁺K^-p⁺p^- decay, on the uncertainty in the measurement of γ is estimated via a simulation study. It is determined that the uncertainty on a gamma measurement would be compromised by this model uncertainty within one year of LHCb data running. The four body decay D⁰ → K⁺K^-p⁺p^- also provides a candidate for making a γ measurement. This decay is expected to display a rich resonant structure. An understanding of this decay may also provide an insight into low energy QCD in addition to allowing a search for CP violation. Only one previous amplitude analysis has been performed on this decay. Using data collected at the CLEO-II.V, CLEO-III and CLEO-c experiments an amplitude model is developed for the D⁰ → K⁺K^-p⁺p^- decay. This model is qualitatively similar to that produced in the previous analysis although the model presented in this thesis considers higher orbital angular momentum states and distinguishes between conjugate states that the previous model did not. A search for CP violation is also carried out using the D⁰ → K⁺K^-p⁺p^- decay data. A positive confirmation of CP violation at the level of sensitivity provided by this decay data would provide evidence for a level of CP violation which could not be accounted for within the standard model. No significant evidence for CP violation is observed in this decay. A toy MC study was carried out in order to determine the sensitivity to γ which may be achieved using this decay. In this study, sets of 1000 B⁺ and B^- events are generated and the decay model developed for the D → K⁺K^-p⁺p^- decay is used to describe the D decay. The sensitivity to γ determined in this study is 11°.

Radiative Decays of the phi-meson to the scalar mesons f0(980) and a0(980) are investigated within the framework of charged kaon loop model for both point-like scalar mesons and for scalar mesons with extended structure. Then, the radiative phi-meson decay into neutral K-meson is studied via a two step mechanism in which the scalar mesons couple the final state to the phi-meson through the charged kaon loop. The branching ratio of this decay is calculated and it is shown that this reaction will not provide a significant background to the measurements of phi-meson into neutral K-meson states decay for testing CP violation.

Unexpected properties of recently discovered mesons DsJ(2317) and DsJ(2460) have caused an excitement in the high energy community. These mesons are under experimental study in BaBar, Belle and CLEO. The experimental data on these mesons is quite limited at the moment, but it is expected to be improved in the following years. The unexpected properties of these mesons, such as the low mass, and small width, have caused speculations about their structure. Various models have been proposed which go beyond the simple quark-antiquark picture of the mesons, such as a meson molecule, or a four-quark state. Therefore, understanding the underlying structure of these mesons can reveal a deeper understanding of QCD. In this thesis, the strong decay of the DsJ(2317) meson, DsJ(2317)--&gt / Dspi0, is studied using three-point QCD Sum Rules method in the conventional cs framework. DsJ(2317) -&gt / Dspi0 decay violates isospin symmetry. Therefore, this decay is studied as a two stage process / an isospin conserving DsJ(2317) --&gt / Ds eta decay followed by the conversion of eta into a pi0 due to isospin violation.

This thesis presents an analysis of inclusive semileptonic $B \to X_u e \nu$ decays using approximately 454 million $\Upsilon(4S) \to B \bar{B}$ decays collected during the years 1999 to 2008 with the BABAR detector. The electron energy, $E_e$, and the invariant mass squared of the electron-neutrino pair,$ q^2$, are reconstructed, where the neutrino kinematics is deduced from the decay products of both B mesons. The final hadronic state,$ X_u$, consists of a sum of many hadronic channels, each of which contains at least one $u$ quark. The variables $q^2$ and $E_e$ are then combined to compute the maximum kinematically allowed invariant mass squared of the hadronic system, $s_h^{max}$. Using these kinematic quantities, the partial branching fraction, $\Delta BR(B \to X_u e \nu)$, unfolded for detector effects, is measured to be $\Delta BR(E_e>2.0 GeV, s_h^{max}<3.52 GeV^2) = (3.33 \pm 0.18 \pm 0.21) \times 10^{-4} in the $\Upsilon(4S)$ and \Delta \tilde{\BR}(\tilde E_e>1.9 GeV, \tilde {s}^{max}_{h} < 3.5 GeV^2) = (4.57 \pm 0.24 \pm 0.32) \times 10^{-4} in the $B$ meson rest frames. The quoted errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. The CKM matrix element $|V_{ub}|$ is determined from the measured $\Delta \tilde{\BR}$ using theoretical calculation based on Heavy Quark Expansion. The result is $|V_{ub}| = (4.19 \pm 0.18{}^{+0.26}_{-0.20} {}^{+0.26}_{-0.25}) \times 10^{-3}, where the errors represent experimental uncertainties, uncertainties from HQE parameters and theoretical uncertainties, respectively.

Leptonic decay modes of Z-boson constitute one of the important class of the decays for checking predictions and improving parameters of the standard model. In next generation of the accelerators, it will be produced more than 10^8 Z-boson pear year. Therefore, It appears real possibility to analyze the rare decays of Z, which are absent at tree level in standard model. Moreover, the rare decays are quite sensitive to the existence of new physics beyond the standard model. One of the possible source for the new physics is noncommutative theories (NC). Noncommutative theories have rich phenomenological implications due to the appearance of new interactions, which are forbidden in standard model. In this thesis, we examine the Z $rightarrow nu bar{nu} gamma$ decay in noncommutative standard model. We study the sensitivity of the decay width on the noncommutative scale parameter Lambda and parameters $C_{0i}$ and $C_{ij}$, which defines the direction of background electric and magnetic fields.

In this thesis, using a general model independent form of the effective Hamiltonian, the CP-violating asymmetries in the b -&gt / d l l transition, when one of the leptons is polarized, is investigated. The sensitivity of the CP-violating asymmetries on the new Wilson coefficients are analyzed. Next, in the frame work of the same formalism, the polarized lepton pair forward&amp / #8211 / backward asymmetries in B-&gt / K l l decay are studied. We present the general expression for the nine double&amp / #8211 / polarization forward&amp / #8211 / backward asymmetries. It is obtained that, the zero point position of the forward&amp / #8211 / backward asymmetries of the doubly&amp / #8211 / polarized lepton pair does not depend on long distance effects but depends on short distance dynamics. Furthermore, it is shown that the zero position of AFB is very sensitive to the sign of the new Wilson coefficients. When sign of the Wilson coefficients is positive (negative) the zero position of the forward&amp / #8211 / backward asymmetries shifts to the left(right) compared to the SM. Moreover, the dependencies of the nine double&amp / #8211 / polarization forward&amp / #8211 / backward asymmetries on new Wilson coefficients, and the correlation of the averaged nine double&amp / #8211 / polarization forward&amp / #8211 / backward asymmetries with branching ratio, have been studied. It is observed that, the study of the nine double&amp / #8211 / polarization forward&amp / #8211 / backward asymmetries can serve as a good test in establishing new physics beyond the Standard Model. Finally, we observed that there are exist such regions of new Wilson coefficients for which the nine double&amp / #8211 / polarization forward&amp / #8211 / backward asymmetries considerably depart from the SM result, while the branching ratio coincides with that of the SM prediction. In other words, new physics effects can be established by analyzing polarized forwardbackward asymmetry in this region of the new Wilson coefficients.

The mechanism of the isospin violating η→π+π−π0 decay is studied in a high precision experiment using a Dalitz plot analysis. The process is sensitive to the difference between up and down quark masses. The measurement provides an important input for the determination of the light quark masses and for the theoretical description of the low energy strong interactions. The measurement was carried out between 2004 and 2005 using the KLOE detector at the DAΦNE e+e− collider located in Frascati, Italy. The data was collected at a center of mass energy corresponding to the φ-meson peak (1019.5 MeV) with an integrated luminosity of 1.6 fb−1. The source of the η-mesons is the radiative decay of the φ-meson: e+e−→φ→ηγ, resulting in the world’s largest data sample of about 4.7·106 η→π+π−π0 decay events. In this thesis, the KLOE Monte Carlo simulation and reconstruction programs are used to optimize the background rejection cuts and to evaluate the signal efficiency. The background contamination in the final data sample is below 1%. The data sample is used to construct the Dalitz plot distribution in the normalized dimensionless variables X and Y. The distribution is parametrized by determining the coefficients of the third order polynomial in the X and Y variables (so called Dalitz plot parameters). The statistical accuracy of the extracted parameters is two times better than any of the previous measurements. In particular the contribution of the X2Y term is found to be different from zero with a significance of approximately 3σ. The systematic effects are studied and found to be of the same size as the statistical uncertainty. The contribution of the terms related to charge conjugation violation (odd powers of the X variable) and the measured charge asymmetries are consistent with zero. The background subtracted and acceptance corrected bin contents of the Dalitz plot distribution are provided to facilitate direct comparison with other experiments and with theoretical calculations.

L'étude présentée dans cette thèse est dédiée à l'analyse des désintégrations radiatives de mésons beaux, processus faisant intervenir le quark b ce dernier se désintégrant par interaction faible en un quark s avec émission d'un photon. Ce type de désintégration est interdit à l'arbre en théorie quantique des champs et doit donc s'opérer à l'aide de boucles. Ces désintégrations ont des rapports d'embranchement très faibles, de l'ordre de 10^{-5}. Dès lors, l’étude de ces processus à l'aide du détecteur LHCb permet de mesurer précisément des observables reliées à ces processus, telles que les rapports d'embranchement, les asymétries de CP ou des variables angulaires et d'hélicité comme la polarisation du photon. En comparant ces résultats expérimentaux avec les prédictions théoriques du Modèle Standard de la Physique des Particules, il devient possible de tester ce modèle et de contraindre l'existence d'une nouvelle physique au delà du Modèle Standard. L'analyse présentée dans cette thèse se concentre sur l'étude des désintégrations B0 -> K*0 gamma, Bs0 -> phi gamma et Bs0 -> K*0 gamma. Les événements utilisés sont ceux où le photon s'est converti en une paire électron-positron par interaction avec le détecteur afin de bénéficier de la bonne résolution sur l'impulsion des traces chargées des trajectographes de LHCb. Les mesures du rapport des rapports d'embranchement des désintégrations B0 -> K*0 gamma et Bs0 -> phi gamma ainsi que de l'asymétrie de CP directe dans le processus B0 -> K*0 gamma sont réalisées. La bonne résolution obtenue sur la masse du méson B0 a permis de déterminer une première limite supérieure au rapport d'embranchement de la désintégration supprimée de Cabbibo Bs0 -> K*0 gamma. / The purpose of the work presented in this thesis is to study the radiative decays of B mesons. These processes correspond to the decay of a b-quark into a s-quark through the weak interaction with a photon in the final state. This kind of decay is not allowed at tree level in the quantum field theory but only through virtual loops. These processes have small branching fractions of the order of 10^{-5}. The study of these decays with the LHCb detector provides precise measurements of related observable such as branching fractions, CP asymmetries or angular variables such as the photon polarisation. These results can be compared with the theoretical prediction of the Standard Model of Particle Physics. Therefore, it is possible to test this model and to constrain the existence of new physics behind the Standard Model. The analysis presented in this thesis focuses on the B0 → K*0 gamma, Bs0 → phi gamma and Bs0 → K*0 gamma decays. Only events where the photon has converted into a dielectron pair by interacting with the detector are used. This allows to take advantage of the good resolution on the charged tracks momentum obtained with the LHCb's tracking system. The measurements of the ratio of branching fractions of the B0 → K*0 gamma and Bs0 → phi gamma decays and of the direct CP asymmetry in the B0 → K*0 gamma process are performed. The good resolution obtained on the B meson mass allows to set the first upper limit on the branching ratio of the Cabbibo suppressed Bs0 → K*0 gamma decay.

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xxvi, 199 p. : ill. (some col.) A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / The abundance of B mesons at B factories opens the door to the search in rare decays for physics outside of the Standard Model. Flavor-changing neutral current transitions proceed only via higher order in the Standard Model, resulting in a b [arrow right] s³y branching fraction of about 3 x 10 -4 , but hypothesized particles could alter the rate significantly. Decays of B mesons that proceed via this electroweak penguin diagram are an interesting example of flavor-changing neutral currents, due to the large number of accessible final states with observables that are sensitive to new processes. This dissertation describes the analyses of such decays B - [arrow right] p ³, B - [arrow right] £ 0 p ³, B - [arrow right] p and B - [arrow right] p using about 350 million B meson pairs recorded by the BABAR detector in the years 2001 through 2006. In addition to the decay rate, the distribution of the invariant mass of the baryon pair is presented, using a method for statistical unfolding. The analysis is the first of these decays at the BABAR experiment and lays the groundwork for future analyses of the branching fractions and angular correlations of b [arrow right] s decays containing A hyperons and other baryons at BABAR or higher luminosity B factories. / Adviser: James E. Brau