Light resonances and the low-q2 bin of $$ {R}_{K^{*}} $$

Abstract

Abstract LHCb has reported hints of lepton-flavor universality violation in the rare decays B → K (*) ℓ + ℓ −, both in high- and low-q 2 bins. Although the high-q 2 hint may be explained by new short-ranged interactions, the low-q 2 one cannot. We thus explore the possibility that the latter is explained by a new light resonance. We find that LHCb’s central value of $$ {R}_{K^{*}} $$ R K * in the low-q 2 bin is achievable in a restricted parameter space of new-physics scenarios in which the new, light resonance decays preferentially to electrons and has a mass within approximately 10 MeV of the di-muon threshold. Interestingly, such an explanation can have a kinematic origin and does not require a source of lepton-flavor universality violation. A model-independent prediction is a narrow peak in the differential B → K * e + e − rate close to the di-muon threshold. If such a peak is observed, other observables, such as the differential B → Ke + e − rate and R K , may be employed to distinguish between models. However, if a low-mass resonance is not observed and the low-q 2 anomaly increases in significance, then the case for an experimental origin of the lepton-flavor universality violating anomalies would be strengthened. To further explore this, we also point out that, in analogy to J/ψ decays, e + e − and μ + μ − decays of ϕ mesons can be used as a cross check of lepton-flavor universality by LHCb with 5 fb−1 of integrated luminosity.