QCD Factorization in B -> pi K, pi pi Decays and Extraction of Wolfenstein Parameters

Abstract

In the heavy-quark limit, the hadronic matrix elements entering nonleptonic $B$-meson decays into two light mesons can be calculated from first principles including ``nonfactorizable'' strong-interaction corrections. The $B\toπK,ππ$ decay amplitudes are computed including electroweak penguin contributions, SU(3) violation in the light-cone distribution amplitudes, and an estimate of power corrections from chirally-enhanced terms and annihilation graphs. The results are then used to reduce the theoretical uncertainties in determinations of the weak phases $γ$ and $α$. In that way, new constraints in the $(\barρ,\barη)$ plane are derived. Predictions for the $B\toπK, ππ$ branching ratios and CP asymmetries are also presented. A good global fit to the (in part preliminary) experimental data on the branching fractions is obtained without taking recourse to phenomenological models.

81 pages, LaTeX