Searching for supersymmetry in rare B decays

Abstract

We quantify the ability of B-Factories to observe supersymmetric contributions to the rare decays B -> X_s γand B -> X_s l+ l-. A global fit to the Wilson coefficients which contribute to these decays is performed from Monte Carlo generated data on B(B -> X_s γ) and the kinematic distributions associated with the final state lepton pair in B -> X_s l+ l-. This fit is then compared to supersymmetric predictions. Evaluation of the Wilson coefficients is carried out with several different patterns of the superpartner spectrum. We find that the B-Factories will be able to probe regions of the SUSY parameter space not accessible to LEPII, the Tevatron, and perhaps the LHC. We also employ the recent NLO calculation of the matrix elements for B -> X_s γand find the bound mH+ > 300 GeV in two-Higgs-doublet models using present data.

26 pages