Abstract: We examine the contribution of tensor modes, in addition to the dominant scalar ones, on the temperature anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). To this end, we analyze in detail the temperature two -point angular correlation function C(Theta) from the Planck 2018 dataset, focusing on large angles (Theta greater than or similar to 120 degrees) corresponding to small l multipoles. A hierarchical set of infrared cutoffs are naturally introduced to the scalar and tensor power spectra of the CMB by invoking an extra Kaluza-Klein spatial dimension compactifying at about the grand unified theory scale between the Planck epoch and the start of inflation. We associate this set of lower scalar and tensor cutoffs with the parity of the multipole expansion of the C(Theta) function. By fitting the Planck 2018 data we compute the multipole coefficients, thereby reproducing the well-known odd -parity preference in angular correlations seen by all three satellite missions: Cosmic Background Explorer, WMAP, and Planck. Our fits improve significantly once tensor modes are included in the analysis, hence providing a hint of the imprints of primordial gravitational waves on the temperature correlations observed in the CMB today. To conclude, we suggest a relationship between, on the one hand, the lack of (positive) large -angle correlations and the odd -parity dominance in the CMB and, on the other hand, the effect of primordial gravitational waves on the CMB temperature anisotropies.

Abstract: We study the processes gamma gamma -> K(S)(0) K(-+) pi(-+) and gamma gamma -> K(+)K(-) pi(+)pi(-)pi(0) using a data sample of 519: 2fb(-1) recorded by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider at center-of-mass energies near the Y(nS) (n = 2, 3, 4) resonances. We observe the eta(c) (1S), chi(c0) (1P) and eta(c) (2S) resonances produced in two-photon interactions and decaying to K(+)K(-) pi(+)pi(-)pi(0), with significances of 18.1, 5.4 and 5.3 standard deviations (including systematic errors), respectively, and report 4.0 sigma evidence of the X(c2)(1P) decay to this final state. We measure the eta(c)(2S) mass and width in K(S)(0) K(+-) pi(+-) decays, and obtain the values m(eta(c)(2S)) = 3638: 5 +/- 1.5 +/- 0.8 MeV/c(2) and Gamma(eta(c)(2S)) = 13.4 +/- 4: 6 +/- 3.2 MeV, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. We measure the two-photon width times branching fraction for the reported resonance signals, and search for the X(c2) (2P) resonance, but no significant signal is observed.

Abstract: We present an analysis of exclusive charmless semileptonic B-meson decays based on 377 x 10(6) B (B) over bar pairs recorded with the BABAR detector at the Y(4S) resonance. We select four event samples corresponding to the decay modes B-0 -> pi(-)l(+)v, B+ -> pi(0)l(+)v, B-0 -> rho(-)l(+)v, and B+ -> rho(0)l(+)v and find the measured branching fractions to be consistent with isospin symmetry. Assuming isospin symmetry, we combine the two B -> pi lv samples, and similarly the two B -> rho lv samples, and measure the branching fractions B(B-0 -> pi(-)l(+)v) = (1.41 +/- 0.05 +/- 0.07) x 10(-4) and B(B-0 -> rho(-)l(+)v) = (1.75 +/- 0.15 +/- 0.27) x 10(-4), where the errors are statistical and systematic. We compare the measured distribution in q(2), the momentum transfer squared, with predictions for the form factors from QCD calculations and determine the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element vertical bar V-ub vertical bar. Based on the measured partial branching fraction for B -> pi lv in the range q(2) < 12 GeV2 and the most recent QCD light-cone sum-rule calculations, we obtain vertical bar V-ub vertical bar = (3.78 +/- 0.13(-0.40)(+0.55)10(-3), where the errors refer to the experimental and theoretical uncertainties. From a simultaneous fit to the data over the full q(2) range and the FNAL/MILC lattice QCD results, we obtain vertical bar V-ub vertical bar = (2.95 +/- 0.31) x 10(-3) from B -> pi lv, where the error is the combined experimental and theoretical uncertainty.

Abstract: We report results from an updated study of the suppressed decays We report results from an updated study of the suppressed decays B- -> DK- and B- -> D*K- followed by D -> K+ pi(-), where D-(*()0) indicates a D-(*()0)or a (D) over bar (()*()0) meson, and D* -> D pi(0) or D* -> D gamma. These decays are sensitive to the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa unitarity triangle angle gamma due to interference between the b -> c transition B- -> D-(*K-)0(-) followed by the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decay D-0 -> K+ pi(-), and the b -> u transition B- -> (D) over bar (()*()0) K- followed by the Cabibbo-favored decay (D) over bar (0) -> K+ pi(-). We also report an analysis of the decay B- -> D-(*())pi(-) with the D decaying into the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed mode D -> K+ pi(-). Our results are based on 467 x 10(6) Gamma(4S) -> BB- decays collected with the BABAR detector at SLAC. We measure the ratios R-(*()) of the suppressed ([K+ pi(-)](D)K- / pi(-)) to favored ([K+ pi(-)](D)K- / pi(-)) branching fractions as well as the CP asymmetries A(()*()) of those modes. We see indications of signals for the B- -> DK- and B- -> D-D pi 0(()*()) K- suppressed modes, with statistical significances of 2.1 and 2.2 sigma, respectively, and we measure: R-DK = (1.1 +/- 0: 6 +/- 0.2) x 10(-2); A(DK) = -0.86 +/- 0: 47(-0.16)(+0.12), R-(D pi 0)K* = (1.8 +/- 0: 9 +/- 0: 4) x 10(-2); A ((D pi 0)K)* = +0.77 +/- 0: 35 +/- 0.12; R-(D gamma)K* = (1.3 +/- 1.4 +/- 0.8) x 10(-2); A((D gamma)K)* = +0.36 +/- 0: 94(-0.41)(+0.25), where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. We use a frequentist approach to obtain the magnitude of the ratio r(B) equivalent to vertical bar A(B- -> (D) over bar 0K(-))/A(B- -> (DK-)-K-0)vertical bar = (9.5(-4.1)(+5.1))%, with r(B) < 16: 7% at 90% confidence level. In the case of B- -> D*K- we find r(B) equivalent to vertical bar A(B- -> <(D)over bar>0K(-))/A(B- -> (DK-)-K-0)vertical bar = (9.6(-5.1)(+3.5))%, with r(B)* < 15.0% at 90% confidence level.

Abstract: Using a sample of 471 x 10(6) B (B) over bar events collected with the BABAR detector, we study the sum of seven exclusive final states B -> X-s(d)gamma, where X-s(d) is a strange (nonstrange) hadronic system with a mass of up to 2.0 GeV/c(2). After correcting for unobserved decay modes, we obtain a branching fraction for b -> d gamma of (9.2 +/- 2.0(stat) +/- 2.3(syst) x 10(-6) in this mass range, and a branching fraction for b -> s gamma of (23.0 +/- 0.8(stat) +/- 3.0(syst) x 3.0(syst) x 10(-5) in the same mass range. We find B(b -> d gamma)/B(b -> s gamma) = 0.040 +/- 0.009(stat) +/- 0.010(syst), from which we determine vertical bar Vtd/Vts vertical bar = 0.199 +/- 0.022(stat) +/- 0.024(syst) +/- 0.002(th).