Abstract: The standard model of particle physics describes the fundamental particles and their interactions via the strong, electromagnetic and weak forces. It provides precise predictions for measurable quantities that can be tested experimentally. The probabilities, or branching fractions, of the strange B meson (B-s(0)) and the B-0 meson decaying into two oppositely charged muons (mu(+) and mu(-)) are especially interesting because of their sensitivity to theories that extend the standard model. The standard model predicts that the B-s(0)->mu(+)mu(-) and B-0 ->mu(+)mu(-) decays are very rare, with about four of the former occurring for every billion B-s(0) mesons produced, and one of the latter occurring for every ten billion B-0 mesons(1). A difference in the observed branching fractions with respect to the predictions of the standard model would provide a direction in which the standard model should be extended. Before the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN2 started operating, no evidence for either decay mode had been found. Upper limits on the branching fractions were an order of magnitude above the standard model predictions. The CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) and LHCb(Large Hadron Collider beauty) collaborations have performed a joint analysis of the data from proton-proton collisions that they collected in 2011 at a centre-of-mass energy of seven teraelectronvolts and in 2012 at eight teraelectronvolts. Here we report the first observation of the B-s(0)->mu(+)mu(-) decay, with a statistical significance exceeding six standard deviations, and the best measurement so far of its branching fraction. Furthermore, we obtained evidence for the B-0 ->mu(+)mu(-) decay with a statistical significance of three standard deviations. Both measurements are statistically compatible with standard model predictions and allow stringent constraints to be placed on theories beyond the standard model. The LHC experiments will resume taking data in 2015, recording proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 teraelectronvolts, which will approximately double the production rates of B-s(0) and B-0 mesons and lead to further improvements in the precision of these crucial tests of the standard model.

Abstract: The quantum numbers of the X(3872) meson are determined to be J(PC) = 1(++) based on angular correlations in B+ -> X(3872)K+ decays, where X(3872) -> pi(+) pi(-) j/psi and J/psi -> pi(+) mu(-). The data correspond to 1.0 fb(-1) of pp collisions collected by the LHCb detector. The only alternative assignment allowed by previous measurements J(PC) = 2(-+) is rejected with a confidence level equivalent to more than 8 Gaussian standard deviations using a likelihood-ratio test in the full angular phase space. This result favors exotic explanations of the X(3872) state.

Abstract: First observations of the decays A(b)(0) -> A(c)(+)D((s))(-) are reported using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1) collected at 7 and 8 TeV center-of- ass energies in proton-proton collisions with the LHCb detector. In addition, the most precise measurement of the branching fraction B(B-s(0) -> D+Ds-) is made and a search is performed for the decays B-0((s)) -> A(c)(+)A(c)(-). The results obtained are B(A(b)(0) -> A(c)(+)D(-))/B(A(b)(0) -> A(c)(+)D(s)(-)) = 0.042 +/- 0.003 (stat) +/- 0.003 (syst), [B(A(b)(0) -> A(c)(+)D(s)(-))/B((B) over bar (0) -> D+Ds-)]/[B(A(b)(0) -> A(c)(+)pi(-))/B((B) over bar (0) -> D+pi(-))] = 0.96 +/- 0.02 (stat) +/- 0.06 (syst), B(B-s(0) -> D+Ds-)/B((B) over bar (0) -> D+Ds-) = 0.038 +/- 0.004 (stat) +/- (syst), B((B) over bar (0) -> A(c)(+)A(c)(-))/B((B) over bar (0) -> D+Ds-) < 0.0022[95% C.L.], B(B-s(0) -> A(c)(+)A(c)(-)) /B(B-s(0) -> D+Ds-) < 0.30[95% C.L.]. Measurement of the mass of the A(b)(0) baryon relative to the (B) over bar (0) meson gives M(A(b)(0)) – M((B) over bar (0)) = 339.72 +/- 0.24 (stat) +/- 0.18 (syst) MeV/c(2). This result provides the most precise measurement of the mass of the A(b)(0) baryon to date.

Abstract: This Letter presents a study of the flavor-changing neutral current radiative B-+/- -> K-+/-pi(-/+)pi(+/-)gamma decays performed using data collected in proton-proton collisions with the LHCb detector at 7 and 8 TeV center-of-mass energies. In this sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1), nearly 14 000 signal events are reconstructed and selected, containing all possible intermediate resonances with a K-+/-pi(-/+)pi(+/-) final state in the [1.1, 1.9] GeV/c(2) mass range. The distribution of the angle of the photon direction with respect to the plane defined by the final-state hadrons in their rest frame is studied in intervals of K-+/-pi(-/+)pi(+/-) mass and the asymmetry between the number of signal events found on each side of the plane is obtained. The first direct observation of the photon polarization in the b -> s(gamma) transition is reported with a significance of 5.2 sigma.

Abstract: We present a measurement of the ratio of the (B) over bar (0)(s) meson lifetime, in the flavor-specific decay to D-s(+)pi(-), to that of the (B) over bar (0) meson. The pp collision data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 1 fb(-1), collected with the LHCb detector, at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. Combining our measured value of 1.010 +/- 0.010 +/- 0.008 for this ratio with the known (B) over bar (0) lifetime, we determine the flavor-specific (B) over bar (0)(s) lifetime to be tau((B) over bar (0)(s) ) = 1.535 +/- 0.015 +/- 0.014 ps, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. This is the most precise measurement to date, and is consistent with previous measurements and theoretical predictions.