Abstract: We define a data exchange format for numerical values of Wilson coefficients of local operators parameterising low-energy effects of physics beyond the Standard Model. The format facilitates interfacing model-specific Wilson coefficient calculators, renormalisation group (RG) runners, and observable calculators. It is designed to be unambiguous (defining a non-redundant set of operators with fixed normalisation in each basis), extensible (allowing the addition of new EFTs or bases by the user), and robust (being based on industry standard file formats with parsers implemented in many programming languages). We have implemented the format for the Standard Model EFT (SMEFT) and for the weak effective theory (WET) below the electroweak scale and have added interfaces to a number of public codes dealing with SMEFT or WET. We also provide command-line utilities and a Python module for convenient manipulation of WCxf files, including translation between different bases and matching from SMEFT to WET. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: We analyze the recent experimental evidence for an excess of tau-lepton production in several exclusive semileptonic B-meson decays in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models. These decay modes are sensitive to the exchange of charged scalars and constrain strongly their Yukawa interactions. While the usual Type-II scenario cannot accommodate the recent BaBar data, this is possible within more general models in which the charged-scalar couplings to up-type quarks are not as suppressed. Both the B -> D-(*)tau nu(tau) and the B -> tau nu(tau) data can be fitted within the framework of the Aligned Two-Higgs-Doublet Model, but the resulting parameter ranges are in conflict with the constraints from leptonic charm decays. This could indicate a departure from the family universality of the Yukawa couplings, beyond their characteristic fermion mass dependence. We discuss several new observables that are sensitive to a hypothetical charged-scalar contribution, demonstrating that they are well suited to distinguish between different scenarios of new physics in the scalar sector, and also between this group and models with different Dirac structures; their experimental study would therefore shed light on the relevance of scalar exchanges in semileptonic b -> c tau(-)(nu) over bar (tau) transitions.

Abstract: The data accumulated so far confirm the Higgs-like nature of the new boson discovered at the LHC. The Standard Model Higgs hypothesis is compatible with the collider results and no significant deviations from the Standard Model have been observed neither in the flavour sector nor in electroweak precision observables. We update the LHC and Tevatron constraints on CP-conserving two-Higgs-doublet models without tree-level flavour-changing neutral currents. While the relative sign between the top Yukawa and the gauge coupling of the 126 GeV Higgs is found be the same as in the SM, at 90% CL, there is a sign degeneracy in the determination of its bottom and tau Yukawa couplings. This results in several disjoint allowed regions in the parameter space. We show how generic sum rules governing the scalar couplings determine the properties of the additional Higgs bosons in the different allowed regions. The role of electroweak precision observables, low-energy flavour constraints and LHC searches for additional scalars to further restrict the available parameter space is also discussed.