Eur. Phys. J. C (2012) 72: 2103
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-012-2103-1

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Minimal flavour violation and beyond

¹ Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044, Frascati, Italy
² Theory Division, CERN, 1211, Geneva 23, Switzerland
³ Scuola Normale Superiore and INFN, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, 56126, Pisa, Italy

^* e-mail: david.straub@sns.it

Received: 7 June 2012
Published online: 15 August 2012

Abstract

We review the formulation of the Minimal Flavour Violation (MFV) hypothesis in the quark sector, as well as some “variations on a theme” based on smaller flavour symmetry groups and/or less minimal breaking terms. We also review how these hypotheses can be tested in B decays and by means of other flavour-physics observables. The phenomenological consequences of MFV are discussed both in general terms, employing a general effective theory approach, and in the specific context of the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the SM.