Testing Explanations of the $B\to\phi K^*$ Polarization Puzzle

Understand

$B\to\phi K^*$ ($\btos$) is three separate decays, one for each polarization of the final-state vector mesons (one longitudinal, two transverse).

• It is observed that the fraction of transverse decays, $\fT$, and the fraction of longitudinal decays, $\fL$, are roughly equal: $\fTfL \simeq 1$, in opposition to the naive expectation that $\fT \ll \fL$.
• If one requires a single explanation of all polarization puzzles, two possibilities remain within the standard model: penguin annihilation and rescattering.
• In this paper we examine the predictions of these two explanations for $\fTfL$ in $\btod$ decays.