Implications for B ->eta K and B -> glueball+K modes from observed large B ->eta

The unexpectedly large branching ratios for B --> eta'K(eta'X-s) decays could be of gluonic origin. We study the implications for B --> eta K(eta X-s) and PK(PXs), where P is the pseudoscalar glueball. In the mechanism proposed by Fritzsch, large branching ratios are predicted for these modes. The B --> eta K rate is barely within the experimental limit, and B --> PK, PXs could be at the 0.1% and 1% level, respectively. Smaller but less definite results are found for the mechanism of g * --> eta'g via the gluon anomaly. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.