Rare baryon decays Lambda_b -> Lambda l+ l- (l=e, mu, tau) and Lambda_b -> Lambda gamma : Differential and total rates, lepton- and hadron-side forward-backward asymmetries

Using the covariant constituent quark model previously developed by us we calculate the differential rate and the forward-backward asymmetries on the lepton and hadron side for the rare baryon decays Lambda_b -> Lambda l+ l- (l=e, mu, tau) and Lambda_b -> Lambda gamma. We use helicity methods to write down a three-fold joint angular decay distribution for the cascade decay Lambda_b -> Lambda (-> p pi-) + J_eff (-> l+ l-). Through appropriate angular integrations we obtain expressions for the rates, the lepton-side forward-backward (FB) asymmetry and the polarization of the daughter baryon Lambda leading to a hadron-side forward-backward asymmetry. We present numerical results on these observables using the covariant quark model and compare our results to the results of other calculations that have appeared in the literature.