Patterns of new physics in B decays

We show that any new physics (NP) which affects B decays with penguin contributions can be absorbed by redefinitions of the Standard Model (SM) diagrammatic amplitudes. Hence, there are no signals of NP in such decays unless there is an accurate theoretical estimate of hadronic parameters or a justifiable approximation can be made. In all decays with penguin contributions, NP simultaneously affects pairs of diagrams. The evidence for a large C′ from fits to B→πK data is naturally explained if NP contributes to PEW′, since NP affects the PEW′ and C′ diagrams as a pair. The weak phase γ measured in B→πK decays will always agree with its SM value even in the presence of NP, if the NP contributes in such a way that the amplitudes retain the SM form after suitable redefinitions.