0000000000512776
AUTHOR
Gabriela Barenboim
NEUTRINO SPECTRUM IN NONSUPERSYMMETRIC SO(10)
We present a predictive scheme for fermion masses and mixings inspired by nonsupersymmetric SO(10) in which the hierarchy problem is resolved without fine tuning the Yukawa couplings. This calls for a nonminimal Higgs sector which we exploit in deriving the expressions for the mass matrices. To keep the predictivity of the model under control we limit the structure of the mass matrices by imposing U(1) symmetries. A very predictive neutrino spectrum is then obtained.
Impact of CP-violation on neutrino lepton number asymmetries revisited
We revisit the effect of the (Dirac) CP-violating phase on neutrino lepton number asymmetries in both mass- and flavor-basis. We found that, even if there are sizable effects on muon- and tau-neutrino asymmetries, the effect on the asymmetry of electron-neutrinos is at most similar to the upper bound set by BBN for initial neutrino degeneracy parameters smaller than order unity. We also found that, for the asymmetries in mass-basis, the changes caused by CP-violation is of sub-\% level which is unlikely to be accesible neither in the current nor in the forthcoming experiments.
Structure formation during an early period of matter domination
In this work we show that modifying the thermal history of the Universe by including an early period of matter domination can lead to the formation of astronomical objects. However, the survival of these objects can only be possible if the dominating matter decays to a daughter particle which is not only almost degenerate with the parent particle but also has an open annihilation channel. This requirement translates in an upper bound for the coupling of such a channel and makes the early structure formation viable.
Tree-level flavor-changing neutral currents in theBsystem: FromCPasymmetries to rare decays
corresponding to 0.59 ≤ sin(2�) ≤ 0.82, which is cer- tainly outside the 1� Babar range but not outside the world average. This potential discrepancy is at the ori- gin of several papers (6) studying the implications of a small aJ/ in the search of new physics. In this paper, we analyze the implications of this situ- ation for a realistic model, obtained with the only addi- tion of an isosinglet down vector-like quark (7) to the SM spectrum. This model naturally arises, for instance, as the low-energy limit of an E6 grand unified theory. At a more phenomenological level, models with isosinglet quarks provide the simplest self-consistent framework to study deviations of 3 ×3 unitarity of the…
Flavor violation in supersymmetric SU(5) GUT at large tan beta
We study flavor violation in the general SUSY SU(5) GUT assuming all the third generation Yukawa couplings to be due to the renormalizable physics above GUT scale. At large tan beta, as suggested by Yukawa unification in SU(5), sizable flavor violation in the left (right) slepton (down squark) sector can be induced in nonminimal models due to renormalization effects of down type Yukawa couplings between GUT and Planck scales, in addition to the flavor violation in the right slepton sector. The new flavor physics contribution to K-(K) over bar, B-(B) over bar mixing is small but might be of phenomenological interest in the case of b --> s gamma. The sign of the latter contribution is the sam…
Spontaneous breakdown of CP in left right symmetric models
We show that it is possible to obtain spontaneous CP violation in the minimal SU(2)L × SU(2)R × U(1)B -L, i.e. in a left right symmetric model containing a bidoublet and two triplets in the scalar sector. For this to be a natural scenario, the non-diagonal quartic couplings between the two scalar triplets and the bidoublet play a fundamental role. We analyze the corresponding Higgs spectrum, the suppression of FCNC’s and the manifestation of the spontaneous CP phase in the electric dipole moment of the electron.
The (relative) size does not matter in inflation
We show that a tiny correction to the inflaton potential can make critical changes in the inflationary observables for some types of inflation models.
CPT Violating Decoherence and LSND: a possible window to Planck scale Physics
Decoherence has the potential to explain all existing neutrino data including LSND results, without enlarging the neutrino sector. This particular form of CPT violation can preserve the equality of masses and mixing angles between particle and antiparticle sectors, and still provide seizable differences in the oscillation patterns. A simplified minimal model of decoherence is sufficient to explain the existing neutrino data quite neatly, while making dramatic predictions for the upcoming experiments. Some comments on the order of the decoherence parameters in connection with theoretically expected values from some models of quantum-gravity are given. In particular, the quantum gravity decoh…
Light neutrino masses from gravitational condensation: the Schwinger-Dyson approach
In this work we demonstrate that non-zero neutrino masses can be generated from gravitational interactions. We solve the Schwinger-Dyson equations to find a non-trivial vacuum thereby determining the scale of the neutrino condensate and the number of new particle degrees of freedom required for gravitationally induced dynamical chiral symmetry breaking. We show for minimal beyond the Standard Model particle content, the scale of the condensation occurs close to the Planck scale.
Light charged Higgs at the beginning of the LHC era
The terascale will be explored with the start of the LHC. One of the most fundamental questions which we expect to be answered is the root of electroweak symmetry breaking and whether the Higgs mechanism is realized in nature or not. In this context we pose the question if existing experimental data still allow for a light non-minimal Higgs sector. We tackle this question first in the context of the two Higgs doublet model and then we concentrate in two supersymmetric models, the constrained MSSM and the MSSM with non-universal Higgs masses. In both supersymmetric scearios, light pseudoscalar and light charged-Higgs bosons are still viable provided tan beta is large. In this regime, we emph…
Improved tau-lepton tools for Higgs boson hunting
In this work, we use the results from Higgs searches in the $\gamma\gamma$ and $\tau\tau$ decay channels at LHC and indirect bounds as BR$(B \to X_s \gamma)$ to constrain the parameter space of a generic MSSM Higgs sector. In particular, we include the latest CMS results that look for additional Higgs states with masses up to 1 TeV. We show that the $\tau \tau$ channel is the best and most accurate weapon in the hunt for new Higgs states beyond the Standard Model. We obtain that present experimental results rule out additional neutral Higgs bosons in a generic MSSM below 300 GeV for any value of $\tan \beta$ and, for instance, values of $\tan \beta$ above 30 are only possible for Higgs mass…
Colliders as a simultaneous probe of supersymmetric dark matter and Terascale cosmology
Terascale supersymmetry has the potential to provide a natural explanation of the dominant dark matter component of the standard lambda-CDM cosmology. However once we impose the constraints on minimal supersymmetry parameters from current particle physics data, a satisfactory dark matter abundance is no longer prima facie natural. This Neutralino Tuning Problem could be a hint of nonstandard cosmology during and/or after the Terascale era. To quantify this possibility, we introduce an alternative cosmological benchmark based upon a simple model of quintessential inflation. This benchmark has no free parameters, so for a given supersymmetry model it allows an unambiguous prediction of the da…
Peccei–Quinn field for inflation, baryogenesis, dark matter, and much more
We propose a scenario of brane cosmology in which the Peccei-Quinn field plays the role of the inflaton and solves simultaneously many cosmological and phenomenological issues such as the generation of a heavy Majorana mass for the right-handed neutrinos needed for seesaw mechanism, MSSM $\mu$-parameter, the right amount of baryon number asymmetry and dark matter relic density at the present universe, together with an axion solution to the strong CP problem without the domain wall obstacle. Interestingly, the scales of the soft SUSY-breaking mass parameter and that of the breaking of $U(1)_{\rm PQ}$ symmetry are lower bounded at $\mathcal{O}(10) {\mathrm TeV}$ and $\mathcal{O}(10^{11}) {\ma…
Inflation might be caused by the right
15 pages, 4 figures.-- ISI article identifier: 000265600800102.-- ArXiv pre-print avaible at: http://arxiv.org/abs/0811.2998
Sterile neutrinos with altered dispersion relations revisited
In this paper we investigate neutrino oscillations with altered dispersion relations in the presence of sterile neutrinos. Modified dispersion relations represent an agnostic way to parameterize new physics. Models of this type have been suggested to explain global neutrino oscillation data, including deviations from the standard three-neutrino paradigm as observed by a few experiments. We show that, unfortunately, in this type of models new tensions arise turning them incompatible with global data.
Diagnostic Potential of Cosmic-Neutrino Absorption Spectroscopy
Annihilation of extremely energetic cosmic neutrinos on the relic-neutrino background can give rise to absorption lines at energies corresponding to formation of the electroweak gauge boson $Z^{0}$. The positions of the absorption dips are set by the masses of the relic neutrinos. Suitably intense sources of extremely energetic ($10^{21}$ -- $10^{25}$-eV) cosmic neutrinos might therefore enable the determination of the absolute neutrino masses and the flavor composition of the mass eigenstates. Several factors--other than neutrino mass and composition--distort the absorption lines, however. We analyze the influence of the time-evolution of the relic-neutrino density and the consequences of …
Unduland universe: expansion with alternating eras of acceleration and deceleration
If the equation of state for 'dark energy' varies periodically, the expansion of the Universe may have undergone alternating eras of acceleration and deceleration. We examine a specific form that survives existing observational tests, does not single out the present state of the Universe as exceptional, and suggests a future much like the matter-dominated past: a smooth expansion without a final inflationary epoch.
Combining LSND and Atmospheric Anomalies in a Three-Neutrino Picture
We investigate the three-neutrino mixing scheme for solving the atmospheric and LSND anomalies. We find the region in the parameter space that provides a good fit to the LSND and the SK atmospheric data, taking into account the CHOOZ constraint. We demonstrate that the goodness of this fit is comparable to that of the conventional fit to the solar and atmospheric data. Large values of the LSND angle are favoured and $\sin^2(2\theta_{\rm LSND})$ can be as high as 0.1. This can have important effects on the atmospheric electron neutrino ratios as well as on down-going multi-GeV muon neutrino ratios. We examine the possibility of distinguishing this scheme from the conventional one at the long…
(Standard model) universe dominated by the right matter
14 pages, 3 figures. References on late time enthropy release included, several points clarified. PACS numbers: 14.60.Pq, 98.80.Cq. ArXiv pre-print available at http://arxiv.org/abs/0806.4389
Flavor-changing Higgs boson decays into bottom and strange quarks in supersymmetric models
In this work, we explore the flavor-changing decays ${H}_{i}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}bs$ in a general supersymmetric scenario. In these models the flavor-changing decays arise at loop level, but---because they originate from a dimension-four operator---they do not decouple and may provide a first sign of new physics for heavy masses beyond the reach of colliders. In the framework of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model, we find that the largest branching ratio of the lightest Higgs (${H}_{1}$) is $\mathcal{O}(1{0}^{\ensuremath{-}6})$ after imposing present experimental constraints, while heavy Higgs states may still present branching ratios $\mathcal{O}(1{0}^{\ensuremat…
Direct neutralino searches in the NMSSM with gravitino LSP in the degenerate scenario
In the present work a two-component dark matter model is studied adopting the degenerate scenario in the R-parity conserving NMSSM. The gravitino LSP and the neutralino NLSP are extremely degenerate in mass, avoiding the BBN bounds and obtaining a high reheating temperature for thermal leptogenesis. In this model both gravitino (absolutely stable) and neutralino (quasi-stable) contribute to dark matter, and direct detection searches for neutralino are discussed. Points that survive all the constraints correspond to a singlino-like neutralino.
Neutrinos, DUNE and the world best bound on CPT invariance
CPT symmetry, the combination of Charge Conjugation, Parity and Time reversal, is a cornerstone of our model building strategy and therefore the repercussions of its potential violation will severely threaten the most extended tool we currently use to describe physics, i.e. local relativistic quantum fields. However, limits on its conservation from the Kaon system look indeed imposing. In this work we will show that neutrino oscillation experiments can improve this limit by several orders of magnitude and therefore are an ideal tool to explore the foundations of our approach to Nature. Strictly speaking testing CPT violation would require an explicit model for how CPT is broken and its effe…
IS ALR SUGGESTING A LEFT–RIGHT SYMMETRIC SOLUTION?
The implications of the recent measurement of the left–right asymmetry ALR by the SLD collaboration for the left–right symmetric theory are examined. We show that it is possible to arrange for a large, negative value of S, without serious side effects for other observables within this model. We also consider a restricted model with specified Higgs structure, where limits on MZ2 can be obtained.
Lepton number asymmetries and the lower bound on the reheating temperature
We show that the reheating temperature of a matter-domination era in the early universe can be pushed down to the neutrino decoupling temperature at around $2 \ {\rm MeV}$ if the reheating takes place through non-hadronic decays of the dominant matter and neutrino-antineutrino asymmetries are still large enough, $|L| \gtrsim \mathcal{O}(10^{-2})$ (depending on the neutrino flavor) at the end of reheating.
A full picture of large lepton number asymmetries of the Universe
A large lepton number asymmetry of (0.1−1) at present Universe might not only be allowed but also necessary for consistency among cosmological data. We show that, if a sizeable lepton number asymmetry were produced before the electroweak phase transition, the requirement for not producing too much baryon number asymmetry through sphalerons processes, forces the high scale lepton number asymmetry to be larger than about 03. Therefore a mild entropy release causing (10-100) suppression of pre-existing particle density should take place, when the background temperature of the Universe is around T = (10−2-102) GeV for a large but experimentally consistent asymmetry to be present today. We also …
Symmetry meets AI
We explore whether Neural Networks (NNs) can {\it discover} the presence of symmetries as they learn to perform a task. For this, we train hundreds of NNs on a {\it decoy task} based on well-controlled Physics templates, where no information on symmetry is provided. We use the output from the last hidden layer of all these NNs, projected to fewer dimensions, as the input for a symmetry classification task, and show that information on symmetry had indeed been identified by the original NN without guidance. As an interdisciplinary application of this procedure, we identify the presence and level of symmetry in artistic paintings from different styles such as those of Picasso, Pollock and Van…
Cosmology and CPT violating neutrinos
The combination Charge Conjugation-Parity-Time Reversal(CPT) is a fundamental symmetry in our current understanding of nature. As such, testing CPT violation is a strongly motivated path to explore new physics. In this paper we study CPT violation in the neutrino sector, giving for the first time a bound, for a fundamental particle, in the CPT violating particle-antiparticle gravitational mass difference. We argue that cosmology is nowadays the only data sensitive to CPT violation for the neutrino-antineutrino mass splitting and we use the latest data release from Planck combined with the current Baryonic-Acoustic-Oscillation measurement to perform a full cosmological analysis. To show the …
On large lepton number asymmetries of the Universe
A large lepton number asymmetry of $\mathcal{O}(0.1-1)$ at present universe might not only be allowed but also necessary for consistency among cosmological data. We show that, if a sizeable lepton number asymmetry were produced before the electroweak phase transition, the requirement for not producing too much baryon number asymmetry through sphalerons processes, forces the high scale lepton number asymmetry to be larger than about $30$. Therefore a mild entropy release causing $\mathcal{O}(10-100)$ suppression of pre-existing particle density should take place, when the background temperature of the universe is around $T = \mathcal{O}(10^{-2} - 10^2) {\rm GeV}$ for a large but experimental…
CPasymmetries inBsdecays and spontaneousCPviolation
We study the possible effects of new physics in $\mathrm{CP}$ asymmetries in two-body ${B}_{s}$ decays in left-right models with spontaneous $\mathrm{CP}$ violation. Considering the contributions of new $\mathrm{CP}$ phases to the ${B}_{s}$ mixing as well as to the penguin-dominated decay amplitudes we show that, with the present constraints, large deviations from the standard model predictions in $\mathrm{CP}$ asymmetries are allowed in both cases. The detection of new physics can be achieved by measuring nonzero asymmetries which are predicted to vanish in the standard model or by comparing two measurements which are predicted to be equal in the standard model. In particular, we show that…
Transplanckian masses in inflation
AbstractWe explore the possibility that the transplanckian field values needed to accommodate the experimental results in minimally coupled single-field inflation models are only due to our insistence of imposing a minimal coupling of the inflaton field to gravity. A simple conformal transformation can bring the field values below the Planck mass without changing the physics at the expense of having a richer gravitational sector. Transplanckian field values may be the signal that we are (miss)interpreting phenomena due to gravity as being originated exclusively in the scalar sector.
Constraints on inflation with an extended neutrino sector
Constraints on inflationary models typically assume only the standard models of cosmology and particle physics. By extending the neutrino sector to include a new interaction with a light scalar mediator (mφ∼MeV), it is possible to relax these constraints, in particular via opening up regions of the parameter space of the spectral index ns. These new interactions can be probed at IceCube via interactions of astrophysical neutrinos with the cosmic neutrino background for nearly all of the relevant parameter space.
Neutrino mixing and masses from long baseline and atmospheric oscillation experiments
We argue that regardless of the outcome of future Long Baseline experiments, additional information will be needed to unambiguously decide among the different scenarios of neutrino mixing. We use, for this purpose, a simple test of underground data: an asymmetry between downward and upward going events. Such an asymmetry, in which matter effects can be crucial, tests electron and muon neutrino data separately and can be compared with the theoretical prediction without relying on any simulation program.
Footprints of a left-right symmetric model in a muon collider
Abstract The double charged Higgs bosons, Δ ±± , are one of the benchmarks of left-right symmetric models. We discuss their production and demonstrate that even for small values of the Δ ++ l − l − coupling, they would produce observable signals at muon colliders.
Eviction of a 125 GeV “heavy”-Higgs from the MSSM
We prove that the present experimental constraints are already enough to rule out the possibility of the similar to 125 GeV Higgs found at LHC being the second lightest Higgs in a general MSSM context, even with explicit CP violation in the Higgs potential. Contrary to previous studies, we are able to eliminate this possibility analytically, using simple expressions for a relatively small number of observables. We show that the present LHC constraints on the diphoton signal strength, tau tau production through Higgs and BR(B -> X-s gamma) are enough to preclude the possibility of H-2 being the observed Higgs with m(H) similar or equal to 125 GeV within an MSSM context, without leaving room …
Prospects for constraining the shape of non-Gaussianity with the scale-dependent bias
We consider whether the non-Gaussian scale-dependent halo bias can be used not only to constrain the local form of non-Gaussianity but also to distinguish among different shapes. In particular, we ask whether it can constrain the behavior of the primordial three-point function in the squeezed limit where one of the momenta is much smaller than the other two. This is potentially interesting since the observation of a three-point function with a squeezed limit that does not go like the local nor equilateral templates would be a signal of non-trivial dynamics during inflation. To this end we use the quasi-single field inflation model of Chen and Wang as a representative two-parameter model, wh…
Slinky inflation
We present a new approach to quintessential inflation, in which both dark energy and inflation are explained by the evolution of a single scalar field. We start from a simple scalar potential with both oscillatory and exponential behavior. We employ the conventional reheating mechanism of new inflation, in which the scalar decays to light fermions with a decay width that is proportional to the scalar mass. Because our scalar mass is proportional to the Hubble rate, this gives adequate reheating at early times while shutting off at late times to preserve quintessence and satisfy nucleosynthesis constraints. We discuss a simple model which solves the horizon, flatness, and "why now" problems.…
Neutrino oscillation probabilities through the looking glass
In this paper we review different expansions for neutrino oscillation probabilities in matter in the context of long-baseline neutrino experiments. We examine the accuracy and computational efficiency of different exact and approximate expressions. We find that many of the expressions used in the literature are not precise enough for the next generation of long-baseline experiments, but several of them are while maintaining comparable simplicity. The results of this paper can be used as guidance to both phenomenologists and experimentalists when implementing the various oscillation expressions into their analysis tools.
Eternal hilltop inflation
We consider eternal inflation in hilltop-type inflation models, favored by current data, in which the scalar field in inflation rolls off of a local maximum of the potential. Unlike chaotic or plateau-type inflation models, in hilltop inflation the region of field space which supports eternal inflation is finite, and the expansion rate $H_{EI}$ during eternal inflation is almost exactly the same as the expansion rate $H_*$ during slow roll inflation. Therefore, in any given Hubble volume, there is a finite and calculable expectation value for the lifetime of the "eternal" inflation phase, during which quantum flucutations dominate over classical field evolution. We show that despite this, i…
Left-handed neutrino disappearance probe of neutrino mass and character
We explore the sensitivity to a non vanishing neutrino mass offered by dynamical observables, i.e., branching ratios and polarizations. The longitudinal polarization in the C.M. frame decreases by a 4% for $D^+ \rightarrow \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ and $m_{\nu_\tau}=24$ MeV. Taking advantage of the fact that the polarization is a Lorentz variant quantity, we study the polarization effects in a boosted frame. By means of a neutrino beam, produced by a high velocity boosted parent able to flip the neutrino helicity, we find that an enhanced left-handed neutrino deficit, induced by a Wigner rotation, appears.
Constraints on doubly charged Higgs interactions at linear collider
Production of a single doubly charged Higgs boson $Delta^{--}$ in polarized $e^+e^-$ and $e^+\gamma$ collision modes of the linear collider have been investigated. The mass range of $Delta^{--}$ to be probed extends up to the collision energy. The diagonal lepton number violating Yukawa coupling $h_{ee}$ will be tested at least three orders of magnitude more strictly than in present experiments.
Inflation meets neutrinos
Constraints on inflationary models typically assume only the standard models of cosmology and particle physics. By extending the neutrino sector to include a new interaction with a light scalar mediator ($m_{\phi}\sim$MeV), it is possible to relax these constraints, in particular via opening up regions of the parameter space of the spectral index $n_s$. These new interactions can be probed at IceCube via interactions of astrophysical neutrinos with the Cosmic Neutrino Background for nearly all of the relevant parameter space.
CPAsymmetries inB0Decays in the Left-Right Model
We study time dependent CP asymmetries in B^0_{d,s} decays in the left-right model with spontaneous breakdown of CP. Due to the new contributions to B^0-\bar B^0 mixing the CP asymmetries can be substantially modified. Moreover, there can be significant new contributions to the $B$-meson decay amplitudes from the magnetic penguins. Most promising for detection of the new physics in the planned $B$ factories is that the CP asymmetries in the decays B--> J/\psi K_S and B--> \phi K_S which are supposed to be equal in the standard model can differ significantly in this class of models independently of the results in the measurements of B--> X_s \gamma.
How to relax the cosmological neutrino mass bound
We study the impact of non-standard momentum distributions of cosmic neutrinos on the anisotropy spectrum of the cosmic microwave background and the matter power spectrum of the large scale structure. We show that the neutrino distribution has almost no unique observable imprint, as it is almost entirely degenerate with the effective number of neutrino flavours, $N_{\mathrm{eff}}$, and the neutrino mass, $m_{\nu}$. Performing a Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis with current cosmological data, we demonstrate that the neutrino mass bound heavily depends on the assumed momentum distribution of relic neutrinos. The message of this work is simple and has to our knowledge not been pointed out cle…
Sterile Neutrinos, Black Hole Vacuum and Holographic Principle
We construct an effective field theory (EFT) model that describes matter field interactions with Schwarzschild mini-black-holes (SBH's), treated as a scalar field, $B_0(x)$. Fermion interactions with SBH's require a random complex spurion field, $\theta_{ij}$, which we interpret as the EFT description of "holographic information," which is correlated with the SBH as a composite system. We consider Hawking's virtual black hole vacuum (VBH) as a Higgs phase, $\langle B_0 \rangle =V$. Integrating sterile neutrino loops, the field $\theta_{ij}$ is promoted to a dynamical field, necessarily developing a tachyonic instability and acquiring a VEV of order the Planck scale. For $N$ sterile neutrino…
Invisible neutrino decay in precision cosmology
We revisit the topic of invisible neutrino decay in the precision cosmological context, via a first-principles approach to understanding the cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure phenomenology of such a non-standard physics scenario. Assuming an effective Lagrangian in which a heavier standard-model neutrino $\nu_H$ couples to a lighter one $\nu_l$ and a massless scalar particle $\phi$ via a Yukawa interaction, we derive from first principles the complete set of Boltzmann equations, at both the spatially homogeneous and the first-order inhomogeneous levels, for the phase space densities of $\nu_H$, $\nu_l$, and $\phi$ in the presence of the relevant decay and inverse decay p…
MINOS and CPT violating neutrinos
We review the status of CPT violation in the neutrino sector. Apart from LSND, current data favors three flavors of light stable neutrinos and antineutrinos, with both halves of the spectrum having one smaller mass splitting and one larger mass splitting. Oscillation data for the smaller splitting are consistent with CPT. For the larger splitting, current data favor an antineutrino mass-squared splitting that is an order of magnitude larger than the corresponding neutrino splitting, with the corresponding mixing angle less than maximal. This CPT-violating spectrum is driven by recent results from MINOS, but is consistent with other experiments if we ignore LSND. We describe an analysis tech…
CPT and CP, an entangled couple
Even though it is undoubtedly very appealing to interpret the latest T2K results as evidence of CP violation, this claim assumes CPT conservation in the neutrino sector to an extent that has not been tested yet. As we will show, T2K results are not robust against a CPT-violating explanation. On the contrary, a CPT-violating CP-conserving scenario is in perfect agreement with current neutrino oscillation data. Therefore, to elucidate whether T2K results imply CP or CPT violation is of utter importance. We show that, even after combining with data from NO$\nu$A and from reactor experiments, no claims about CP violation can be made. Finally, we update the bounds on CPT violation in the neutrin…
Spontaneous CP violation and the B0 system
We investigate effects of spontaneous breakdown of CP in $B^0_{d,s}-\overline{B^0}_{d,s}$ systems in left-right symmetric models. Assuming that the left-right contribution to the $B^0-\overline{B^0}$ matrix element $M_{12}$ can be at most equal to the standard model one we obtain a new lower bound, $M_H\gsim 12$ TeV, on the flavour changing Higgs boson mass. Most importantly, the convention independent parameter $Re(\overline{\epsilon}_B),$ which measures the amount of $\Delta B=2$ CP violation, can be enhanced by a factor of four or more for $B^0_d$ and almost by two orders of magnitude for $B^0_s$ systems when compared with the Standard Model predictions. Therefore, interesting possibilit…
Spiral Inflation
We propose a novel scenario of primordial inflation in which the inflaton goes through a spiral motion starting from around the top of a symmetry breaking potential. We show that, even though inflation takes place for a field value much smaller than Planck scale, it is possible to obtain relatively large tensor to scalar ratio ($r \sim 0.1$) without fine tuning. The inflationary observables perfectly match Planck data.
Neutrino Coannihilation on Dark-Matter Relics?
High-energy neutrinos may resonate with relic background neutralinos to form short-lived sneutrinos. In some circumstances, the decay chain that leads back to the lightest supersymmetric particle would yield few-GeV gamma rays or charged-particle signals. Although resonant coannihilation would occur at an appreciable rate in our galaxy, the signal in any foreseeable detector is unobservably small.
Decoherent neutrino mixing, dark energy, and matter-antimatter asymmetry
A CPT violating decoherence scenario can easily account for all the experimental evidence in the neutrino sector including LSND. In this work it is argued that this framework can also accommodate the Dark Energy content of the Universe, as well as the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry.
Minimal noncanonical cosmologies
We demonstrate how much it is possible to deviate from the standard cosmological paradigm of inflation-assisted LambdaCDM, keeping within current observational constraints, and without adding to or modifying any theoretical assumptions. We show that within a minimal framework there are many new possibilities, some of them wildly different from the standard picture. We present three illustrative examples of new models, described phenomenologically by a noncanonical scalar field coupled to radiation and matter. These models have interesting implications for inflation, quintessence, reheating, electroweak baryogenesis, and the relic densities of WIMPs and other exotics.
Electroweak precision data and right-handed gauge bosons
The implication of recent electroweak precision data for left-right symmetric models is examined. We establish a lower bound on the charged and neutral right-handed gauge bosons independent of the right-handed neutrino mass and of any restrictions or implied symmetries on the right KM matrix.
The dark(er) side of inflation
We present a new approach to quintessential inflation, in which both dark energy and inflation are explained by the evolution of a single scalar field. We start from a simple scalar potential with both oscillatory and exponential behavior.We employ the conventional reheating mechanism of new inflation, in which the scalar decays to light fermions with a decay width that is proportional to the scalar mass. Because our scalar mass is proportional to the Hubble rate, this gives adequate reheating at early times while shutting off at late times to preserve quintessence and satisfy nucleosynthesis constraints.
Gravitational waves from first order phase transitions as a probe of an early matter domination era and its inverse problem
We investigate the gravitational wave background from a first order phase transition in a matter-dominated universe, and show that it has a unique feature from which important information about the properties of the phase transition and thermal history of the universe can be easily extracted. Also, we discuss the inverse problem of such a gravitational wave background in view of the degeneracy among macroscopic parameters governing the signal.
On the tensor-to-scalar ratio in large single-field inflation models
We show that generically the tensor-to-scalar ratio in large single-field inflation scenarios is bounded to be larger than $\mathcal{O}(10^{-3})$ for the spectral index in the range favored by observations.
Observational Constraints on Undulant Cosmologies
In an undulant universe, cosmic expansion is characterized by alternating periods of acceleration and deceleration. We examine cosmologies in which the dark-energy equation of state varies periodically with the number of e-foldings of the scale factor of the universe, and use observations to constrain the frequency of oscillation. We find a tension between a forceful response to the cosmic coincidence problem and the standard treatment of structure formation.
Baryogenesis from a right-handed neutrino condensate
We show that the baryon asymmetry of the Universe can be generated by a strongly coupled right handed neutrino condensate which also drives inflation. The resulting model has only a small number of parameters, which completely determine not only the baryon asymmetry of the Universe and the mass of the right handed neutrino but also the inflationary phase. This feature allows us to make predictions that will be tested by current and planned experiments. As compared to the usual approach our dynamical framework is both economical and predictive.
Tau neutrinos from muon storage rings
Charged tau leptons emerging in a long baseline experiment with a muon storage ring and a far-away detector will positively establish neutrino oscillations. We study the conversion of $\nu_\mu$ ($\bar{\nu}_\mu$) and of $\bar{\nu}_e$ ($\nu_e$) to $\nu_\tau$ or $\bar{\nu}_\tau$ for neutrinos from a 20 GeV muon storage ring, within the strong mixing scheme and on the basis of the squared mass differences which are compatible with all reported neutrino anomalies, including the LSND data. In contrast to other solutions which ignore the Los Alamos anomaly, we find charged tau production rates which should be measurable in a realistic set up. As a consequence, determining the complete mass spectru…
Electroweak baryogenesis window in non standard cosmologies
In this work we show that the new bounds on the Higgs mass are more than difficult to reconcile with the strong constraints on the physical parameters of the Standard Model and the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model imposed by the preservation of the baryon asymmetry. This bound can be weakened by assuming a nonstandard cosmology at the time of the electroweak phase transition, reverting back to standard cosmology by BBN time. Two explicit examples are an early period of matter dominated expansion due to a heavy right handed neutrino (see-saw scale), or a nonstandard braneworld expansion.
Spontaneous CP violation in the left-right model and the kaon system
A left-right model with spontaneous $CP$ breakdown, consistent with the particle physics phenomenology, is presented. Constraints on free parameters of the model: mass of the new right handed gauge boson $M_2$ and ratio $r$ of the two vacuum expectation values of the bidoublet, are found from the measurement of $\epsilon$ in the kaon system. For most of the parameter space, $M_2$ is restricted to be below 10 TeV. Higher masses can be achieved only by fine tuning of Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix elements, quark masses, $r$ and the phase $\alpha$ which is the unique source of $CP$-violation in the model. Large number of combinations of signs of quark masses, which are observables of the model, are…
The dark side of curvature
Geometrical tests such as the combination of the Hubble parameter H(z) and the angular diameter distance d(A)(z) can, in principle, break the degeneracy between the dark energy equation of state parameter w(z), and the spatial curvature Omega(k) in a direct, model-independent way. In practice, constraints on these quantities achievable from realistic experiments, such as those to be provided by Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) galaxy surveys in combination with CMB data, can resolve the cosmic confusion between the dark energy equation of state parameter and curvature only statistically and within a parameterized model for w(z). Combining measurements of both H(z) and d(A)(z) up to suffici…
Composite states of two right-handed neutrinos
In this work, we develop a model for Higgs-like composites based on two generations of right-handed neutrinos that condense. We analyze the spontaneous symmetry breaking of the theory with two explicit breakings, setting the different scales of the model and obtaining massive bosons as a result. Finally, we calculate the gravitational wave imprint left by the phase transition associated with the symmetry breaking of a generic potential dictated by the symmetries of the composites.
Resurrection of large lepton number asymmetries from neutrino flavor oscillations
We numerically solve the evolution equations of neutrino three-flavor density matrices, and show that, even if neutrino oscillations mix neutrino flavors, large lepton number asymmetries are still allowed in certain limits by Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN).
Neutrinos: Fast & Curious
The Standard Model has been effective way beyond expectations in foreseeing the result of almost all the experimental tests done up so far. In it, neutrinos are massless. Nonetheless, in recent years we have collected solid proofs indicating little but non zero masses for the neutrinos (when contrasted with those of the charged leptons). These masses permit neutrinos to change their flavor and oscillate, indeed a unique treat. In these lectures, I discuss the properties and the amazing potential of neutrinos in and beyond the Standard Model.
METing SUSY on the Z peak
Recently the ATLAS experiment announced a 3 $\sigma$ excess at the Z-peak consisting of 29 pairs of leptons together with two or more jets, $E_T^{\rm miss}> 225$ GeV and $H_T \geq 600$ GeV, to be compared with $10.6 \pm 3.2$ expected lepton pairs in the Standard Model. No excess outside the Z-peak was observed. By trying to explain this signal with SUSY we find that only relatively light gluinos, $m_{\tilde g} \lesssim 1.2$ TeV, together with a heavy neutralino NLSP of $m_{\tilde \chi} \gtrsim 400$ GeV decaying predominantly to Z-boson plus a light gravitino, such that nearly every gluino produces at least one Z-boson in its decay chain, could reproduce the excess. We construct an explicit …
Constraints on theWRmass andCPviolation in left-right models
We update the constraints on the right-handed W{sub R} gauge boson mass, mixing angle {zeta} with the left-handed W{sub L} gauge boson, and other parameters in general left-right symmetric models with different mechanisms of CP violation. Constraints mostly independent of any assumption on the quark sector are obtained from a reanalysis of muon decay data. The best {chi}{sup 2} fit of the data gives g{sub R}/g{sub L}=0.94{plus_minus}0.09 for the ratio of right to left gauge couplings, with M{sub W{sub R}}{ge}485 GeV and {vert_bar}{zeta}{vert_bar}{le}0.0327. Fixing g{sub L}=g{sub R} (in particular for manifestly left-right symmetric models), we obtain M{sub W{sub R}}{approx_gt}549 GeV and {v…
CP violating lepton asymmetries in left-right models
Lepton charge asymmetries can be used as an alternative means of searching for new physics. They are interesting because they are small in the Standard Model and therefore, necessarily evidence new physics. In this work we explore the use of lepton asymmetries as a probe of the flavour structure of the left-right symmetric model with spontaneous CP violation. We find that new physics may enhance the magnitude of $a_{SL}$ up to the precent level within the appropiate parameter space.
Only three flavours
Abstract It is shown that it is possible to account for all the experimental indications for neutrino oscillations with just three flavours. In particular we suggest that the atmospheric neutrino anomaly and the LSND result can be explained by the same mass difference and mixing. Possible implications and future test of the resulting mass and mixing pattern are given.
New- vs. chaotic- inflations
We show that "spiralized" models of new-inflation can be experimentally identified mostly by their positive spectral running in direct contrast with most chaotic-inflation models which have negative runnings typically in the range of $\mathcal{O}(10^{-4}-10^{-3})$.
Quintessence, inflation and baryogenesis from a single pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson
15 pages, 3 figures.-- ISI Article Identifier: 000250759700079.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/0707.3999
Slow roll in simple non-canonical inflation
17 pages, 4 figures.-- ISI Article Identifier: 000245945000008.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0701343
Self-accelerating solutions of scalar-tensor gravity
Scalar-tensor gravity is the simplest and best understood modification of general relativity, consisting of a real scalar field coupled directly to the Ricci scalar curvature. Models of this type have self-accelerating solutions. In an example inspired by string dilaton couplings, scalar-tensor gravity coupled to ordinary matter exhibits a de Sitter type expansion, even in the presence of a {\it negative} cosmological constant whose magnitude exceeds that of the matter density. This unusual behavior does not require phantoms, ghosts or other exotic sources. More generally, we show that any expansion history can be interpreted as arising partly or entirely from scalar-tensor gravity. To dist…
How sensitive to FCNC can $B^0$ CP asymmetries be?
We show that the study of CP asymmetries in neutral B-meson decays provides a very sensitive probe of flavour-changing neutral currents (FCNC). We introduce two new angles, $\alpha_{SM}$ and $\beta_{SM}$, whose main feature is that they can be readily obtained from the measurement of the CP asymmetries $a_{J/\psi K_s}$, $a_{\pi^+ \pi^-}$ and the ratio $R_u \equiv|V_{ud}V_{ub}^*|/|V_{cd}V_{cb}^*|$, providing a quantitative test of the presence of new physics in a model-independent way. Assuming that new physics is due to the presence of an isosinglet down-type quark, we indicate how to reconstruct the unitarity quadrangles and point out that the measurements of the above asymmetries, within …
Flavor versus mass eigenstates in neutrino asymmetries: implications for cosmology
We show that, if they exist, lepton number asymmetries ($L_\alpha$) of neutrino flavors should be distinguished from the ones ($L_i$) of mass eigenstates, since Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) bounds on the flavor eigenstates cannot be directly applied to the mass eigenstates. Similarly, Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) constraints on mass eigenstates do not directly constrain flavor asymmetries. Due to the difference of mass and flavor eigenstates, the cosmological constraint on the asymmetries of neutrino flavors can be much stronger than conventional expectation, but not uniquely determined unless at least the asymmetry of the heaviest neutrino is well constrained. Cosmological constrain…
Non-decoupling of Heavy Neutrinos and Lepton Flavour Violation
We consider a class of models predicting new heavy neutral fermionic states, whose mixing with the light neutrinos can be naturally significant and produce observable effects below the threshold for their production. We update the indirect limits on the flavour non-diagonal mixing parameters that can be derived from unitarity, and show that significant rates are in general expected for one-loop-induced rare processes due to the exchange of virtual heavy neutrinos, involving the violation of the muon and electron lepton numbers. In particular, the amplitudes for $\mu$--$e$ conversion in nuclei and for $\mu\to ee^+e^-$ show a non-decoupling quadratic dependence on the heavy neutrino mass $M$,…
Phantom Dirac-Born-Infeld dark energy
Motivated by the apparent discrepancy between Cosmic Microwave Background measurements of the Hubble constant and measurements from Type-Ia supernovae, we construct a model for Dark Energy with equation of state $w = p / ��< -1$, violating the Null Energy Condition. Naive canonical models of so-called "Phantom" Dark Energy require a negative scalar kinetic term, resulting in a Hamiltonian unbounded from below and associated vacuum instability. We construct a scalar field model for Dark Energy with $w < -1$, which nonetheless has a Hamiltonian bounded from below in the comoving reference frame, {\it i.e.} in the rest frame of the fluid. We demonstrate that the solution is a cosmologica…
CP Violation with Three Oscillating Neutrino Flavours
We explore the prospects of observing leptonic CP violation in a neutrino factory in the context of a scenario with three strongly oscillating neutrinos able to account for the solar, the atmospheric and the LSND results. We address also the problems related with the fake asymmetries induced by the experimental device and by the presence of matter.
Implications of an axino LSP for naturalness
Both the naturalness of the electroweak symmetry breaking and the resolution of the strong CP problem may require a small Higgsino mass $\mu$ generated by a realization of the DFSZ axion model. Assuming the axino is the lightest supersymmetric particle, we study its implications on $\mu$ and the axion scale. Copiously produced light Higgsinos at collider (effectively only neutral NLSP pairs) eventually decay to axinos leaving prompt multi-leptons or displaced vertices which are being looked for at the LHC. We use latest LHC7+8 results to derive current limits on $\mu$ and the axion scale. Various Higgsino-axino phenomenology is illustrated by comparing with a standard case without lightest …
Coleman-Weinberg inflation in light of Planck
We revisit a single field inflationary model based on Coleman-Weinberg potentials. We show that in small field Coleman-Weinberg inflation, the observed amplitude of perturbations needs an extremely small quartic coupling of the inflaton, which might be a signature of radiative origin. However, the spectral index obtained in a standard cosmological scenario turns out to be outside the 2 sigma region of the Planck data. When a non-standard cosmological framework is invoked, such as brane-world cosmology in the Randall-Sundrum model, the spectral index can be made consistent with Planck data within 1 sigma, courtesy of the modification in the evolution of the Hubble parameter in such a scheme.…
Spiral Inflation with Coleman-Weinberg Potential
We apply the idea of spiral inflation to Coleman-Weinberg potential, and show that inflation matching well observations is allowed for a symmetry-breaking scale ranging from an intermediate scale to GUT scale even if the quartic coupling $\lambda$ is of $\mathcal{O}(0.1)$. The tensor-to-scalar ratio can be of $\mathcal{O}(0.01)$ in case of GUT scale symmetry-breaking.
Neutrino Masses and Lepton Flavour Violation in Thick Brane Scenarios
We address the issue of lepton flavour violation and neutrino masses in the ``fat-brane'' paradigm, where flavour changing processes are suppressed by localising different fermion field wave-functions at different positions (in the extra dimensions) in a thick brane. We study the consequences of suppressing lepton number violating charged lepton decays within this scenario for lepton masses and mixing angles. In particular, we find that charged lepton mass matrices are constrained to be quasi-diagonal. We further consider whether the same paradigm can be used to naturally explain small Dirac neutrino masses by considering the existence of three right-handed neutrinos in the brane, and discu…
Exploring the intrinsic Lorentz-violating parameters at DUNE
Neutrinos can push our search for new physics to a whole new level. What makes them so hard to be detected, what allows them to travel humongous distances without being stopped or deflected allows to amplify Planck suppressed effects (or effects of comparable size) to a level that we can measure or bound in DUNE. In this work we analyze the sensitivity of DUNE to CPT and Lorentz-violating interactions in a framework that allows a straightforward extrapolation of the bounds obtained to any phenomenological modification of the dispersion relation of neutrinos.
Transplanckian inflation as gravity echoes
In this work, we show that, in the presence of non-minimal coupling to gravity, it is possible to generate sizeable tensor modes in single-field models without transplanckian field values. These transplanckian field values apparently needed in Einstein gravity to accommodate the experimental results may only be due to our insistence of imposing a minimal coupling of the inflaton field to gravity in a model with non-minimal couplings. We present three simple single-field models that prove that it is possible accommodate a large tensor-to-scalar ratio without requiring transplanckian field values within the slow-roll regime.
Gravity triggered neutrino condensates
In this work we use the Schwinger-Dyson equations to study the possibility that an enhanced gravitational attraction triggers the formation of a right-handed neutrino condensate, inducing dynamical symmetry breaking and generating a Majorana mass for the right-handed neutrino at a scale appropriate for the seesaw mechanism. The composite field formed by the condensate phase could drive an early epoch of inflation. We find that to the lowest order, the theory does not allow dynamical symmetry breaking. Nevertheless, thanks to the large number of matter fields in the model, the suppression by additional powers in G of higher order terms can be compensated, boosting them up to their lowest ord…
New physics vs new paradigms: distinguishing CPT violation from NSI
Our way of describing Nature is based on local relativistic quantum field theories, and then CPT symmetry, a natural consequence of Lorentz invariance, locality and hermiticity of the Hamiltonian, is one of the few if not the only prediction that all of them share. Therefore, testing CPT invariance does not test a particular model but the whole paradigm. Current and future long baseline experiments will assess the status of CPT in the neutrino sector at an unprecedented level and thus its distinction from similar experimental signatures arising from non-standard interactions is imperative. Whether the whole paradigm is at stake or just the standard model of neutrinos crucially depends on th…
Electroweak phase transition in left-right symmetric models
We study the finite-temperature effective potential of minimal left-right symmetric models containing a bidoublet and two triplets in the scalar sector. We perform a numerical analysis of the parameter space compatible with the requirement that baryon asymmetry is not washed out by sphaleron processes after the electroweak phase transition. We find that the spectrum of scalar particles for these acceptable cases is consistent with present experimental bounds.
Non-decoupling and lepton number violation in left-right models
We argue that large non-decoupling effects of heavy neutrinos can appear naturally in manifestly left-right symmetric models due to the minimization conditions of the scalar potential and the structure of vev's imposed by phenomenology. We derive constraints on off-diagonal light-heavy and heavy-heavy neutrino mixings from the searches for lepton violating decays $\mu\rightarrow e\gamma,$ $\mu\rightarrow e e^-e^+$ and $\mu-e$ conversion in nuclei. The most stringent limits come from the latter process because its amplitude shows a quadratic non-decoupling dependence on the heavy neutrino mass. Due to the suppression of right-handed currents by large $W_R$ mass the present experiments are no…
Oscillations, neutrino masses and scales of new physics
We show that all the available experimental information involving neutrinos can be accounted for within the framework of already existing models where neutrinos have zero mass at tree level, but obtain a small Dirac mass by radiative corrections.
Spontaneous baryogenesis in spiral inflation
We examined the possibility of spontaneous baryogenesis driven by the inflaton in the scenario of spiral inflation, and found the parametric dependence of the late-time baryon number asymmetry. As a result, it is shown that, depending on the effective coupling of baryon/lepton number violating operators, it is possible to obtain the right amount of asymmetry even in the presence of a matter-domination era as long as such era is relatively short. In a part of the parameter space, the required expansion rate during inflation is close to the current upper-bound, and hence can be probed in the near future experiments.
Quantum decoherence and neutrino data
In this work we perform global fits of microscopic decoherence models of neutrinos to all available current data, including LSND and KamLAND spectral distortion results. In previous works on related issues the models used were supposed to explain LSND results by means of quantum gravity induced decoherence. However those models were purely phenomenological without any underlying microscopic basis. It is one of the main purposes of this article to use detailed microscopic decoherence models with complete positivity, to fit the data.The decoherence in these models has contributions not only from stochastic quantum gravity vacua operating as a medium, but also from conventional uncertainties i…
Modified majoron model for cosmological anomalies
The vacuum expectation value $v_s$ of a Higgs triplet field $\Delta$ carrying two units of lepton number $L$ induces neutrino masses $\propto v_s$. The neutral component of $\Delta$ gives rise to two Higgs particles, a pseudoscalar $A$ and a scalar $S$. The most general renormalizable Higgs potential $V$ for $\Delta $ and the Standard-Model Higgs doublet $\Phi$ does not permit the possibility that the mass of either $A$ or $S$ is small, of order $v_s$, while the other mass is heavy enough to forbid the decay $Z\to A S$ to comply with LEP 1 data. We present a model with additional dimension-6 terms in $V$, in which this feature is absent and either $A$ or $S$ can be chosen light. Subsequentl…
Gravitino dark matter in the constrained next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model with neutralino next-to-lightest superpartner
The viability of a possible cosmological scenario is investigated. The theoretical framework is the constrained next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model (cNMSSM), with a gravitino playing the role of the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) and a neutralino acting as the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle (NLSP). All the necessary constraints from colliders and cosmology have been taken into account. For gravitino we have considered the two usual production mechanisms, namely out-of equillibrium decay from the NLSP, and scattering processes from the thermal bath. The maximum allowed reheating temperature after inflation, as well as the maximum allowed gravitino mass are determi…
Constraining New Physics with the Fermilab Measurement ofCPViolation inB→ψKs
Recently, the CDF Collaboration has reported a measurement of the CP asymmetry in the $B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\psi}{K}_{s}$ decay: ${a}_{\ensuremath{\psi}{K}_{s}}{\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.79}_{\ensuremath{-}0.44}^{+0.41}$. We analyze the constraints that follow from this measurement on the size and the phase of contributions from new physics to $B\ensuremath{-}\overline{B}$ mixing. Defining the relative phase between the full ${M}_{12}$ amplitude and the standard model contribution to be $2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{d}$, we find a new bound: $\mathrm{sin}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{d}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}\ensuremath{-}0.6(\ensuremath{-}0.87)$ at $1\ensuremat…