Matter–antimatter asymmetry and neutrino properties

The cosmological baryon asymmetry can be explained as remnant of heavy Majorana neutrino decays in the early universe. We study this mechanism for two models of neutrino masses with a large ν_μ−ν_τ mixing angle which are based on the symmetries SU(5)×U(1)_F and SU(3)_c×SU(3)_L×SU(3)_R×U(1)_F, respectively. In both cases B−L is broken at the unification scale Λ_GUT. The models make different predictions for the baryogenesis temperature and the gravitino abundance.     

New constraints on “INO” masses from cosmology (I). Supersymmetric “inos”

In this first paper we derive new constraints on gravitino and photino masses in big bang cosmology. First, in the context of induced supersymmetry breaking we calculate explicitly the gravitino decay rate into gauginos, and find that in the absence of significant dilution the gravitino mass must be ?5 × 10⁴ GeV in order not to affect nucleosynthesis. We also find in this case that constraints in the lightest R-odd particle, the photino, differ significantly from earlier bounds based on analogy with stable heavy neutrino bounds in the standard model, due to out of equilibrium gravitino decay. In order to avoid both these constraints the gravitino distribution must be severely suppressed. If this is due to inflation, it must occur at a scale ?10¹⁰?10¹¹ GeV.     

On the B→Xs ll decays in general supersymmetric models

We analyze the inclusive semileptonic decays B→X_s l⁺l⁻ in the framework of the supersymmetric standard model with non-universal soft-breaking terms at GUT scale. We show that the general trend of universal and non-universal models is a decreasing of branching ratio (BR) and increasing of energy asymmetry (AS). However, only non-universal models can have chances to get very large enhancements in BR and AS, corresponding to large (negative) SUSY contributions to the b→sγ amplitude.     

Minimal SUSY SO(10), b–τ unification and large neutrino mixings

We show that the assumption of type II seesaw mechanism for small neutrino masses coupled with b–τ mass unification in a minimal SUSY SO(10) model leads not only to a natural understanding of large atmospheric mixing angle (θ₂₃) among neutrinos, as recently noted, but also to large solar angle (θ₁₂) and a small θ₁₃≡U_e3 as required to fit observations. No additional symmetries are required to obtain large neutrino mixings. The proposed long baseline neutrino experiments will provide a crucial test of this model since it predicts U_e30.16.     

Limits on neutrino electromagnetic properties — an update

Limits on neutrino electromagnetic properties from laboratory experiments and astrophysical arguments are reviewed with an emphasis on the currently favored range of small neutrino masses. We derive a helioseismological limit on the charge and dipole moment for all flavors of e_ν6×10⁻¹⁴e and μ_ν4×10⁻¹⁰μ_B (Bohr magneton). The most restrictive limits remain those from the plasmon decay in globular-cluster stars of e_ν2×10⁻¹⁴e and μ_ν3×10⁻¹²μ_B.     

Neutrino masses, muon g−2, and lepton-flavour violation in the supersymmetric see-saw model

In the light of the recent muon (g_μ−2) result by the E821 experiment at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, we study the event rates of the charged lepton-flavour-violating (LFV) processes in the supersymmetric standard model (SUSY SM) with the heavy right-handed neutrinos (SUSY see-saw model). Since the left-handed sleptons get the LFV masses via the neutrino Yukawa interaction in this model, the event rate of μ→eγ and the SUSY-SM correction to (g_μ−2)/2 (δa_μ^SUSY) are strongly correlated. When the left-handed sleptons have a LFV mass between the first and second generations ( ) in the mass matrix, it should be suppressed by 10⁻³ (10⁻⁹/δa_μ^SUSY) compared with the diagonal components (m_SUSY²), from the current experimental bound on μ→eγ. The recent (g_μ−2) result indicates δa_μ^SUSY10⁻⁹. The future charged LFV experiments could cover . These experiments will give a significant impact on the flavour models and the SUSY-breaking models. In the SUSY see-saw model is proportional to square of the tau-neutrino Yukawa-coupling constant. In the typical models where the neutrino-oscillation results are explained and the top-quark and tau-neutrino Yukawa couplings are unified at the GUT scale, a large LFV mass of is generated, and the large LFV event rates are predicted. We impose a so-called no-scale condition for the SUSY-breaking parameters at the GUT scale, which suppresses the FCNC processes, and derive the conservative lower bound on μ→eγ. The predicted Br(μ→eγ) could be covered at the future LFV experiments.     

Neutrino astronomy and massive long-lived particles from the big bang

We consider the neutrino flux from the decay of long-lived big-bang particles. The red-shift z_tr at which the neutrino transparency of the universe sets in is calculated as a function of neutrino energy: z_tr 1 × 10⁵ for TeV neutrinos and z_tr 3 × 10⁶ for 10 MeV neutrinos. One might expect the production of detectable neutrino flux at z z_tr, but, as demonstrated in this paper, the various upper limits, most notably due to nucleosynthesis and diffuse X- and gamma-rays, preclude this possibility. Unless the particle decay is strongly dominated by the pure neutrino channel, observable neutrino flux can be produced only at the current epoch, corresponding to red-shift z ≈ 0. For the thermal relics which annihilate through the gauge bosons of SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) group, the neutrino flux can be marginally detectable at 0.1 < E_v < 10 TeV. As an example of non-thermal relics we consider gravitinos. If gravitinos are the lightest supersymmetric particles (LSP) they can produce the detectable neutrino flux in the form of a neutrino line with energy , where M_G is the gravitino mass. The flux strongly depends on the mechanisms of R-parity violation. It is shown that heavy gravitinos (M_G 100 GeV) can make up the dark matter in the universe.     

Patterns of lepton-flavour violation motivated by decoupling and sneutrino inflation

We present predictions for flavour-violating charged-lepton decays induced by the seesaw mechanism implemented within the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (CMSSM) with universal input soft supersymmetry breaking terms. We assume that one heavy singlet neutrino almost decouples from the seesaw mechanism, as suggested by the pattern of light neutrino masses and mixing angles. This is suggested independently by sneutrino inflation with a low reheating temperature, T_RH10⁷ GeV, so as to avoid overproducing gravitinos. This requirement further fixes the mass of the weakly-coupled sneutrino, whose decays may lead to leptogenesis. We find that BR(μ→eγ)10⁻¹³ but BR(τ→μγ)10⁻⁹ in the bulk of the acceptable parameter space, apart from a few isolated points. The ratio BR(μ→eγ)/BR(τ→eγ) depends on only one complex parameter, and is particularly interesting to compare with experiment.     

A high-energy neutrino signature from supersymmetric relics

We compute the energy spectrum of high-energy (0.1–10 GeV) neutrinos produced by the annihilation of supersymmetric (SUSY) cold dark matter trapped in the sun. We compare this spectrum to the spectrum of atmospheric neutrinos and find that in the direction of the sun the solar flux of neutrinos can exceed the atmospheric background for neutrino energies E_ν 1 GeV, and are as much as a factor 30 above background for energies E_ν few GeV. We discuss these signatures for standard SUSY relics as well as for superstring relics.     

Cosmological bounds on Dirac-Majorana neutrinos

We examine, by way of a detailed numerical calculation, the consequences for primordial nucleosynthesis of a weakly interacting neutrino which possesses both Dirac and Majorana mass terms. In the special limiting case of a pseudo-Dirac neutrino we place bounds on the pseudo-Dirac mass splitting δm_p-D. This bound is relevant to a class of models constructed to incorporate the proposed 17 keV neutrino. We find that in the standard model |δm_p-D|<10⁻¹⁰ eV. In the models with majorons the bound is less restrictive, but still several orders of magnitude more stringent than previous estimates.     

Natural suppression of proton decay in supersymmetric type III seesaw models

Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) has two sources of rapid proton decay: (i) R-parity breaking terms and (ii) higher dimensional Planck induced B-violating terms; its extensions to include neutrino masses via the type I seesaw mechanism need not have the first of these problems due to the existence of B−L as a gauge symmetry but for sure always have the second one. If instead, neutrino masses are explained in a type III seesaw extension of standard model, an anomaly free gauge symmetry different from B−L is known to exist. In this note, it is shown that a realistic supersymmetric versions of this model can be constructed (MSSM as well as SUSY left–right with type III seesaw) which eliminate R-parity violating couplings and suppress Planck scale contributions to proton decay. The degree of suppression of the latter depends on the weak gauge group. For the left–right case, the suppression to the desired level is easily achieved.     

Light gauginos: Masses and instabilities

Within the framework of supergravity models without grand unified steps, we analyse in detail the consequences of the hypothesis that gauginos have no bare masses due to supergravity interactions. To this purpose we have made a one-loop calculation of wino, zino, and photino masses and a renormalization group improved two-loop calculation of the gluino masses.We find that: (i) the non-observation of charged winos is compatible either with a gravitino mass m ? 300 GeV or $\text{m ?3}\text{TeV}$; (ii) with a top quark mark of about 40 GeV, gluino and photino have very similar masses ranging from O(1 GeV) to O(20 GeV). In most cases consistency with cosmology requires that the gauge singlet needed to break the SU(2) × U(1) symmetry, be the lightest stable supersymmetric particle, with a mass as low as 1 keV or less. In such cases photino (or gluino) lifetimes into one photon (gluon) and one light singlet fermion (zerino), are typically between 10^?3 and 1 sec.We discuss the problem of the experimental detection of gauginos, which, according to the various options, require rather different approaches.     

Scalar field theory in the strong self-interaction limit

We revisit the monophoton plus missing energy signature at \(e^+e^-\) colliders in supersymmetric (SUSY) models where the gravitino is very light. There are two possible processes which provide the signal: gravitino pair production and associated gravitino production with a neutralino, leading the monophoton final state via an additional photon radiation and via the neutralino decay, respectively. By using the superspace formalism, we construct a model that allows us to study the parameter space for the both processes. We show that the signal cross section and the photon spectra provide information on the masses of the SUSY particles as well as the SUSY breaking scale.     

Reconciling cold dark matter with COBE/IRAS plus solar and atmospheric neutrino data

We present a model where an unstable MeV Majorana tau neutrino can naturally reconcile the cold dark matter model (CDM) with cosmological observations of large and small scale density fluctuations and, simultaneously, with data on solar and atmospheric neutrinos. The solar neutrino deficit is explained through long wavelength, so-called just-so oscillations involving conversions of ν_e into both ν_μ and a sterile species ν_s , while atmospheric neutrino data are explained through ν_μ to ν_e conversions. Future long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments, as well as some reactor experiments will test this hypothesis. The model is based on the spontaneous violation of a global lepton number symmetry at the weak scale. This symmetry plays a key role in generating the cosmologically required decay of the ν_τ with lifetime τ_ντ ≈ 10²-10⁴ seconds, as well as the masses and oscillations of the three light neutrinos ν_e, ν_μ and ν_s required in order to account for solar and atmospheric neutrino data. It also leads to the invisibly decaying Higgs signature that can be searched at LEP and future particle colliders.     

Properties of the proposed τ charged lepton

The anomalous eμ and 2-prong μx events produced in e⁺e⁻ annihilation are used to determine the properties of the proposed τ charged lepton. We find the τ mass is 1.90 ± 0.10 GeV/c²; the mass of the associated neutrino, ν_τ, is less than 0.6 GeV/c² with 95% confidence; V - A coupling is favored over V + A coupling for the τ − ν_τ current; and the leptonic branching ratios are 0.186 ± 0.010 ± 0.028 from the eμ events and 0.175 ± 0.027 ± 0.030 from the μx events where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic.     

Constraints on light particles from stellar evolution

We examine the constraints imposed on the numbers and interactions of light particles by our understanding of the late stages of stellar evolution, including red giants, carbon-burning stars and cooling neutron stars. We show that these astrophysical considerations restrict the number of neutrino types to be less than 10^+2±1. This result complements the standard constraints from cosmological nucleosynthesis, which was unable to exclude numbers of neutrinos between a few thousand and the best particle physics limit of order 10⁵. We also investigate the constraints on supersymmetric theories with a light photino and gravitino, finding that the supersymmetry breaking scale parameter f>O(100GeV) and the selectron masses are >20 to 40 GeV. Finally, we study energy-loss rates by majoron and invisible axion emission.     

Supersymmetric penguin contributions to the decay b\rightarrow s\gamma with non-universal squarks masses

We give explicit expressions for the amplitudes associated with the supersymmetric (SUSY) contributions to the process in the context of SUSY extensions of the standard model (SM) with non-universal soft SUSY breaking terms. From experimental data we deduce limits on the squark mass insertions obtained from different contributions (gluinos, neutralinos and charginos). Received: 20 April 2001 / Revised version: 14 December 2001 / Published online: 5 April 2002     

Supersymmetry for Fermion Masses

It is proposed that supersymmetry （SUSY） may be used to understand fermion mass hierarchies. A family symmetry ZSL is introduced, which is the cyclic symmetry among the three generation SU（2） doublets. SUSY breaks at a high energy scale - 10^11 GeV. The electroweak energy scale- 100 GeV is unnaturally small No additional global symmetry, like the R-parlty, is imposed. The Yukawa couplings and R-parity violating couplings all take their natural values, which are О（10^0 -10^-2）. Under the family symmetry, only the third generation charged ferrnions get their masses. This family symmetry is broken in the soft SUSY breaking terms, which result in a hierarchical pattern of the fermion masses. It turns out that for the charged leptons, the r mass is from the Higgs vacuum expectation value （VEV） and the sneutrino VEVs, the muon mass is due to the sneutrino VEVs, and the electron gains its mass due to both ZZL and SUSY hreaking. The large neutrino mixing are produced with neutralinos playing the partial role of right-handed neutrinos. │Ve3│, which is for Ve-Vr mixing, is expected to be about 0.1. For the quarks, the third generation masses are from the Higgs VEVs, the second generation masses are from quantum corrections, and the down quark mass due to the sneutrino VEVs. It explains me/ms, ms/me, md 〉 mu and so on. Other aspects of the model are discussed.     

Single and multi-photon events with missing energy in eecollisions at = 189 GeV

Single and multi-photon events with missing energy are analysed using data collected with the L3 detector at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV, for a total of 176 pb of integrated luminosity. The cross section of the process e⁺e⁻ → γ(γ) is measured and the number of light neutrino flavours is determined to be N_ν=3.011±0.077 including lower energy data. Upper limits on cross sections of supersymmetric processes are set and interpretations in supersymmetric models provide improved limits on the masses of the lightest neutralino and the gravitino. Graviton-photon production in low scale gravity models with extra dimensions is searched for and limits on the energy scale of the model are set exceeding 1 TeV for two extra dimensions.     

The contribution of Bc mesons to the search for B → τ ντ decays at LEP

We study the contribution of B_c mesons to the search for B → τν_τ decays. We find that at LEP the contributions from B_u and B_c mesons can be comparable. This observation can have a relevant impact on the extraction of constraints on new physics (such as charged-Higgs contributions) from current LEP limits on B → τν final states. Inclusion of the B_c contribution can reduce the current L3 limit on tan β/M_H from 0.38 GeV⁻¹ (90% CL) down to 0.27 GeV⁻¹ (90% CL).