Constraining Proton Lifetime in SO(10) with Stabilized Doublet-Triplet Splitting

We present a class of realistic unified models based on supersymmetric SO(10) wherein issues related to natural doublet-triplet (DT) splitting are fully resolved. Using a minimal set of low dimensional Higgs fields which includes a single adjoint, we show that the Dimopoulos--Wilzcek mechanism for DT splitting can be made stable in the presence of all higher order operators without having pseudo-Goldstone bosons and flat directions. The \mu term of order TeV is found to be naturally induced. A Z_2-assisted anomalous U(1)_A gauge symmetry plays a crucial role in achieving these results. The threshold corrections to alpha_3(M_Z), somewhat surprisingly, are found to be controlled by only a few effective parameters. This leads to a very predictive scenario for proton decay. As a novel feature, we find an interesting correlation between the d=6 (p\to e^+\pi^0) and d=5 (p\to \nu-bar K+) decay amplitudes which allows us to derive a constrained upper limit on the inverse rate of the e^+\pi^0 mode. Our results show that both modes should be observed with an improvement in the current sensitivity by about a factor of five to ten.Comment: 21 pages LaTeX, 2 figures, Few explanatory sentences and three new references added, minor typos corrected

Eliminating the d=5 proton decay operators from SUSY GUTs

A general analysis is made of the question whether the d=5 proton decay operators coming from exchange of colored Higgsinos can be completely eliminated in a natural way in supersymmetric grand unified models. It is shown that they can indeed be in SO(10) while at the same time naturally solving the doublet-triplet splitting problem, having only two light Higgs doublets, and using no more than a single adjoint Higgs field. Accomplishing all of this requires that the vacuum expectation value of the adjoint Higgs field be proportional to the generator I_{3R} rather than to B-L, as is usually assumed. It is shown that such models can give realistic quark and lepton masses. We also point out a new mechanism for solving the \mu problem in the context of SO(10) SUSY GUTs.Comment: 24 pages in LaTeX, with 3 figure

Quark-Lepton Quartification

We propose that quarks and leptons are interchangeable entities in the high-energy limit. This naturally results in the extension of [SU(3)]^3 trinification to [SU(3)]^4 quartification. In addition to the unbroken color SU(3)_q of quarks, there is now also a color SU(3)_l of leptons which reduces to an unbroken SU(2)_l. We discuss the natural occurrence of SU(2)_l doublets at the TeV energy scale, which leads remarkably to the unification of all gauge couplings without supersymmetry. Proton decay occurs through the exchange of scalar bosons, with a lifetime in the range 10^{34} - 10^{36} years.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures. Reference adde

Partial Derivation of Transformation Properties of Quarks and Leptons

Under the assumptions that $SU(3)_c\times U(1)_Y \times G^{\prime}$ with $G^{\prime}$ simple is a local symmetry group at high energies, that color is parity-conserving, and the Y-charges are irreducible, we show that anomaly constraints imply the minimal set of fermions is fifteen in number. Given this minimal set, we further show that $G^{\prime}$ must be $SU(2)$ and the unbroken gauge symmetry is {\it either} color {\it or} the product of color with electric charge.Comment: 9 pages, UMDHEP 94-72 and IFP-487-UN

Flavor Symmetry L_mu - L_tau and quasi-degenerate Neutrinos

Current data implies three simple forms of the neutrino mass matrix, each corresponding to the conservation of a non-standard lepton charge. While models based on L_e and L_e - L_mu - L_tau are well-known, little attention has been paid to L_mu - L_tau. A low energy mass matrix conserving L_mu - L_tau implies quasi-degenerate light neutrinos. Moreover, it is mu-tau symmetric and therefore (in contrast to L_e and L_e - L_mu - L_tau) automatically predicts maximal atmospheric neutrino mixing and zero U_{e3}. A see-saw model based on L_mu - L_tau is investigated and testable predictions for the neutrino mixing observables are given. Renormalization group running below and in between the see-saw scales is taken into account in our analysis, both numerically and analytically.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures. Prepared for 5th International Conference on Nonaccelerator New Physics (NANP 05), Dubna, Russia, 20-25 Jun 200

Hierarchy and Feedback in the Evolution of the E. coli Transcription Network

The E.coli transcription network has an essentially feedforward structure, with, however, abundant feedback at the level of self-regulations. Here, we investigate how these properties emerged during evolution. An assessment of the role of gene duplication based on protein domain architecture shows that (i) transcriptional autoregulators have mostly arisen through duplication, while (ii) the expected feedback loops stemming from their initial cross-regulation are strongly selected against. This requires a divergent coevolution of the transcription factor DNA-binding sites and their respective DNA cis-regulatory regions. Moreover, we find that the network tends to grow by expansion of the existing hierarchical layers of computation, rather than by addition of new layers. We also argue that rewiring of regulatory links due to mutation/selection of novel transcription factor/DNA binding interactions appears not to significantly affect the network global hierarchy, and that horizontally transferred genes are mainly added at the bottom, as new target nodes. These findings highlight the important evolutionary roles of both duplication and selective deletion of crosstalks between autoregulators in the emergence of the hierarchical transcription network of E.coli.Comment: to appear in PNA

Getting the Supersymmetric Unification Scale from Quantum Confinement with Chiral Symmetry Breaking

Two models which generate the supersymmetric Grand Unification Scale from the strong dynamics of an additional gauge group are presented. The particle content is chosen such that this group confines with chiral symmetry breaking. Fields that are usually introduced to break the Grand Unified group appear instead as composite degrees of freedom and can acquire vacuum expectation values due to the confining dynamics. The models implement known solutions to the doublet-triplet splitting problem. The SO(10) model only requires one higher dimensional representation, an adjoint. The dangerous coloured Higgsino-mediated proton decay operator is naturally suppressed in this model to a phenomenologically interesting level. Neither model requires the presence of gauge singlets. Both models are only technically natural.Comment: LaTex, 23 page