Probing the Majorana nature of the neutrino with neutrinoless double beta decay

Neutrinoless double beta decay (NDBD) is the only experiment that could probe the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Here we study the theoretical implications of NDBD for models yielding tri-bimaximal lepton mixing like A4 and S4.Comment: Talk given at TAUP09, July 1-5, 2009 (Roma).The proceeding will be published in Journal of Physics, Conference Series (Editors: E. Coccia, L. Pandola, N. Fornengo, R. Aloisio

Calculable inverse-seesaw neutrino masses in supersymmetry

We provide a scenario where naturally small and calculable neutrino masses arise from a supersymmetry breaking renormalization-group-induced vacuum expectation value. We adopt a minimal supergravity scenario without ad hoc supersymmetric mass parameters. The lightest supersymmetric particle can be an isosinglet scalar neutrino state, potentially viable as WIMP dark matter through its Higgs new boson coupling. The scenario leads to a plethora of new phenomenological implications at accelerators including the Large Hadron Collider.Comment: LaTeX, 5 pages, 4 figures. Comments and references added. Final version to appear in PR

Equo canone urbano e rustico e il catasto

This study presents findings of post harvesting regeneration status of miombo woodlands of Kilosa,Tanzania specifically where sustainable charcoal project is implemented. The overall objective of the study was to undertake an assessment on the regeneration status of Miombo woodlands in harvested plots and kiln scars. A total of 67 circular plots with 15 m radius established in 2015 were identified for the purpose of making a follow-up study on regeneration. Forty four new circular plots with 5 m radius for the study of regeneration in kiln scars and 10 circular plots with 5 m radius for assessing effects of fire on soil physical and chemical properties were demarcated. It was observed that 87% of all stumps were regenerating through coppices, root suckers or both. About 42% stumps were found to develop coppices with an average of two (2) individuals per stump and with overall mean height of 254 ± 8.3 cm. Twenty three (23%) of the stumps were observed to have regenerated through root suckering with average of two (2) individual suckers per stump with an overall mean height of 252±7.9 cm.Twenty two (22%) stumps were observed to regenerate through both coppices and root suckers with an average of two individual coppices/suckers per stumps with an overall mean height of 251±6.3 cm. Only Thirteen (13%) stumps were not regenerating. Regeneration via seedlings were found to be lower if compared with sprouts. Student T tests and ANOVA were used to compare regeneration mechanisms, regeneration in kilns and effects of fire frequency and grazing intensity on regeneration (Tables in appendices). Signs of regeneration in kiln scars was noted as seedlings of B.boehemii and B.spiciformis were observed. Fire has effects on soil physical and chemical properties. It is concluded that regeneration has improved with reference to previously study; fire and grazing has direct beneficial and deleterious effects on tree regeneration. It is recommended that further monitoring in harvested plots is necessary

A SUSY A4 model for fermion masses and mixings

We study a supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model based on discrete A4xZ3xZ4 flavor symmetry. We obtain quark mixing angles as well as a realistic fermion mass spectrum and we predict tribimaximal leptonic mixing by a spontaneous breaking of A4. The top quark Yukawa interaction is present at the renormalizable level in the superpotential while all the other Yukawa interactions arise only at higher orders. We study the Higgs potential and show that it can potentially solve the so called vacuum alignment problem. The leading order predictions are not spoiled by subleading corrections.Comment: version accepted in JHEP, Z3xZ2 changed in Z3xZ4, typos in table corrected, references adde

Primeros pasos en traducci\uf3n: una propuesta did\ue1ctica para la adquisici\uf3n de la competencia traductora

The training of translators in the academic field requires careful planning and adequate didactics, aimed at the progressive acquisition of translation competence through the development of the sub-competences that make it up (Hurtado Albir, 2001). In addition, when it comes to courses of introduction to translation, as in the present case, it is also necessary to insist on the concept of translation as an act of intercultural mediation, so that a text born in a certain language and culture can work in another target language and culture. The didactic proposal presented in this article refers to general translation courses from Spanish into Italian: first a standard didactic unit will be designed, describing the different phases of its development; then the description of the materials used, whose selection constitutes the key to achieving effective teaching, according to the established objectives; finally, the evaluation procedures will be taken into consideration.La formaci\uf3n de traductores en \ue1mbito acad\ue9mico requiere una planificaci\uf3n atenta y una did\ue1ctica adecuada, finalizada a la adquisici\uf3n progresiva de la competencia traductora a trav\ue9s del desarrollo de las subcompetencias que la integran (Hurtado Albir, 2001). Adem\ue1s, cuando se trata de cursos de iniciaci\uf3n a la traducci\uf3n, como en el caso que nos ocupa, hace falta insistir tambi\ue9n en el concepto de traducci\uf3n como acto de mediaci\uf3n intercultural, para que un texto que nace en una determinada lengua y cultura pueda funcionar en una lengua y cultura meta diferente. La propuesta did\ue1ctica que presentamos en este art\uedculo se refiere a cursos de traducci\uf3n general del espa\uf1ol al italiano: se dise\uf1ar\ue1 primero una unidad did\ue1ctica tipo, describiendo las diferentes fases de desarrollo de la misma; se pasar\ue1 luego la descripci\uf3n de los materiales empleados, cuya selecci\uf3n constituye la clave para alcanzar una ense\uf1anza eficaz, seg\ufan los objetivos establecidos; por \ufaltimo, se tomar\ue1n en consideraci\uf3n los procedimientos y criterios de evaluaci\uf

A Supersymmetric D4 Model for mu-tau Symmetry

We construct a supersymmeterized version of the model presented by Grimus and Lavoura (GL) in [1] which predicts theta_{23} maximal and theta_{13}=0 in the lepton sector. For this purpose, we extend the flavor group, which is D4 x Z2^{(aux)} in the original model, to D4 x Z5. An additional difference is the absence of right-handed neutrinos. Despite these changes the model is the same as the GL model, since theta_{23} maximal and theta_{13}=0 arise through the same mismatch of D4 subgroups, D2 in the charged lepton and Z2 in the neutrino sector. In our setup D4 is solely broken by gauge singlets, the flavons. We show that their vacuum structure, which leads to the prediction of theta_{13} and theta_{23}, is a natural result of the scalar potential. We find that the neutrino mass matrix only allows for inverted hierarchy, if we assume a certain form of spontaneous CP violation. The quantity |m_{ee}|, measured in neutrinoless double beta decay, is nearly equal to the lightest neutrino mass m3. The Majorana phases phi1 and phi2 are restricted to a certain range for m3 < 0.06 eV. We discuss the next-to-leading order corrections which give rise to shifts in the vacuum expectation values of the flavons. These induce deviations from maximal atmospheric mixing and vanishing theta_{13}. It turns out that these deviations are smaller for theta_{23} than for theta_{13}.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure

LFV and Dipole Moments in Models with A4 Flavour Symmetry

It is presented an analysis on lepton flavour violating transitions, leptonic magnetic dipole moments and electric dipole moments in a class of models characterized by the flavour symmetry A4 x Z3 x U(1)_FN, whose choice is motivated by the approximate Tri-Bimaximal mixing observed in neutrino oscillations. A low-energy effective Lagrangian is constructed, where these effects are dominated by dimension six operators, suppressed by the scale M of new physics. All the flavour breaking effects are universally described by the vacuum expectation values of a set of spurions. Two separate cases, a supersymmetric and a general one, are described. An upper limit on the reactor angle of a few percent is concluded.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure. Adapted from a talk given at "DISCRETE'08: Symposium on Prospects in the Physics of Discrete Symmetries", December 11-16 2008, Valencia, Spai

Traduzione e didattica in ambito accademico: alcuni spunti di riflessione

I grandi e continui cambiamenti che riguardano l'ambito della traduzione impongono una seria riflessione didattica nella progettazione di corsi per la formazione di traduttori specializzati. L'articolo propone l'esperienza del corso di studi di Laurea Magistrale in Specialized Translation dell'Universit\ue0 di Bologna, Campus di Forl\uec, descrivendo prima le caratteristiche generali dell'offerta formativa, per poi passare alla proposta didattica del corso di Traduzione per l'editoria dallo spagnolo in italiano. Verranno presi in considerazione gli obiettivi del corso, la metodologia applicata, i contenuti specifici, la modalit\ue0 d'esame e i criteri di valutazione applicati.The great and continuous changes in the field of translation require a serious didactic reflection when designing courses for the training of specialized translators, The experience of the International Master's Degree in Specialized Translation at the University of Bologna, Forl\uec Campus, is proposed here, first describing the general characteristics of its educational offer, and then moving on to the didactic proposal of the course of Translation for the Publishing Industry (Spanish). The objectives and methodology adopted, the specific contents, the examination mode and the evaluation criteria applied will be analyzed

Vacuum Alignment in SUSY A4 Models

In this note we discuss the vacuum alignment in supersymmetric models with spontaneously broken flavour symmetries in the presence of soft supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking terms. We show that the inclusion of soft SUSY breaking terms can give rise to non-vanishing vacuum expectation values (VEVs) for the auxiliary components of the flavon fields. These non-zero VEVs can have an important impact on the phenomenology of this class of models, since they can induce an additional flavour violating contribution to the sfermion soft mass matrix of right-left (RL) type. We carry out an explicit computation in a class of SUSY A4 models predicting tri-bimaximal mixing in the lepton sector. The flavour symmetry breaking sector is described in terms of flavon and driving supermultiplets. We find non-vanishing VEVs for the auxiliary components of the flavon fields and for the scalar components of the driving fields which are of order m_{SUSY} x and m_{SUSY}, respectively. Thereby, m_{SUSY} is the generic soft SUSY breaking scale which is expected to be around 1 TeV and is the VEV of scalar components of the flavon fields. Another effect of these VEVs can be the generation of a mu term.Comment: 23 pages; added a new section on the relation to Supergravity; version accepted for publication in JHE