Form Invariance and Symmetry in the Neutrino Mass Matrix

We present the general form of the unitary matrices keeping invariant the Majorana neutrino mass matrix of specific texture suitable for explaining oscillation data. In the case of the Tri-bimaximal pattern with two degenerate masses we give a specific realization of the underlying $U(1)$ symmetry which can be uplifted to a symmetry in a complete theory including charged leptons. For this, we present a model with three light SM-like Higgs doublets and one heavy Higgs triplet and find that one can accommodate the hierarchy of the charged lepton masses. The lepton mass spectrum can also be achieved in another model extending the SM with three SM-singlet scalars transforming non trivially under the flavor symmetry. We discuss how such a model has room for generating enough baryon asymmetry through leptogenesis in the framework of Type-I and II seesaw mechanisms.Comment: 16 page

A Light Sterile Neutrino in the TopFlavor Model

A scenario based on the TopFlavor model is presented to explain the origin of a light sterile neutrino as indicated by all combined neutrino oscillation experiments. The model is phenomenologically well motivated and compatible with all available low-energy data. The derived nuetrino mass matrix can qualitatively explain the observed hierarchy in the neutrino mass splittings as indicated by the neutrino oscillation data. Numerical results are obtained for special cases.Comment: Plain Latex file, 12 page

CP Violation and Family Mixing in the Effective Electroweak Lagrangian

We construct the most general effective Lagrangian of the matter sector of the Standard Model, including mixing and CP violating terms. The Lagrangian contains the effective operators that give the leading contribution in theories where the physics beyond the Standard Model shows at a scale $\Lambda >>M_{W}$. We perform the diagonalization and passage to the physical basis in full generality. We determine the contribution to the different observables and discuss the possible new sources of CP violation, the idea being to be able to gain some knowledge about new physics beyond the Standard Model from general considerations, without having to compute model by model. The values of the coefficients of the effective Lagrangian in some theories, including the Standard Model, are presented and we try to draw some general conclusions about the general pattern exhibited by physics beyond the Standard Model in what concerns CP violation. In the process we have had to deal with two theoretical problems which are very interesting in their own: the renormalization of the CKM matrix elements and the wave function renormalization in the on-shell scheme when mixing is present.Comment: A misplaced sentence was correcte

(Z_2)^3 Symmetry of the Tripartite Model

We derive in a simple way the $(Z_2)^3$ symmetry which characterizes uniquely the phenomenologically successful tripartite form leading to the tribimaximal mixing in the neutrino mass matrix. We impose this symmetry in a setup including the charged leptons and find that it can accommodate all the possible patterns of lepton masses in the framework of type-I and type-II seesaw mechanisms. We also discuss the possibility of generating enough baryon asymmetry through lepton-lepton asymmetry.Comment: Substantial changes: enlarging the paper and changing the title. 11 page

Anomalous t-c-g coupling: The connection between single top production and top decay

Continuing earlier work, we examine the constraint on an anomalous t-c-g coupling from top quark decay. We find that from current CDF measurements of the branching ratio $t \rightarrow W b$, the minimum scale at which new physics can strongly modify the t-c-g coupling is \Ltcg $\geq$ about 950 GeV. At the upgraded Tevatron, single top production can constrain \Ltcg $\geq$ 4.5 TeV. The connection between t-c production and the decay $t \rightarrow c g$ is examined, showing how constraints on one lead to a constraint on the other.Comment: 5 pages. Requires epsf.sty to process .eps formatted figure

Single Top Production as a Window to Physics Beyond the Standard Model

Production of single top quarks at a high energy hadron collider is studied as a means to identify physics beyond the standard model related to the electroweak symmetry breaking. The sensitivity of the $s$-channel $W^*$ mode, the $t$-channel $W$-gluon fusion mode, and the \tw mode to various possible forms of new physics is assessed, and it is found that the three modes are sensitive to different forms of new physics, indicating that they provide complimentary information about the properties of the top quark. Polarization observables are also considered, and found to provide potentially useful information about the structure of the interactions of top.Comment: References added and minor discussion improvements; results unchanged; Version to be published in PR

A Model-independent Description of New Physics effects in e+e- to t tbar

We study the potential of a future $e^+e^-$ collider for the search of anomalous gamma t t bar and Z t t bar couplings, assuming that CP-invariance holds. This is done in a model-independent way, considering that all six possible couplings do appear. Two experimental situations are envisaged, with and without electron beam polarization. Observability limits in the form of domains in the 6-dimensional parameter space are established. Illustrations for specific constrained models are also presented and implications for new physics searches are discussed.Comment: 26 pages and 5 figures. e-mail: [email protected]

Measuring effective electroweak couplings in single top production at the LHC

We study the mechanism of single top production at the LHC in the framework of an effective electroweak Lagrangian, analyzing the sensitivity of different observables to the magnitude of the effective couplings that parametrize new physics beyond the Standard Model. The observables relevant to the distinction between left and right effective couplings involve in practice the measurement of the spin of the top and this can be achieved only indirectly by measuring the angular distribution of its decay products. We show that the presence of effective right-handed couplings implies that the top is not in a pure spin state. A unique spin basis is singled out which allows one to connect top decay products angular distribution with the polarized top differential cross section. We present a complete analytical expression of the differential polarized cross section of the relevant perturbative subprocess including general effective couplings. The mass of the bottom quark, which actually turns out to be more relevant than naively expected, is retained. Finally we analyze different aspects the total cross section relevant to the measurement of new physics through the effective couplings. The above analysis also applies to anti-top production in a straightforward way.Comment: 38 pages, 17 figure