Neutrino Parameters, Abelian Flavor Symmetries, and Charged Lepton Flavor Violation

Neutrino masses and mixings have important implications for models of fermion masses, and, most directly, for the charged lepton sector. We consider supersymmetric Abelian flavor models, where neutrino mass parameters are related to those of charged leptons and sleptons. We show that processes such as \tau to \mu\gamma, \mu to e\gamma and \mu-e conversion provide interesting probes. In particular, some existing models are excluded by current bounds, while many others predict rates within reach of proposed near future experiments. We also construct models in which the predicted rates for charged lepton flavor violation are below even the proposed experimental sensitivities, but argue that such models necessarily involve loss of predictive power.Comment: 27 pages, refs added, published versio

Academic self-concept, gender and single-sex schooling

This paper assesses gender differences in academic self-concept for a cohort of children born in 1958 (the National Child Development Study). We address the question of whether attending single-sex or co-educational schools affected students’ perceptions of their own academic abilities (academic self-concept). Academic selfconcept was found to be highly gendered, even controlling for prior test scores. Boys had higher self-concepts in maths and science, and girls in English. Single-sex schooling reduced the gender gap in self-concept, while selective schooling was linked to lower academic self-concept overall

Neutrino Masses and Lepton-Flavor Violation in Supersymmetric Models with lopsided Froggatt-Nielsen charges

We analyze in detail lepton-flavor violation (LFV) in the charged-lepton sector such as $\mu \to e \gamma$, $\tau \to \mu \gamma$, $\mu \to eee$ and the $\mu \to e$ conversion in nuclei, within the framework of supersymmetric models with lopsided Froggatt--Nielsen charges, in which the large mixing in the neutrino sector as well as small mixings in the quark sector can be naturally accommodated. We show that the present experimental limits on the LFV processes already exclude some of the models. The future proposed search for LFV, especially in muon processes, can provide a significant probe to this framework. We also stress the importance of the measurement of $U^{MNS}_{e3}$ in neutrino experiments, and the fact that the KamLAND experiment could play a significant role to test a certain class of models.Comment: 33 pages, 20 figure

Sun exposure and melanoma risk at different latitudes: a pooled analysis of 5700 cases and 7216 controls

Background Melanoma risk is related to sun exposure; we have investigated risk variation by tumour site and latitude

Four Light Neutrinos in Singular Seesaw Mechanism with Abelian Flavor Symmetry

The four light neutrino scenario, which explains the atmosphere, solar and LSND neutrino experiments, is studied in the framework of the seesaw mechanism. By taking both the Dirac and Majorana mass matrix of neutrinos to be singular, the four neutrino mass spectrum consisting of two almost degenerate pairs separated by a mass gap $\sim 1$ eV is naturally generated. Moreover the right-handed neutrino Majorana mass can be at $\sim 10^{14}$ GeV scale unlike in the usual singular seesaw mechanism. Abelian flavor symmetry is used to produce the required neutrino mass pattern. A specific example of the flavor charge assignment is provided to show that maximal mixings between the $\nu_\mu-\nu_\tau$ and $\nu_e-\nu_s$ are respectively attributed to the atmosphere and solar neutrino anomalies while small mixing between two pairs to the LSND results. The implication in the other fermion masses is also discussed.Comment: Firnal version to appear in PR

Lepton Flavor Violating Process in Bi-maximal texture of Neutrino Mixings

We investigate the lepton flavor violation in the framework of the MSSM with right-handed neutrinos taking the large mixing angle MSW solution in the quasi-degenerate and the inverse-hierarchical neutrino masses. We predict the branching ratio of $\mu \to e+\gamma$ and $\tau \to \mu+\gamma$ processes assuming the degenerate right-handed Majorana neutrino masses. We find that the branching ratio in the quasi-degenerate neutrino mass spectrum is 100 times smaller than the ones in the inverse-hierarchical and the hierarchical neutrino spectra. We emphasize that the magnitude of $U_{e3}$ is one of important ingredients to predict BR($\mu \to e +\gamma$). The effect of the deviation from the complete-degenerate right-handed Majorana neutrino masses are also estimated. Furtheremore, we examine the S_{3\sL}\times S_{3\sR} model, which gives the quasi-degenerate neutrino masses, and the Shafi-Tavartkiladze model, which gives the inverse-hierarchical neutrino masses. Both predicted branching ratios of $\mu\to e+\gamma$ are smaller than the experimantal bound.Comment: Latex file, 38 pages, 10 figures, revised versio

Design and analysis of low boom concepts at Langley Research Center

The objective of the sonic boom research in the current High Speed Research Program is to ultimately make possible overland supersonic flight by a high speed civil transport. To accomplish this objective, it is felt that results in four areas must demonstrate that such a vehicle would be acceptable by the general public, by the airframers, and by the airlines. It should be demonstrated: (1) that some waveform shape has the possibility of being acceptable to the general public; (2) that the atmosphere would not totally destroy such a waveform during propagation; (3) that a viable airplane could be built which produces such a waveform; and (4) that any performance penalty suffered by a low boom aircraft would be counteracted by the economic benefit of overland supersonic flight. The work being done at LaRC is in support of the third element listed above--the area of configuration design. The initial part of the paper will give a review of the theory being used for configuration designs and discuss two theory validation models which were built and tested within the past two years. Discussion of the wind tunnel and theoretical results (linear theory and higher order methods) and their implications for future designs will be included

Run 2 Upgrades to the CMS Level-1 Calorimeter Trigger

The CMS Level-1 calorimeter trigger is being upgraded in two stages to maintain performance as the LHC increases pile-up and instantaneous luminosity in its second run. In the first stage, improved algorithms including event-by-event pile-up corrections are used. New algorithms for heavy ion running have also been developed. In the second stage, higher granularity inputs and a time-multiplexed approach allow for improved position and energy resolution. Data processing in both stages of the upgrade is performed with new, Xilinx Virtex-7 based AMC cards.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Observation of CP Violation in K(L)->pi+pi-e+e- Decays

We report the first observation of a manifestly CP violating effect in the K(L)->pi+pi-e+e- decay mode. A large asymmetry was observed in the distribution of these decays in the CP-odd and T-odd angle phi between the decay planes of the e+e- and pi+pi- pairs in the K(L) center of mass system. After acceptance corrections, the overall asymmetry is found to be 13.6+-2.5 (stat) +-1.2 (syst)%. This is the largest CP-violating effect yet observed integrating over the entire phase space of a mode and the first such effect observed in an angular variable.Comment: 4 pages 4 figures submitted to pr

Quark and Lepton Mass Matrices in the SO(10) Grand Unified Theory with Generation Flipping

We investigate the SO(10) grand unified model with generation flipping. The model contains one extra matter multiplet $\psi(10)$ and it mixes with the usual matter multiplets $\psi_i(16)$ when the SO(10) is broken down to SU(5). We find the parameter region of the model in which the observed quark masses and mixings are well reproduced. The resulting parameter region is consistent with the observation that only $\psi_i(16)$ have a source of hierarchies and indicates that the mixing between second and third generations tends to be large in the lepton sector, which is consistent with the observed maximal mixing of the atmospheric neutrino oscillation. We also show that the model can accommodate MSW and vacuum oscillation solutions to the solar neutrino deficit depending on the form of the Majorana mass matrix for the right-handed neutrinos.Comment: 28 pages, Late