51 research outputs found
Complete resummation of chirally-enhanced loop-effects in the MSSM with non-minimal sources of flavor-violation
In this article we present the complete resummation of the leading
chirally-enhanced corrections stemming from gluino-squark, chargino-sfermion
and neutralino-sfermion loops in the MSSM with non-minimal sources of
flavor-violation. We compute the finite renormalization of fermion masses and
the CKM matrix induced by chirality-flipping self-energies. In the decoupling
limit Msusy>>v, which is an excellent approximation to the full theory, we give
analytic results for the effective gaugino(higgsino)-fermion-sfermion and the
Higgs-fermion-fermion vertices. Using these vertices as effective Feynman
rules, all leading chirally-enhanced corrections can consistently be included
into perturbative calculations of Feynman amplitudes. We also give a
generalized parametrization for the bare CKM matrix which extends the classic
Wolfenstein parametrization to the case of complex parameters lambda and A.Comment: 31 pages, 3 figures; typos correcte
Fair scans of the seesaw. Consequences for predictions on LFV processes
Usual analyses based on scans of the seesaw parameter-space can be biassed
since they do not cover in a fair way the complete parameter-space. More
precisely, we show that in the common "R-parametrization", many acceptable
R-matrices, compatible with the perturbativity of Yukawa couplings, are
normally disregarded from the beginning, which produces biasses in the results.
We give a straightforward procedure to scan the space of complex R-matrices in
a complete way, giving a very simple rule to incorporate the perturbativity
requirement as a condition for the entries of the R-matrix, something not
considered before. As a relevant application of this, we show that the extended
believe that BR(mu --> e, gamma) in supersymmetric seesaw models depends
strongly on the value of theta_13 is an "optical effect" produced by such
biassed scans, and does not hold after a careful analytical and numerical
study. When the complete scan is done, BR(mu --> e, gamma) gets very
insensitive to theta_13. Moreover, the values of the branching ratio are
typically larger than those quoted in the literature, due to the large number
of acceptable points in the parameter-space which were not considered before.
Including (unflavoured) leptogenesis does not introduce any further dependence
on theta_13, although decreases the typical value of BR(mu --> e, gamma).Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure
Lepton flavour violation in the MSSM
We derive new constraints on the quantities delta_{XY}^{ij}, X,Y=L,R, which
parametrise the flavour-off-diagonal terms of the charged slepton mass matrix
in the MSSM. Considering mass and anomalous magnetic moment of the electron we
obtain the bound |delta^{13}_{LL} delta^{13}_{RR}|<0.1 for tan beta=50, which
involves the poorly constrained element delta^{13}_{RR}. We improve the
predictions for the decays tau -> mu gamma, tau -> e gamma and mu -> e gamma by
including two-loop corrections which are enhanced if tan beta is large. The
finite renormalisation of the PMNS matrix from soft SUSY-breaking terms is
derived and applied to the charged-Higgs-lepton vertex. We find that the
experimental bound on BR(tau -> e gamma) severely limits the size of the MSSM
loop correction to the PMNS element U_{e3}, which is important for the proper
interpretation of a future U_{e3} measurement. Subsequently we confront our new
values for delta^{ij}_{LL} with a GUT analysis. Further, we include the effects
of dimension-5 Yukawa terms, which are needed to fix the Yukawa unification of
the first two generations. If universal supersymmetry breaking occurs above the
GUT scale, we find the flavour structure of the dimension-5 Yukawa couplings
tightly constrained by mu -> e gamma.Comment: 37 pages, 15 figures; typo in Equation (35) and (49) correcte
Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Flavor Symmetries and Consequences in Accelerators and Cosmology (FLASY12)
These are the proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Flavor Symmetries and
Consequences in Accelerators and Cosmology, held 30 June 2012 - 4 July 2012,
Dortmund, Germany.Comment: Order 400 pages, several figures including the group picture v2:
corrected author list and contributio
On the Standard Model prediction for BR(B{s,d} to mu+ mu-)
The decay Bs to mu+ mu- is one of the milestones of the flavor program at the
LHC. We reappraise its Standard Model prediction. First, by analyzing the
theoretical rate in the light of its main parametric dependence, we highlight
the importance of a complete evaluation of higher-order electroweak
corrections, at present known only in the large-mt limit, and leaving sizable
dependence on the definition of electroweak parameters. Using insights from a
complete calculation of such corrections for K to pi bar{nu} nu decays, we find
a scheme in which NLO electroweak corrections are likely to be negligible.
Second, we address the issue of the correspondence between the initial and the
final state detected by the experiments, and those used in the theoretical
prediction. Particular attention is devoted to the effect of the soft
radiation, that has not been discussed for this mode in the previous
literature, and that can lead to O(10%) corrections to the decay rate. The
"non-radiative" branching ratio (that is equivalent to the branching ratio
fully inclusive of bremsstrahlung radiation) is estimated to be (3.23 +/- 0.27)
x 10^{-9} for the flavor eigenstate, with the main uncertainty resulting from
the value of f_{Bs}, followed by the uncertainty due to higher order
electroweak corrections. Applying the same strategy to Bd to mu+ mu-, we find
for its non-radiative branching ratio (1.07 +/- 0.10) x 10^{-10}.Comment: 15 pages. v3: very minor changes to match the journal version (EPJC
Flavor Physics in an SO(10) Grand Unified Model
In supersymmetric grand-unified models, the lepton mixing matrix can possibly
affect flavor-changing transitions in the quark sector. We present a detailed
analysis of a model proposed by Chang, Masiero and Murayama, in which the
near-maximal atmospheric neutrino mixing angle governs large new b -> s
transitions. Relating the supersymmetric low-energy parameters to seven new
parameters of this SO(10) GUT model, we perform a correlated study of several
flavor-changing neutral current (FCNC) processes. We find the current bound on
B(tau -> mu gamma) more constraining than B(B -> X_s gamma). The LEP limit on
the lightest Higgs boson mass implies an important lower bound on tan beta,
which in turn limits the size of the new FCNC transitions. Remarkably, the
combined analysis does not rule out large effects in B_s-B_s-bar mixing and we
can easily accomodate the large CP phase in the B_s-B_s-bar system which has
recently been inferred from a global analysis of CDF and DO data. The model
predicts a particle spectrum which is different from the popular Constrained
Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (CMSSM). B(tau -> mu gamma) enforces
heavy masses, typically above 1 TeV, for the sfermions of the degenerate first
two generations. However, the ratio of the third-generation and
first-generation sfermion masses is smaller than in the CMSSM and a (dominantly
right-handed) stop with mass below 500 GeV is possible.Comment: 44 pages, 5 figures. Footnote and references added, minor changes,
Fig. 2 corrected; journal versio
On the Correlations between Flavour Observables in Minimal U(2)^3 Models
The stringent correlations between flavour observables in models with CMFV
are consistent with the present data except for the correlation Delta
M_{s,d}-epsilon_K. Motivated by the recent work of Barbieri et al, we compare
the CMFV correlations with the ones present in a special class of models with
an approximate global U(2)^3 flavour symmetry, constrained by a minimal set of
spurions governing the breakdown of this symmetry and the assumption that only
SM operators are relevant in flavour physics. This analog of CMFV to be called
MU(2)^3 allows to avoid the Delta M_{s,d}-epsilon_K tension in question because
of reduced flavour symmetry and implied non-MFV contributions to Delta M_{s,d}.
While the patterns of flavour violation in K meson system is the same as in
CMFV models, the CP-violation in B_{s,d} meson systems can deviate from the one
in the SM and CMFV models. We point out a stringent triple S_{psi K_S}-S_{psi
phi}-|V_ub| correlation in this class of models that could in the future
provide a transparent distinction between different MU(2)^3 models and in the
context of these models determine |V_ub| by means of precise measurements of
S_{psi K_S} and S_{psi phi} with only small hadronic uncertainties. For fixed
S_{psi K_S} the correlation between B(B^+ -> tau^+nu_tau) and S_{psi phi}
follows. We also find that MU(2)^3 models could in principle accommodate a
negative value of S_{psi phi}, provided |V_ub| is found to be in the ballpark
of exclusive determinations and the particular MU(2)^3 model provides a 25%
enhancement of epsilon_K. A supersymmetric U(2)^3 model worked out in the
Barbieri-School appears to satisfy these requirements. However if B(B^+ ->
tau^+nu_tau)>1.0 10^{-4} will be confirmed by future experiments only positive
S_{psi phi} is allowed in this framework. We summarize briefly the pattern of
flavour violation in rare K and B_{s,d} decays in MU(2)^3 models.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures; v2: Few references and discussion on CP
violation in B_s-> mu^+ mu^- added; v3: Several clarifying comments added,
conclusions unchanged, version accepted for publication in JHE
Testing new physics with the electron g-2
We argue that the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron (a_e) can be used
to probe new physics. We show that the present bound on new-physics
contributions to a_e is 8*10^-13, but the sensitivity can be improved by about
an order of magnitude with new measurements of a_e and more refined
determinations of alpha in atomic-physics experiments. Tests on new-physics
effects in a_e can play a crucial role in the interpretation of the observed
discrepancy in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (a_mu). In a large
class of models, new contributions to magnetic moments scale with the square of
lepton masses and thus the anomaly in a_mu suggests a new-physics effect in a_e
of (0.7 +- 0.2)*10^-13. We also present examples of new-physics theories in
which this scaling is violated and larger effects in a_e are expected. In such
models the value of a_e is correlated with specific predictions for processes
with violation of lepton number or lepton universality, and with the electric
dipole moment of the electron.Comment: 34 pages, 7 figures. Minor changes and references adde
Identification of O-mannosylated Virulence Factors in Ustilago maydis
The O-mannosyltransferase Pmt4 has emerged as crucial for fungal virulence in the animal pathogens Candida albicans or Cryptococcus neoformans as well as in the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. Pmt4 O-mannosylates specific target proteins at the Endoplasmic Reticulum. Therefore a deficient O-mannosylation of these target proteins must be responsible for the loss of pathogenicity in pmt4 mutants. Taking advantage of the characteristics described for Pmt4 substrates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we performed a proteome-wide bioinformatic approach to identify putative Pmt4 targets in the corn smut fungus U. maydis and validated Pmt4-mediated glycosylation of candidate proteins by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. We found that the signalling mucin Msb2, which regulates appressorium differentiation upstream of the pathogenicity-related MAP kinase cascade, is O-mannosylated by Pmt4. The epistatic relationship of pmt4 and msb2 showed that both are likely to act in the same pathway. Furthermore, constitutive activation of the MAP kinase cascade restored appressorium development in pmt4 mutants, suggesting that during the initial phase of infection the failure to O-mannosylate Msb2 is responsible for the virulence defect of pmt4 mutants. On the other hand we demonstrate that during later stages of pathogenic development Pmt4 affects virulence independently of Msb2, probably by modifying secreted effector proteins. Pit1, a protein required for fungal spreading inside the infected leaf, was also identified as a Pmt4 target. Thus, O-mannosylation of different target proteins affects various stages of pathogenic development in U. maydis
The MSSM confronts the precision electroweak data and the muon g-2
We update the electroweak study of the predictions of the Minimal
Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) including the recent results on the muon
anomalous magnetic moment, the weak boson masses, and the final precision data
on the Z boson parameters from LEP and SLC. We find that the region of the
parameter space where the slepton masses are a few hundred GeV is favored from
the muon g-2 for \tan\beta \ltsim 10, whereas for \tan\beta \simeq 50 heavier
slepton mass up to \sim 1000 GeV can account for the reported 3.2 \sigma
difference between its experimental value and the Standard Model (SM)
prediction. As for the electroweak measurements, the SM gives a good
description, and the sfermions lighter than 200 GeV tend to make the fit worse.
We find, however, that sleptons as light as 100 to 200 GeV are favored also
from the electroweak data, if we leave out the jet asymmetry data that do not
agree with the leptonic asymmetry data. We extend the survey of the preferred
MSSM parameters by including the constraints from the b \to s \gamma
transition, and find favorable scenarios in the minimal supergravity, gauge-,
and mirage-mediation models of supersymmetry breaking.Comment: 40 pages, 12 figures. v2: minor changes, references added, version to
appear in JHE
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