Nucleon decay in a minimal non-SUSY GUT with predicted quark-lepton Yukawa ratios

We investigate the predictions for various nucleon decay rates and their ratios in non-supersymmetric SU(5) Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) where the masses of the third and second family down-type quarks and charged leptons each stem dominantly from single GUT operators. Extending the Georgi-Glashow SU(5) model by a 45-dimensional GUT-Higgs representation, the gauge couplings can meet at the high scale MGUT and the GUT scale predictions yτ /yb = 3/2 and yμ/ys = 9/2 can emerge within single opera- tor dominance. Explaining the observed neutrino masses via the type I seesaw mechanism by adding SU(5) singlet fermion representations and taking their renormalization group effects into account, we show that these predictions can lead to viable low scale second and third family down-type quark and charged lepton masses. To investigate nucleon decay predictions, we extend the minimal scenario to two “toy models” to- wards explaining quark and lepton masses and mixings with different flavor structure, and perform Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analyses confronting the models with the available experimental data. We show that if several nucleon decay channels are observed, the ratios between their partial decay rates can serve as “fingerprints”, allowing to separate between GUT models with different flavor structure

Implications of the zero 1-3 flavour mixing hypothesis: predictions for θPMNS23 and δPMNS

We revisit mixing sum rule relations in the lepton and quark sectors under the assumption that the 1-3 elements of the flavour mixing matrices (VuL, VdL, VeL, VνL) are zero in the flavour basis. We consider the exact relations resulting from the validity of this “zero 1-3 flavour mixing hypothesis” and analyse their implications based on the current experimental data, including effects from RG running. In particular, we analyse how the existing precise measurement of θPMNS13 allows to derive predictions for θPMNS23 in models with constrained θe12. As examples, we calculate the predictions for θPMNS23 which arise in 12 classes of Pati-Salam models and SU(5) GUTs that relate θe12 to θd12. We also derive a novel “lepton phase sum rule”, valid under the additional assumption of small charged lepton mixing contributions. We furthermore point out that, in the context of GUT flavour models, the quark and lepton CP violating phases δCKM and δPMNS can both be predicted from a single imaginary element in the mass matrices

Minimal SU(5)SU(5) GUTs with vectorlike fermions

In this work, we attempt to answer the question, "What is the minimal viable renormalizable $SU(5)$ GUT with representations no higher than adjoints?". We find that an $SU(5)$ model with a pair of vectorlike fermions $5_F+\overline{5}_F$, as well as two copies of $15_H$ Higgs fields, is the minimal candidate that accommodates for correct charged fermion and neutrino masses and can also address the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. Our results show that the presented model is highly predictive and will be fully tested by a combination of upcoming proton decay experiments, collider searches, and low-energy experiments in search of flavor violations. Moreover, we also entertain the possibility of adding a pair of vectorlike fermions $10_F+\overline{10}_F$ or $15_F+\overline{15}_F$ (instead of a $5_F+\overline{5}_F$). Our study reveals that the entire parameter space of these two models, even with minimal particle content, cannot be fully probed due to possible longer proton lifetime beyond the reach of Hyper-Kamiokande.Comment: 27 pages + references, 11 figure

Quark-lepton Yukawa ratios and nucleon decay in SU(5) GUTs with type-III seesaw

We consider an extension of the Georgi-Glashow SU(5) GUT model by a 45-dimensional scalar and a 24-dimensional fermionic representation, where the latter leads to the generation of the observed light neutrino masses via a combination of a type I and a type III seesaw mechanism. Within this scenario, we investigate the viability of predictions for the ratios between the charged lepton and down-type quark Yukawa couplings, focusing on the second and third family. Such predictions can emerge when the relevant entries of the Yukawa matrices are generated from single joint GUT operators (i.e. under the condition of single operator dominance). We show that three combinations are viable, (i) $y_\tau/y_b=3/2$, $y_\mu/y_s=9/2$, (ii) $y_\tau/y_b=2$, $y_\mu/y_s=9/2$, and (iii) $y_\tau/y_b=2$, $y_\mu/y_s=6$. We extend these possibilities to three toy models, accounting also for the first family masses, and calculate their predictions for various nucleon decay rates. We also analyse how the requirement of gauge coupling unification constrains the masses of potentially light relic states testable at colliders.Comment: 12 pages + 2 appendices + references, 4 figure

Fully Testable Axion Dark Matter within a Minimal SU(5)SU(5) GUT

We present a minimal Grand Unified Theory model, based on $SU(5)$ gauge symmetry and a global $U(1)$ Peccei-Quinn symmetry, that predicts the existence of an ultralight axion dark matter within a narrow mass range of $m_a\in[0.1,\,4.7]\,$neV. This mass window is determined through an interplay between gauge coupling unification constraints, partial proton decay lifetime limits, and the need to reproduce the experimentally observed fermion mass spectrum. The entire parameter space of the proposed model will be probed through a synergy between several low-energy experiments that look for proton decay (Hyper-Kamiokande), axion dark matter through axion-photon coupling (ABRACADABRA and DMRadio-GUT) and nucleon electric dipole moments (CASPEr Electric).Comment: 28 pages + references, 9 figures, version accepted in PR

Role-Playing: A Smorgasbord of Learning Types

One tertiary institution sought to research the perceptions that tertiary students have of role-plays as a means of learning. Role-plays were used across a range of disciplines at that institution including: teacher training, business and chemistry. Each of these disciplines used a role-play in their classes and then collected opinions from the students on the usefulness of the activity. It was discovered that students value role-plays as a means to challenge preconceived ideas, encourage creative thinking, assist students in applying theory to practice, make lessons fun and provide active learning experiences that increase student learning and engagement

Short-Haul Revitalization Study Final Report

A feasibility study was performed for an advanced commercial short-haul aircraft to evaluate the potential for increased service for short-haul flights that operate out of regional and community airports. An analysis of potential origin-destination markets and trip distances resulted in a seat capacity selection of 48 passengers and a design range of 600 NM. A down-select of advanced technologies resulted in a hybrid-electric propulsion system being chosen as the primary enabling technology. A conceptual design of the advanced aircraft was developed, and a mission and sizing analysis was performed, comparing variants of the advanced aircraft with different levels of electrification. Fairly aggressive levels of electrification and battery specific energy are needed for the hybridelectric architecture to realize any benefit in terms of total energy cost for the 600 NM design mission. The development and operational costs were estimated for the advanced aircraft and compared to the baseline. This analysis demonstrated the negative effect of the cost to develop the hybrid-electric technology on the eventual operating cost. A market analysis was performed to determine possible passenger demand for the advanced shorthaul aircraft. According to the market analysis, there is potential demand for such an aircraft, but not necessarily in many of the smaller regional and community airports that were the intended beneficiaries of this new aircraft concept

Large-Scale Streamwise Vortices in Turbulent Channel Flow Induced by Active Wall Actuations

© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media B.V., part of Springer Nature. Direct numerical simulations of turbulent flow in a plane channel using spanwise alternatively distributed strips (SADS) are performed to investigate the characteristics of large-scale streamwise vortices (LSSVs) induced by small-scale active wall actuations, and their role in suppressing flow separation. SADS control is obtained by alternatively applying out-of-phase control (OPC) and in-phase control (IPC) to the wall-normal velocity component of the lower channel wall, in the spanwise direction. Besides the non-controlled channel flow simulated as a reference, four controlled cases with 1, 2, 3 and 4 pairs of OPC/IPC strips are studied at M = 0.2 and Re = 6,000, based on the bulk velocity and the channel half height. The case with 2 pairs of strips, whose width is Δz+ = 264 based on the friction velocity of the non-controlled case, is the most effective in terms of generating large-scale motions. It is also found that the OPC (resp. IPC) strips suppress (resp. enhance) the coherent structures and that leads to the creation of a vertical shear layer, which is responsible for the LSSVs presence. They are in a statistically steady state and their cores are located between two neighbouring OPC and IPC strips. These motions contribute significantly to the momentum transport in the wall-normal and spanwise directions showing potential for flow separation suppression