Towards a complete A4×SU(5)A_4 \times SU(5) SUSY GUT

We propose a renormalisable model based on $A_4$ family symmetry with an $SU(5)$ grand unified theory (GUT) which leads to the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) with a two right-handed neutrino seesaw mechanism. Discrete $\mathbb{Z}_9\times \mathbb{Z}_6$ symmetry provides the fermion mass hierarchy in both the quark and lepton sectors, while $\mathbb{Z}_4^R$ symmetry is broken to $\mathbb{Z}_2^R$, identified as usual R-parity. Proton decay is highly suppressed by these symmetries. We discuss both the $A_4$ and $SU(5)$ symmetry breaking sectors, including doublet-triplet splitting, Higgs mixing and the origin of the $\mu$ term. The model provides an excellent fit (better than one sigma) to all quark and lepton (including neutrino) masses and mixing with spontaneous CP violation. With the $A_4$ vacuum alignments, $(0,1,1)$ and $(1,3,1)$, the model predicts the entire PMNS mixing matrix with no free parameters, up to a relative phase, selected to be $2\pi/3$ from a choice of the nine complex roots of unity, providing a direct link between neutrino oscillations and leptogenesis.Comment: 30 pages, 17 figures, 7 tables; Minor changes, references added, version accepted in JHE

Leptogenesis in minimal predictive seesaw models

We estimate the Baryon Asymmetry of the Universe (BAU) arising from leptogenesis within a class of minimal predictive seesaw models involving two right-handed neutrinos and simple Yukawa structures with one texture zero. The two right-handed neutrinos are dominantly responsible for the "atmospheric" and "solar" neutrino masses with Yukawa couplings to $(\nu_e, \nu_{\mu}, \nu_{\tau})$ proportional to $(0,1,1)$ and $(1,n,n-2)$, respectively, where $n$ is a positive integer. The neutrino Yukawa matrix is therefore characterised by two proportionality constants with their relative phase providing a leptogenesis-PMNS link, enabling the lightest right-handed neutrino mass to be determined from neutrino data and the observed BAU. We discuss an $SU(5)$ SUSY GUT example, where $A_4$ vacuum alignment provides the required Yukawa structures with $n=3$, while a $\mathbb{Z}_9$ symmetry fixes the relatives phase to be a ninth root of unity.Comment: 16 pages, 2 tables. v2: minor changes, references added, version accepted in JHE

Measuring stellar differential rotation with high-precision space-borne photometry

We introduce a method of measuring a lower limit to the amplitude of surface differential rotation from high-precision, evenly sampled photometric time series. It is applied to main-sequence late-type stars whose optical flux modulation is dominated by starspots. An autocorrelation of the time series was used to select stars that allow an accurate determination of starspot rotation periods. A simple two-spot model was applied together with a Bayesian information criterion to preliminarily select intervals of the time series showing evidence of differential rotation with starspots of almost constant area. Finally, the significance of the differential rotation detection and a measurement of its amplitude and uncertainty were obtained by an a posteriori Bayesian analysis based on a Monte Carlo Markov Chain approach. We applied our method to the Sun and eight other stars for which previous spot modelling had been performed to compare our results with previous ones. We find that autocorrelation is a simple method for selecting stars with a coherent rotational signal that is a prerequisite for successfully measuring differential rotation through spot modelling. For a proper Monte Carlo Markov Chain analysis, it is necessary to take the strong correlations among different parameters that exist in spot modelling into account. For the planet-hosting star Kepler-30, we derive a lower limit to the relative amplitude of the differential rotation of \Delta P / P = 0.0523 \pm 0.0016. We confirm that the Sun as a star in the optical passband is not suitable for measuring differential rotation owing to the rapid evolution of its photospheric active regions. In general, our method performs well in comparison to more sophisticated and time-consuming approaches.Comment: Accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysics, 15 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables and an Appendi

On the link between rotation, chromospheric activity and Li abundance in subgiant stars

The connection rotation-CaII emission flux-lithium abundance is analyzed for a sample of bona fide subgiant stars, with evolutionary status determined from HIPPARCOS trigonometric parallax measurements and from the Toulouse-Geneva code.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Does rotation of B stars depend on metallicity? preliminary results from GIRAFFE spectra

We show the vsini distribution of main sequence B stars in sites of various metallicities, in the absolute magnitude range -3.34 < Mv < -2.17. These include Galactic stars in the field measured by Abt et al. (2002), members of the h & chi Per open clusters measured by North et al. (2004), and five fields in the SMC and LMC measured at ESO Paranal with the FLAMES-GIRAFFE spectrograph, within the Geneva-Lausanne guaranteed time. Following the suggestion by Maeder et al. (1999), we do find a higher rate of rapid rotators in the Magellanic Clouds than in the Galaxy, but the vsini distribution is the same in the LMC and in the SMC in spite of their very different metallicities.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, poster presented at the ESO/Arcetri Workshop on "Chemical abundances and mixing in stars in the Milky Way and its satellites", 13-17 Sept. 200

On the nature of Lithium-rich giant stars: constraints from Beryllium abundances

We have derived beryllium abundances for 7 Li-rich giant (A(Li) > 1.5) stars and 10 other Li-normal giants, with the aim of investigating the origin of the Lithium in the Li-rich giants. In particular, we test the predictions of the engulfment scenario proposed by Siess & Livio (1999), where the engulfment of a brown dwarf or one or more giant planets would lead to a simultaneous enrichment of 7Li and 9Be. We show that regardless their nature, none of the stars studied in this paper were found to have detectable beryllium. Using simple dilution arguments we show that the engulfment of an external object as the sole source of Li enrichment is ruled out by the Li and Be abundance data. The present results favor the idea that Li has been produced in the interior of the stars by a Cameron-Fowler process and brought up to the surface by an extra mixing mechanism.Comment: Accepted in A&