A bottom-up approach to the strong CP problem

The strong CP problem is one of many puzzles in the theoretical description of elementary particle physics that still lacks an explanation. While top-down solutions to that problem usually comprise new symmetries or fields or both, we want to present a rather bottom-up perspective. The main problem seems to be how to achieve small CP violation in the strong interactions despite large CP violation in weak interactions. Observation of CP violation is exclusively through the Higgs--Yukawa interactions. In this paper, we show that with minimal assumptions on the structure of mass (Yukawa) matrices they do not contribute to the strong CP problem and thus we can provide a pathway to a solution of the strong CP problem within the structures of the Standard Model and no extension at the electroweak scale is needed. However, to address the flavor puzzle, models based on minimal SU(3) flavor groups leading to the proposed flavor matrices are favored. Though we refrain from an explicit a UV completion of the Standard Model, we provide a simple requirement those models should have to intrinsically not show a strong CP problem.Comment: 12 pages; v2: extended discussion, title changed to be more genera

Two-Higgs-Doublet Models with a Flavored Z2\mathbb{Z}_2

Two Higgs-doublet models usually consider an ad-hoc $\mathbb{Z}_2$ discrete symmetry to avoid flavor changing neutral currents. We consider a new class of two Higgs-doublet models where $\mathbb{Z}_2$ is enlarged to the symmetry group ${\cal{F}}\rtimes \mathbb{Z}_2$, i.e. an inner semi-direct product of a discrete symmetry group ${\cal{F}}$ and $\mathbb{Z}_2$. In such a scenario the symmetry constrains the Yukawa interactions but goes unnoticed by the scalar sector. In the most minimal scenario, $\mathbb{Z}_3 \rtimes \mathbb{Z}_2 = D_3$, flavor changing neutral currents mediated by scalars are absent at tree and one-loop level, while at the same time predictions to quark and lepton mixing are obtained, namely a trivial CKM matrix and a PMNS matrix (upon introduction of three heavy right-handed neutrinos) containing maximal atmospheric mixing. Small extensions allow to fully reproduce mixing parameters, including cobimaximal mixing in the lepton sector (maximal atmospheric mixing and a maximal $CP$ phase).Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures; Eq.(48) fixed, references added, version accepted by PR

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

High-energy cosmic-ray acceleration

We briefly review the basics of ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray acceleration. The Hillas criterion is introduced as a geometrical criterion that must be fulfilled by potential acceleration sites, and energy losses are taken into account in order to obtain a more realistic scenario. The different available acceleration mechanisms are presented, with special emphasis on Fermi shock acceleration and its prediction of a power-law cosmic-ray energy spectrum. We conclude that first-order Fermi acceleration, though not entirely satisfactory, is the most promising mechanism for explaining the ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray flux