Rare BB-Decays and Heavy to Light Semileptonic Transitions in the Isgur and Wise Limit

From the experimental branching ratios for $B^- --> \rho^0 l^-\bar\nu_l$ and D^+ --> {\overl K}^{*0}({\overl K}^0) e^+ \nu_e one finds, in the Heavy Quark Limit of $HQET$, $|V_{bu}|=(8.1\pm 1.7) x 10^{-3}$, larger but consistent with the actual quoted range $(2 - 7) x 10^{-3}$. In the same framework one predicts for $R(B --> K^*\gamma)=( 2 \pm 2 ) 10^{-2}$.Comment: 9 pages, 1 Figure avalaible on request from [email protected]

Phenomenology of Supersymmetric Theories with and without R-Parity

We review supersymmetry models with and without R-parity. After briefly describing the Minimal Supersymetric Standard Model and its particle content we move to models where R-parity is broken, either spontaneously or explicitly. In this last case we consider the situation where R-parity is broken via bilinear terms in the superpotential. The radiative breaking of these models is described in the context of $b$--$\tau$ and $b$--$\tau$--$t$ unification. Finally we review the phenomenology of these R-parity violating models.Comment: 9 pages, 5 Figures in Postscript. Talk given at the EuroConference on Frontiers in Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, San Feliu de Guixols, Spain, 30 September - 5 October, 200

A renormalizable SO(10) GUT scenario with spontaneous CP violation

We consider fermion masses and mixings in a renormalizable SUSY SO(10) GUT with Yukawa couplings of scalar fields in the representation 10 + 120 + 126 bar. We investigate a scenario defined by the following assumptions: i) A single large scale in the theory, the GUT scale. ii) Small neutrino masses generated by the type I seesaw mechanism with negligible type II contributions. iii) A suitable form of spontaneous CP breaking which induces hermitian mass matrices for all fermion mass terms of the Dirac type. Our assumptions define an 18-parameter scenario for the fermion mass matrices for 18 experimentally known observables. Performing a numerical analysis, we find excellent fits to all observables in the case of both the normal and inverted neutrino mass spectrum.Comment: 16 pages, two eps figure

Gauging U(1) symmetries and the number of right-handed neutrinos

In this letter we consider that assuming: a) that the only left-handed neutral fermions are the active neutrinos, b) that $B-L$ is a gauge symmetry, and c) that the $L$ assignment is restricted to the integer numbers, the anomaly cancellation imply that at least three right-handed neutrinos must be added to the minimal representation content of the electroweak standard model. However, two types of models arise: i) the usual one where each of the three identical right-handed neutrinos has total lepton number L=1; ii) and the other one in which two of them carry L=4 while the third one carries $L=-5$.Comment: Published version in PLB forma

Type IIB Solutions with Interpolating Supersymmetries

We study type IIB supergravity solutions with four supersymmetries that interpolate between two types widely considered in the literature: the dual of Becker and Becker's compactifications of M-theory to 3 dimensions and the dual of Strominger's torsion compactifications of heterotic theory to 4 dimensions. We find that for all intermediate solutions the internal manifold is not Calabi-Yau, but has SU(3) holonomy in a connection with a torsion given by the 3-form flux. All 3-form and 5-form fluxes, as well as the dilaton, depend on one function appearing in the supersymmetry spinor, which satisfies a nonlinear differential equation. We check that the fields corresponding to a flat bound state of D3/D5-branes lie in our class of solutions. The relations among supergravity fields that we derive should be useful in studying new gravity duals of gauge theories, as well as possibly compactifications.Comment: 27pp, v2 REVTeX4, typographical fixes and minor clarifications, v3 added ref, modified discussion of RR axion slightl

b -> s gamma in the left-right supersymmetric model

The rare decay $b \to s \gamma$ is studied in the left-right supersymmetric model. We give explicit expressions for all the amplitudes associated with the supersymmetric contributions coming from gluinos, charginos and neutralinos in the model to one-loop level. The branching ratio is enhanced significantly compared to the standard model and minimal supersymmetric standard model values by contributions from the right-handed gaugino and squark sector. We give numerical results coming from the leading order contributions. If the only source of flavor violation comes from the CKM matrix, we constrain the scalar fermion-gaugino sector. If intergenerational mixings are allowed in the squark mass matrix, we constrain such supersymmetric sources of flavor violation. The decay $b \to s \gamma$ sets constraints on the parameters of the model and provides distinguishing signs from other supersymmetric scenarios.Comment: 12 figure

Higgs Scalars in the Minimal Non-minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model

We consider the simplest and most economic version among the proposed non-minimal supersymmetric models, in which the $\mu$-parameter is promoted to a singlet superfield, whose all self-couplings are absent from the renormalizable superpotential. Such a particularly simple form of the renormalizable superpotential may be enforced by discrete $R$-symmetries which are extended to the gravity-induced non-renormalizable operators as well. We show explicitly that within the supergravity-mediated supersymmetry-breaking scenario, the potentially dangerous divergent tadpoles associated with the presence of the gauge singlet first appear at loop levels higher than 5 and therefore do not destabilize the gauge hierarchy. The model provides a natural explanation for the origin of the $\mu$-term, without suffering from the visible axion or the cosmological domain-wall problem. Focusing on the Higgs sector of this minimal non-minimal supersymmetric standard model, we calculate its effective Higgs potential by integrating out the dominant quantum effects due to stop squarks. We then discuss the phenomenological implications of the Higgs scalars predicted by the theory for the present and future high-energy colliders. In particular, we find that our new minimal non-minimal supersymmetric model can naturally accommodate a relatively light charged Higgs boson, with a mass close to the present experimental lower bound.Comment: 63 pages (12 figures), extended versio

A precision measurement of direct CP violation in the decay of neutral kaons into two pions

The direct CP violation parameter Re(epsilon'/epsilon) has been measured from the decay rates of neutral kaons into two pions using the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS. The 2001 running period was devoted to collecting additional data under varied conditions compared to earlier years (1997-99). The new data yield the result: Re(epsilon'/epsilon) = (13.7 +/- 3.1) times 10^{-4}. Combining this result with that published from the 1997, 98 and 99 data, an overall value of Re(epsilon'/epsilon) = (14.7 +/- 2.2) times 10^{-4} is obtained from the NA48 experiment.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, to be published in Physics Letters

CP Asymmetries in B_s Decays and Spontaneous CP violation

We study possible effects of new physics in CP asymmetries in two-body $B_s$ decays in left-right models with spontaneous CP violation. Considering the contributions of new CP phases to the $B_s$ mixing as well as to the penguin dominated decay amplitudes we show that, with the present constraints, large deviations from the standard model predictions in CP asymmetries are allowed in both cases. Detection of the new physics can be done by measuring non-zero asymmetries which are predicted to vanish in the standard model or by comparing two measurements which are predicted to be equal in the standard model. In particular, we show that the measurement of the CKM angle $\gamma$ in electroweak penguin dominated processes $B_s^0\to\rho^0\eta^{(')}, \rho^0\phi$ can largely be affected by the new physics.Comment: References and discussion added, version to be published in PR

A First Search for coincident Gravitational Waves and High Energy Neutrinos using LIGO, Virgo and ANTARES data from 2007

We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy, particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the period January - September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino - gravitational wave emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of merger and core-collapse events.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, science summary page at http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-S5LV_ANTARES/index.php. Public access area to figures, tables at https://dcc.ligo.org/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=p120000