Flavor Physics in SO(10) GUTs with Suppressed Proton decay Due to Gauged Discrete Symmetry

Generic SO(10) GUT models suffer from the problem that Planck scale induced non-renormalizable proton decay operators require extreme suppression of their couplings to be compatible with present experimental upper limits. One way to resolve this problem is to supplement SO(10) by simple gauged discrete symmetries which can also simultaneously suppress the renormalizable R-parity violating ones when they occur and make the theory "more natural". Here we discuss the phenomenological viability of such models. We first show that for both classes of models, e.g the ones that use ${\bf 16}_H$ or ${\bf 126}_H$ to break B-L symmetry, the minimal Higgs content which is sufficient for proton decay suppression is inadequate for explaining fermion masses despite the presence of all apparently needed couplings. We then present an extended ${\bf 16}_H$ model, with three {\bf 10} and three {\bf 45}-Higgs, where is free of this problem. We propose this as a realistic and "natural" model for fermion unification and discuss the phenomenology of this model e.g. its predictions for neutrino mixings and lepton flavor violation.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figure

Unification of standard and exotic matter through a Z2Z_2 symmetry

We consider a scenario in which the discrete weak symmetry between quarks and leptons is extended to the weak force by introducing exotic partners. We conjecture that there exists a hidden discrete symmetry $\tilde{P}$, defining a $Z_2$ group, between standard and exotic quarks and leptons. The unified model $SU(3)_{q} \times SU(3)_{\tilde{q}} \times SU(2)_{q \tilde{\ell}} \times SU(2)_{\tilde{q} \ell} \times U(1)_{Y} \times \tilde{P}$ is discussed, where the unifying discrete symmetry extends over particles and forces. It is shown that the lighter neutral and charged weak bosons generated upon spontaneous symmetry breaking have the same properties as those of the standard model. Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Maskawa unitarity is used to set a mass of order 2.8 TeV for the nonstandard weak bosons, which do not exhibit quark-lepton universality. A grand unified theory of $GUT_{q \tilde{\ell}} \times GUT_{\tilde{q} \ell} \times \tilde{P}$ type, with decay of exotic matter into standard matter and no decay of the ordinary nucleon, is put forward.Comment: 6 pages, no figure

New vector-scalar contributions to neutrinoless double beta decay and constraints on R-parity violation

We show that in minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) with R-parity breaking as well as in the left-right symmetric model, there are new observable contributions to neutrinoless double beta decay arising from hitherto overlooked diagrams involving the exchange of one W boson and one scalar boson. In particular, in the case of MSSM, the present experimental bounds on neutrinoless double beta decay lifetime improves the limits on certain R-parity violating couplings by about two orders of magnitude. It is shown that similar diagrams also lead to enhanced rates for $\mu^-\rightarrow e^+$ conversion in nuclei, which are in the range accessible to ongoing experiments.Comment: Latex file; 9 pages; 3 figures available on reques

The Higgs Sector on a Two-Sheeted Space Time

We present a general formalism based on the framework of non-commutative geometry, suitable to the study the standard model of electroweak interactions, as well as that of more general gauge theories. Left- and right-handed chiral fields are assigned to two different sheets of space-time (a discretized version of Kaluza-Klein theory). Scalar Higgs fields find themselves treated on the same footing as the gauge fields, resulting in spontaneous symmetry breaking in a natural and predictable way. We first apply the formalism to the Standard Model, where one can predict the Higgs mass and the top Yukawa coupling. We then study the left-right symmetric model, where we show that this framework imposes constraints on the type and coefficients of terms appearing in the Higgs potential.Comment: 24 pages, uses revtex

Type II Seesaw and a Gauge Model for the Bimaximal Mixing Explanation of Neutrino Puzzles

We present a gauge model for the bimaximal mixing pattern among the neutrinos that explains both the atmospheric and solar neutrino data via large angle vacuum oscillation among the three known neutrinos. The model does not include righthanded neutrinos but additional Higgs triplets which acquire naturally small vev's due to the type II seesaw mechanism. A combination of global $L_e-L_{\mu}-L_{\tau}$ and $S_3$ symmetries constrain the mass matrix for both charged leptons and neutrinos in such a way that the bimaximal pattern emerges naturally at the tree level and needed splittings among neutrinos at the one loop level. This model predicts observable branching ratios for $\tau\to \mu \mu\mu$, which could be used to test it.Comment: Latex file, 8 pages, five figures include

CMS Usage of the Open Science Grid and the US Tier-2 Centers

The CMS experiment has been using the Open Science Grid, through its US Tier-2 computing centers, from its very beginning for production of Monte Carlo simulations. In this talk we will describe the evolution of the usage patterns indicating the best practices that have been identified. In addition to describing the production metrics and how they have been met, we will also present the problems encountered and mitigating solutions. Data handling and the user analysis patterns on the Tier-2 and OSG computing will be described

Neutrino Masses and Oscillations in Models with Large Extra Dimensions

We discuss the profile of neutrino masses and mixings in models with large extra dimensions when right handed neutrinos are present in the branes along with the usual standard model particles. In these models, string scale must be bigger than $10^{8}$ GeV to have desired properties for the neutrinos at low energies. The lightest neutrino mass is zero and there is oscillations to sterile neutrinos that are different from other models with the bulk neutrino.Comment: Minor changes. 9 pages, latex file, uses epsf style, two figures included. To appear at Phys. Lett.

Supernova Constraints on a Superlight Gravitino

In supergravity models with low supersymmetry breaking scale the gravitinos can be superlight with mass in the micro-eV to keV range. In such a case, gravitino emission provides a new cooling mechanism for protoneutron stars and therefore can provide constraints on the mass of the superlight gravitino. This happens because the coupling to matter of superlight gravitinos is dominated by its goldstino component, whose coupling to matter is inversely proportional to the scale of supersymmetry breaking and increases as the gravitino mass decreases. Present observations therefore provide lower limits on the gravitino mass. Using recently revised goldstino couplings, we find that the two dominant processes in supernova cooling are $e^+e^-\to \tilde{G}\tilde{G}$ and $\gamma+e^-\to e^-\tilde{G}\tilde{G}$. They lead to lower limits on the supersymmetry breaking scale $\Lambda_{S}$ from 160 to 500 GeV for core temperatures 30 to 60 MeV and electron chemical potentials 200 to 300 MeV. The corresponding lower limits on the gravitino mass are $.6 - 6\times 10^{-6}$ eV.Comment: Latex 6 pages; one figure; UTEXAS-HEP-97-19, UMD-PP-98-07, SMU-HEP-97-1