Maximal Neutrino Mixing from a Minimal Flavor Symmetry

A U(2) flavor symmetry can successfully describe the charged fermion masses and mixings, and supress SUSY FCNC processes, making it a viable candidate for a theory of flavor. We show that a direct application of this U(2) flavor symmetry automatically predicts a mixing of 45 degrees for nu_mu to nu_s, where nu_s is a light, right-handed state. The introduction of an additional flavor symmetry acting on the right-handed neutrinos makes the model phenomenologically viable, expl...

We describe how bi-maximal neutrino mixing can be realized in realistic models based on MSSM and SUSY GUTs such as SU(5) and SO(10). A crucial role is played by an anomalous ${\cal U}(1)$ flavor symmetry, which also helps understand the observed charged fermion mass hierarchies and the magnitudes of the CKM matrix elements. While in MSSM a variety of solutions for the solar neutrino puzzle are possible, SUSY SU(5) and SO(10) only permit the large mixing angle MSW solution. Mo...

We consider the neutrino physics of models with a sequentially broken U(2) flavor symmetry. Such theories yield the observed pattern of quark and lepton masses, while maintaining sufficient degeneracies between superparticles of the first two generations to solve the supersymmetric flavor problem. Neutrino mass ratios and mixing angles in these models may differ significantly from those of the charged leptons, even though the neutrinos and charged leptons transform identicall...

This is a review article about neutrino mass and mixing and flavour model building strategies based on discrete family symmetry. After a pedagogical introduction and overview of the whole of neutrino physics, we focus on the PMNS mixing matrix and the latest global fits following the Daya Bay and RENO experiments which measure the reactor angle. We then describe the simple bimaximal, tri-bimaximal and golden ratio patterns of lepton mixing and the deviations required for a no...

We discuss a supersymmetric unified model based on a product gauge group SU(5)\times SU(5)\times SU(5), where the gauge symmetry breaking is achieved without the adjoint or higher-dimensional Higgs field, and the doublet-triplet splitting in the Higgs masses is realized by the use of the discrete symmetry. In this article we present an explicit model for realistic fermion masses with the discrete symmetries Z_7\times Z_2. It is shown that all the observed masses and mixing an...

We present a $SU(5)\times U(1)_F$ supersymmetric model for neutrino masses and mixings that implements the seesaw mechanism by means of the heavy SU(2) singlets and triplets states contained in three adjoints of SU(5). We discuss how Abelian $U(1)_F$ symmetries can naturally yield non-hierarchical light neutrinos even when the heavy states are strongly hierarchical, and how it can also ensure that $R$--parity arises as an exact accidental symmetry. By assigning two flavons th...

We show how a unified description of the various two-flavor neutrino oscillation solutions, allowed by the atmospheric and solar neutrino experiments, are naturally realized within the framework of $\nu$MSSM (MSSM augmented with the seesaw mechanism) and beyond, especially grand unified theories. A general mechanism for achieving maximal mixing to resolve the atmospheric anomaly is discussed, and applied to the flipped SU(5) model. Except in the case of MSSM and SU(5), a ligh...

Assuming three light neutrinos and the see-saw mechanism we present a semiquantitative model of fermion masses based on (SUSY) SU(5) and abelian horizontal charges. A good description of the observed pattern of quark and lepton masses is obtained. For neutrinos we naturally obtain widely split masses and large atmospheric neutrino mixing as a consequence of SU(5)-related asymmetric mass matrices for d quarks and charged leptons.

We construct and discuss a "realistic" example of SUSY SU(5) GUT model, with an additional U(1) flavour symmetry, that is not plagued by the need of large fine tunings, like those associated with doublet-triplet splitting in the minimal model, and that leads to an acceptable phenomenology. This includes coupling unification with a value of alpha_s(m_Z) in much better agreement with the data than in the minimal version, an acceptable hierarchical pattern for fermion masses and...

Recent neutrino parameter measurements place increasingly stringent constraints on acceptable supersymmetric theories of flavor. A very fruitful approach is the application of non-Abelian discrete gauged flavor symmetries G_f. We discuss a highly successful model using G_f = T' x Z_3, where T' is a non-Abelian group based on the symmetries of a tetrahedron. This model reproduces the basic features of the U(2) model, and also predicts neutrino masses and mixing angles consiste...