Maximal Neutrino Mixing from a Minimal Flavor Symmetry

Models involving a U(2) flavor symmetry, or any of a number of its non-Abelian discrete subgroups, can explain the observed hierarchy of charged fermion masses and CKM angles. It is known that a large neutrino mixing angle connecting second and third generation fields may arise via the seesaw mechanism in these models, without a fine tuning of parameters. Here we show that it is possible to obtain approximate bimaximal mixing in a class of models with U(2)-like Yukawa texture...

We present a model of fermion masses based on a minimal, non-Abelian discrete symmetry that reproduces the Yukawa matrices usually associated with U(2) theories of flavor. Mass and mixing angle relations that follow from the simple form of the quark and charged lepton Yukawa textures are therefore common to both theories. We show that the differing representation structure of our horizontal symmetry allows for new solutions to the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems that ...

We show how introducing discrete Abelian flavor symmetries can produce texture zeros in the fermion mass matrices, while preserving the correct relationships with the low-energy data on quark and lepton masses. We outline a procedure for defining texture zeros as suppressed entries in Yukawa matrices. These texture zeros can account for the coexistence of the observed large mixing in atmospheric neutrino oscillations with a hierarchy in the neutrino masses, and offer the poss...

In an attempt to understand the observed patterns of lepton and quark masses, models invoking a flavor symmetry $G_f$, under which the Standard Model generations are charged, have been proposed. One particularly successful symmetry, U(2), has been extensively discussed in the literature. The Yukawa matrices in models based on this symmetry reproduce the observed mass ratios in the lepton and quark sectors. The features of the symmetry that determine the texture of the Yukawa ...

We present a new mechanism to explain naturally and through a common flavour symmetry the mildly hierarchical neutrino masses with large mixings and the hierarchical Yukawa matrices with small mixing angles. Although this mechanism is not linked to a particular flavour symmertry, it is particularly simple in the framework of a SU(3) flavour symmetry. In this model, we obtain exactly maximal atmospheric mixing, large although not maximal solar mixing and a normal neutrino hier...

We show that maximal atmospheric and large solar neutrino mixing can be implemented in SU(5) gauge theories, by making use of the $U(1)_F$ symmetry associated with a suitably defined family number $F$, together with a $\mathbbm{Z}_2$ symmetry which does not commute with $F$. $U(1)_F$ is softly broken by the mass terms of the right-handed neutrino singlets, which are responsible for the seesaw mechanism; in addition, $U(1)_F$ is also spontaneously broken at the electroweak sca...

We propose a simple $SU(5)$ model that connects the neutrino mass generation mechanism to the observed disparity between the masses of charged leptons and down-type quarks. The model is built out of $5$-, $10$-, $15$-, $24$-, and $35$-dimensional representations of $SU(5)$ and comprises two (three) $3 \times 3$ ($3 \times 1$) Yukawa coupling matrices to accommodate all experimentally measured fermion masses and mixing parameters. The gauge coupling unification considerations,...

We present a scenario which naturally provides bi-maximal neutrino mixings for a simultaneous explanation of the recent atmospheric and solar neutrino data. A crucial role is played by an anomalous flavor ${\cal U}(1)$ symmetry, which is also important for a natural understanding of charged fermion mass hierarchies and magnitudes of the CKM matrix elements. Within MSSM the solar neutrino problem can be resolved either through vacuum oscillations or the large mixing angle MSW ...

We analyze the structure of quark and lepton mass matrices under the hypothesis that they are determined from a minimum principle applied to a generic potential invariant under the $\left[SU(3)\right]^5\otimes \mathcal O(3)$ flavor symmetry, acting on Standard Model fermions and right-handed neutrinos. Unlike the quark case, we show that hierarchical masses for charged leptons are naturally accompanied by degenerate Majorana neutrinos with one mixing angle close to maximal, a...

We demonstrate that an $SU(2)_L\times U(1)_Y$ model with extended Higgs sector gives rise to bi-maximal neutrino mixing through the incorporation of SO(3) flavour symmetry and discrete symmetry. The neutrino and the charged lepton masses are generated due to higher dimensional terms. The hierarchical structures of neutrinos and charged leptons are obtained due to inclusion of SO(3) flavour symmetry and discrete symmetry.The model can accommodate the vacuum oscillation solutio...