Proton Decay and Neutrino Masses in SO(10)

In this talk I discuss the qualitative features of an SO(10) SUSY GUT with an SU(2)x U(1)$^n$ family symmetry. I then describe the global fit of this theory to precision electroweak data [including charged fermion masses and mixing angles]. Finally, the predictions of the model for neutrino masses and mixing are discussed. The most predictive version of the model naturally fits atmospheric neutrino data with maximal $\nu_\mu \longrightarrow \nu_\tau$ oscillations and solar ne...

After a brief review of the motivations for grand unification, I discuss the main challenges facing realistic SUSY GUT model building. Achieving doublet-triplet splitting without fine--tuning is chief among them. Symmetry breaking should occur consistently without unwanted Goldston bosons, \mu-term of order TeV for the MSSM Higgs fileds should emerge naturally, and realistic fermion masses with small quark mixing angles and large lepton mixing angles should be generated with ...

We report on some phenomenological implications of a class of unified models based on SO(10) gauge group, with intermediate symmetry group containing SU(2)_R. Interesting predictions for neutrino masses are discussed, which are relevant both for solar neutrino and dark matter problems, as well as a model for the formation of the baryon asymmetry of the universe required by primordial nucleosynthesis.

Within the framework of unified gauge models, interactions responsible for neutrino masses can also provide mechanisms for nucleon instability. We discuss their implications concretely in the light of recent results on neutrino oscillation from the SuperKamiokande collaboration. We construct a predictive SO(10)-based framework that describes the masses and mixing of all quarks and leptons. An overconstrained global fit is obtained, that makes five successful predictions for q...

A good fit of the fermion masses and mixings has been found in the minimal renormalizable supersymmetric SO(10). This solution needs a strongly split supersymmetry breaking scenario with gauginos and higgsinos around 100 TeV, sfermions close to 10^14 GeV and a low GUT scale of around 6 10^15 GeV. We predict fast proton decays through SO(10) type of d=6 operators and the leptonic mixing angle theta_13 approximately 0.1.

We review in this talk various SUSY SO(10) models. Specifically, we discuss how small neutrino masses are generated in and generic predictions of different SO(10) models. A comparison of the predictions of these models for sin^{2}(theta_{13}) is given.

The breaking of SO(10) to SU(3)_C x U(1)_EM can be accomplished by just four Higgs fields: the symmetric rank-two tensor, S(54); a pair of spinors, C(16) and Cbar(16bar); and a vector, T(10). This setup is also able to generate realistic fermion masses. The heavy color triplets in the vector and spinor fields mediate proton decay via dimension-five operators. The experimental bounds on proton decay constrain the structure and size of the Yukawa operators.

In this work I present a full analysis of proton decay in an $SO(10)$ model previously proposed by Dutta, Mimura, and Mohapatra. The $\bf{10}$, $\overline{\bf{126}}$, and $\bf{120}$ Yukawa couplings contributing to fermion masses in this model have well-motivated restrictions on their textures intended to give favorable results for proton lifetime as well as a realistic fermion sector without the need for fine-tuning and for either type-I or type-II dominance in the neutrino ...

We show that grand unified theories based on SO(10) generate quite naturally baryon number violating dimension seven operators that violate (B-L), and lead to novel nucleon decay modes such as n \to e^-K^+, e^- \pi^+ and p \to \nu \pi^+. We find that in two-step breaking schemes of non-supersymmetric SO(10), the partial lifetimes for these modes can be within reach of experiments. The interactions responsible for these decay modes also provide a new way to understand the orig...

We consider a minimal non-supersymmetric $SO(10)$ Grand Unified Theory (GUT) model that can reproduce the observed fermionic masses and mixing parameters of the Standard Model. We calculate the scales of spontaneous symmetry breaking from the GUT to the Standard Model gauge group using two-loop renormalisation group equations. This procedure determines the proton decay rate and the scale of $U(1)_{B-L}$ breaking, which generates cosmic strings and the right-handed neutrino ma...