Search

We argue that Lee-Wick's complex ghost appearing in any higher derivative theory is stable and its asymptotic field exists. It may be more appropriate to call it ``anti-unstable" in the sense that, the more the ghost `decays' into lighter ordinary particles, the larger the probability the ghost remains as itself becomes. This is explicitly shown by analyzing the two-point functions of the ghost Heisenberg field which is obtained as an exact result in the $N\rightarrow\infty$ limit in a massive scalar ghost theory with light $O(N)$-vector scalar matter. The anti-instability is a consequence of the fact that the poles of the complex ghost propagator are located on the physical sheet in the complex plane of four-momentum squared. This should be contrasted to the case of the ordinary unstable particle, whose propagator has no pole on the physical sheet., Comment: 19pages, 3figures, published version

Inflationary observables of a classically scale invariant model, in which the origin of the Planck mass and the electroweak scale including the right-handed neutrino mass is chiral symmetry breaking in a QCD-like hidden sector, are studied. Despite a three-field inflation the initial-value-dependence is strongly suppressed thanks to a river-valley like potential. The model predicts the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ of cosmological perturbations smaller than that of the $R^2$ inflation, i.e., $ 0.0044 \gsim r \gsim 0.0017$ for e-foldings between $50$ and $60$: The model will be consistent even with a null detection at LiteBird/CMB-S4. We find that the non-Gaussianity parameter $f_{NL}$ is $O(10^{-2})$, the same size as that of single-field inflation. The dark matter particles are the lightest Nambu-Goldstone bosons associated with chiral symmetry breaking, which are decay products of one of the inflatons and are heavier than $10^9$ GeV with a strongly suppressed coupling with the standard model, implying that the dark matter will be unobservable in direct as well as indirect measurements., Comment: 32 pages, 18 figures, published version

Theories with fourth-order derivatives, including the Lee-Wick finite QED model and Quadratic Gravity, have a better UV behaviour, but the presence of negative metric ghost modes endanger unitarity. Noticing that the ghost acquires a complex mass by radiative corrections, Lee and Wick, in particular, claimed that such complex ghosts would never be created by collisions of physical particles because of energy conservation, so that the physical S-matrix unitarity must hold. We investigate the unitarity problem faithfully working in the operator formalism of quantum field theory. When complex ghosts participate, a complex delta function (generalization of Dirac delta function) appears at each interaction vertex, which enforces a specific conservation law of complex energy. Its particular property implies that the naive Feynman rule is wrong if the four-momenta are assigned to the internal lines after taking account of the conservation law in advance. We show that the complex ghosts are actually created and unitarity is violated in such fourth-order derivative theories. We also find a definite energy threshold below which the ghosts cannot be created: The theories are unitary and renormalizable below the threshold., Comment: 42pages, 7 figures

We investigate several quantum phenomena related to quadratic gravity after rewriting the general fourth-order action in a more convenient form that is second-order in derivatives and produces only first-class constraints in phase space. We find that a Higgs mechanism may occur in the conformally invariant subset of the general quadratic action if the theory is conformally coupled to a scalar field that acquires a non-zero vacuum expectation value and spontaneously breaks the conformal symmetry. Then, in the broken phase, the originally massless spin-2 ghost may absorb both the scalar and vector fields to become massive. We also perform a BRST quantization of second-order quadratic gravity in the covariant operator formalism and discuss conditions under which unitarity of the full interacting quantum theory may be established., Comment: 31+12 pages, v2: typos corrected and references added

We consider a generic model of quadratic gravity coupled to a single scalar and investigate the effects of gravitational degrees of freedom on inflationary parameters. We find that quantum corrections arising from the massive spin-2 ghost generate significant contributions to the effective inflationary potential and allow for a realization of the spontaneous breakdown of global scale invariance without the need for additional scalar fields. We compute inflationary parameters, compare the resulting predictions to well-known inflationary models, and find that they fit well within the Planck and BICEP/Keck collaboration's constraints on inflation., Comment: 19 pages, 1 figure, v2

We perform a canonical quantization of Weyl's conformal gravity by means of the covariant operator formalism and investigate the unitarity of the resulting quantum theory. After reducing the originally fourth order theory to second order in time derivatives via the introduction of an auxiliary tensor field, we identify the full Fock space of quantum states under a BRST construction that includes Faddeev-Popov ghost fields corresponding to Weyl transformations. Using the Kugo-Ojima quartet mechanism, we identify the physical subspace of quantum states and find that the subspace containing the transverse spin-2 states comes equipped with an indefinite inner product metric and a one-particle Hamiltonian that possesses only a single eigenstate. We construct the LSZ reduction formula for the S-matrix in this spin-2 subspace and find that unitarity is violated in scattering events. The explicit way in which this violation occurs represents a new view on the ghost-problem in quadratic theories of quantum gravity., Comment: v2: 31+11 pages, discussion changed and references added

Dynamical chiral symmetry breaking in a QCD-like hidden sector is used to generate the Planck mass and the electroweak scale including the heavy right-handed neutrino mass. A real scalar field transmits the energy scale of the hidden sector to the visible sectors, playing besides a role of inflaton in the early Universe while realizing a Higgs-inflation-like model. Our dark matter candidates are hidden pions that raise due to dynamical chiral symmetry breaking. They are produced from the decay of inflaton. Unfortunately, it will be impossible to directly detect them, because they are super heavy ($10^{9\,\sim\,12}$ GeV), and moreover the interaction with the visible sector is extremely suppressed., Comment: Revised version accepted by JCAP

The muon anomalous magnetic moment measurement has, for more than a decade, been a long-standing anomaly hinting the physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM). The recently announced results from muon $g-2$ collaboration, corresponding to 3.3$\sigma$ deviation from Standard Model value (4.2$\sigma$ in combination with previous measurement) are strengthening the need for new physics coupled to muons. In this letter, we propose a novel scenario in which Standard Model (SM) is augmented by an axion-like particle (ALP) and vector-like fermions. We find that such a model admits an excellent interpretation of recent muon $g-2$ measurement through quantum process featuring ALP interacting with muons and newly introduced fermions. Previously proposed explanations with ALPs utilize interactions with photons and/or SM fermions. Therefore, in this letter we complement and extend such scenarios. We also discuss collider prospects for the model as well as the possibility that ALP is long lived or stable dark matter (DM) candidate., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, matches version accepted for publication in PLB

In the quest for unification of the Standard Model with gravity, classical scale invariance can be utilized to dynamically generate the Planck mass $M_\mathrm{Pl}$. Then, the relation of Planck scale physics to the scale of electroweak symmetry breaking $\mu_H$ requires further explanation. In this paper, we propose a model that uses the spontaneous breaking of scale invariance in the scalar sector as a unified origin for dynamical generation of both scales. Using the Gildener-Weinberg approximation, only one scalar acquires a vacuum expectation value of $v_S \sim (10^{16-17})\,\mathrm{GeV}$, thus radiatively generating $M_\mathrm{Pl} \approx \beta_S^{1/2} v_S$ and $\mu_H$ via the neutrino option with right handed neutrino masses $m_N = y_M v_S \sim 10^7 \,\mathrm{GeV}$. Consequently, active SM neutrinos are given a mass with the inclusion of a type-I seesaw mechanism. Furthermore, we adopt an unbroken $Z_2$ symmetry and a $Z_2$-odd set of right-handed Majorana neutrinos $\chi$ that do not take part in the neutrino option and are able to produce the correct dark matter relic abundance (dominantly) via inflaton decay. The model also describes cosmic inflation and the inflationary CMB observables are predicted to interpolate between those of $R^2$ and linear chaotic inflationary model and are thus well within the strongest experimental constraints., Comment: 21+10 pages, 11 figures, 1 table, v2: matches published version

We consider the extension of the Standard Model (SM) with a strongly interacting QCD-like hidden sector, at least two generations of right-handed neutrinos and one scalar singlet. Once scalar singlet obtains a nonzero vacuum expectation value, active neutrino masses are generated through type-I seesaw mechanism. Simultaneously, the electroweak scale is generated through the radiative corrections involving these massive fermions. This is the essence of the scenario that is known as the "neutrino option" for which the successful masses of right-handed neutrinos are in the range $10^7-10^8$ GeV. The main goal of this work is to scrutinize the potential to accommodate dark matter in such a realization. The dark matter candidates are Nambu-Goldstone bosons which appear due to the dynamical breaking of the hidden chiral symmetry. The mass spectrum studied in this work is such that masses of Nambu-Goldstone bosons and singlet scalar exceed those of right-handed neutrinos. Having the masses of all relevant particles several orders of magnitude above $\mathcal{O}$(TeV), the freeze-out of dark matter is not achievable and hence we turn to alternative scenarios, namely freeze-in. The Nambu-Goldstone bosons can interact with particles that are not in SM but, however, have non-negligible abundance through their not-too-small couplings with SM. Utilizing this, we demonstrate that the dark matter in the model is successfully produced at temperature scale where the right-handed neutrinos are still stable. We note that the lepton number asymmetry sufficient for the generation of observable baryon asymmetry of the Universe can be produced in right-handed neutrino decays. Hence, we infer that the model has the potential to simultaneously address several of the most relevant puzzles in contemporary high-energy physics., Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures, published in PRD

The gravitational wave (GW) background produced at the cosmological chiral phase transition in a conformal extension of the standard model is studied. To obtain the bounce solution of coupled field equations we implement an iterative method. We find that the corresponding $O(3)$ symmetric Euclidean action $S_3$ divided by the temperature $T$ has a simple behavior near the critical temperature $T_C$: $S_3/T \propto (1-T/T_C)^{-\gamma}$, which is subsequently used to determine the transition's inverse duration $\beta$ normalized to the Hubble parameter $H$. It turns out that $\beta/H \gtrsim 10^3$, implying that the sound wave period $\tau_\text{sw}$ as an active GW source, too, can be much shorter than the Hubble time. We therefore compute $\tau_\text{sw} H$ and use it as the reduction factor for the sound wave contribution. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for Deci-Hertz Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (DECIGO) and Big Bang Observer (BBO) is evaluated, with the result: SNR$^\text{DECIGO} \lesssim 1.2$ and SNR$^\text{BBO} \lesssim 12.0$ for five years observation, from which we conclude that the GW signal predicted by the model in the optimistic case could be detected at BBO., Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures, version published in JCAP

We study the gravitational wave (GW) signature of first-order chiral phase transitions ($\chi$PT) in strongly interacting hidden or dark sectors. We do so using several effective models in order to reliably capture the relevant non-perturbative dynamics. This approach allows us to explicitly calculate key quantities characterizing the $\chi$PT without having to resort to rough estimates. Most importantly, we find that the transition's inverse duration $\beta$ normalized to the Hubble parameter $H$ is at least two orders of magnitude larger than typically assumed in comparable scenarios, namely $\beta/H\gtrsim\mathcal{O}(10^4)$. The obtained GW spectra then suggest that signals from hidden $\chi$PTs occurring at around 100 MeV can be in reach of LISA, while DECIGO and BBO may detect a stochastic GW background associated with transitions between roughly 1 GeV and 10 TeV. Signatures of transitions at higher temperatures are found to be outside the range of any currently proposed experiment. Even though predictions from different effective models are qualitatively similar, we find that they may vary considerably from a quantitative point of view, which highlights the need for true first-principle calculations such as lattice simulations., Comment: 35 pages, 9 figures. Extended discussion and updated calculation of gravitational wave spectra, main results unchanged; references added; matches published version

Classical scale invariance represents a promising framework for model building beyond the Standard Model. However, once coupled to gravity, any scale-invariant microscopic model requires an explanation for the origin of the Planck mass. In this paper, we provide a minimal example for such a mechanism and show how the Planck mass can be dynamically generated in a strongly coupled gauge sector. We consider the case of hidden SU(N_c) gauge interactions that link the Planck mass to the condensation of a scalar bilinear operator that is nonminimally coupled to curvature. The effective theory at energies below the Planck mass contains two scalar fields: the pseudo-Nambu--Goldstone boson of spontaneously broken scale invariance (the dilaton) and a gravitational scalar degree of freedom that originates from the R^2 term in the effective action (the scalaron). We compute the effective potential for the coupled dilaton-scalaron system at one-loop order and demonstrate that it can be used to successfully realize a stage of slow-roll inflation in the early Universe. Remarkably enough, our predictions for the primordial scalar and tensor power spectra interpolate between those of standard R^2 inflation and linear chaotic inflation. For comparatively small gravitational couplings, we thus obtain a spectral index n_s ~= 0.97 and a tensor-to-scalar ratio as large as r ~= 0.08., Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures. v2: updated references, minor changes, results unchanged, matches version published in PRD

Within a recently proposed classically conformal model, in which the generation of neutrino masses is linked to spontaneous scale symmetry breaking, we investigate the associated phase transition and find it to be of strong first order with a substantial amount of supercooling. Carefully taking into account the vacuum energy of the metastable minimum, we demonstrate that a significant fraction of the model's parameter space can be excluded simply because the phase transition cannot complete. We argue this to be a powerful consistency check applicable to general theories based on classical scale invariance. Finally, we show that all remaining parameter points predict a sizable gravitational wave signal, so that the model can be fully tested by future gravitational wave observatories. In particular, most of the parameter space can already be probed by the upcoming LIGO science run starting in early 2019., Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures; calculation of signal-to-noise ratio updated, references added

We consider scalegenesis, spontaneous scale symmetry breaking, by the scalar-bilinear condensation in $SU(N)$ scalar gauge theory. In an effective field theory approach to the scalar-bilinear condensation at finite temperature, we include the Polyakov loop to take into account the confinement effect. The theory with $N=3,4,5$ and $6$ is investigated, and we find that in all these cases the scale phase transition is a first-order phase transition. We also calculate the latent heat at and slightly below the critical temperature. Comparing the results with those obtained without the Polyakov loop effect, we find that the Polyakov effect can considerably increase the latent heat in some cases, which would mean a large increase in the energy density of the gravitational waves background, if it were produced by the scale phase transition., Comment: 20 pages, 15 figures, Version published in JHEP

We revisit a recently proposed scale invariant extension of the standard model, in which the scalar bi-linear condensate in a strongly interacting hidden sector dynamically breaks scale symmetry, thereby triggering electroweak symmetry breaking. Relaxing the previously made assumption on $U(N_f)$ flavor symmetry we find that the presence of the would-be dark matter candidate opens a new annihilation process of dark matter at finite temperature, such that the model can satisfy stringent constraints of the future experiments of the dark matter direct detection., Comment: 20 pages, 3 figures; Version published in EPJC

We discuss radiative seesaw models, in which an exact $Z_2\times Z_2'$ symmetry is imposed. Due to the exact $Z_2\times Z_2'$ symmetry, neutrino masses are generated at a two-loop level and at least two extra stable electrically neutral particles are predicted. We consider two models: one has a multi-component dark matter system and the other one has a dark radiation in addition to a dark matter. In the multi-component dark matter system, non-standard dark matter annihilation processes exist. We find that they play important roles in determining the relic abundance and also responsible for the monochromatic neutrino lines resulting from the dark matter annihilation process. In the model with the dark radiation, the structure of the Yukawa coupling is considerably constrained and gives an interesting relationship among cosmology, lepton flavor violating decay of the charged leptons and the decay of the inert Higgs bosons., Comment: 28 pages, 13 figures and 2 tables. Version accepted in the 'Frontiers in Physics' Research Topic 'The Physics Associated with Neutrino Masses'

Drastic changes in the early universe such as first-order phase transition can produce a stochastic gravitational wave (GW) background. We investigate the testability of a scale invariant extension of the standard model (SM) using the GW background produced by the chiral phase transition in a strongly interacting QCD-like hidden sector, which, via a SM singlet real scalar mediator, triggers the electroweak phase transition. Using the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio method in a mean field approximation we estimate the GW signal and find that it can be tested by future space based detectors., Comment: 31 pages, 16 figures; references added, version accepted in PRD

We assume that the origin of the electroweak (EW) scale is a gauge-invariant scalar-bilinear condensation in a strongly interacting non-abelian gauge sector, which is connected to the standard model via a Higgs portal coupling. The dynamical scale genesis appears as a phase transition at finite temperature, and it can produce a gravitational wave (GW) background in the early Universe. We find that the critical temperature of the scale phase transition lies above that of the EW phase transition and below few $O(100)$ GeV and it is strongly first-order. We calculate the spectrum of the GW background and find the scale phase transition is strong enough that the GW background can be observed by DECIGO., Comment: 29 pages, 6 figures; references added; typos corrected; published in JCAP

We consider phase transitions in the standard model (SM) without the Higgs mass term, which is coupled through a Higgs portal term to an SM singlet, classically scale-invariant gauge sector with SM singlet scalar fields. At lower energies the gauge-invariant scalar bilinear in the hidden sector forms a condensate, dynamically creating a robust energy scale, which is transmitted through the Higgs portal term to the SM sector. A scale phase transition is a transition between phases with zero and nonzero condensates. An interplay between the EW and scale phase transitions is therefore expected. We find that in a certain parameter space both the electroweak (EW) and scale phase transitions can be a strong first-order phase transition. The result is obtained by means of an effective theory for the condensation of scalar bilinear in the mean field approximation., Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, published version, arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1505.05971

The condensation of scalar bilinear in a classically scale invariant strongly interacting hidden sector is used to generate the electroweak scale, where the excitation of the condensate is identified as dark matter. We formulate an effective theory for the condensation of the scalar bilinear and find in the self-consistent mean field approximation that the dark matter mass is of $O(1)$ TeV with the spin-independent elastic cross section off the nucleon slightly below the LUX upper bound., Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, published version

We consider a scale invariant extension of the standard model (SM) with a combined breaking of conformal and electroweak symmetry in a strongly interacting hidden $SU(n_c)$ gauge sector with $n_f$ vector-like hidden fermions. The (pseudo) Nambu-Goldstone bosons that arise due to dynamical chiral symmetry breaking are dark matter (DM) candidates. We focus on $n_f=n_c=3$, where $SU(3)$ is the largest symmetry group of hidden flavor which can be explicitly broken into either $U(1) \times U(1)$ or $SU(2)\times U(1)$. We study DM properties and discuss consistent parameter space for each case. Because of different mechanisms of DM annihilation the consistent parameter space in the case of $SU(2)\times U(1)$ is significantly different from that of $SU(3)$ if the hidden fermions have a SM $U(1)_Y$ charge of $O(1)$., Comment: 35 pages, 13 figures

In this report we tell the story of the notion "reduction of couplings" as we witnessed it in the course of time. Born as an innocent child of renormalization theory it first served the study of asymptotic behavior of several couplings in a given model. Reduced couplings appeared as functions of a primary one, compatible with the renormalization group equation and thus solutions of a specific set of ordinary differential equations. If these functions have the form of power series the respective theories resemble standard renormalizable ones and thus widen considerably the area covered until then by symmetries as a tool for constraining the number of couplings consistently. Still on the more abstract level reducing couplings enabled one to construct theories with beta-functions vanishing to all orders of perturbation theory. Reduction of couplings became physicswise truely interesting and phenomenologically important when applied to the standard model and its possible extensions. In particular in the context of supersymmetric theories it became the most powerful tool known today once it was learned how to apply it also to couplings having dimension of mass and to mass parameters. Technically this all relies on the basic property that reducing couplings is a renormalization scheme independent procedure. Predictions of top and Higgs mass prior to their experimental finding highlight the fundamental physical significance of this notion. Twenty-two original articles and one set of lectures are being commented, put into historical perspective and interrelated with each other., Comment: At \href{http://pos.sissa.it/cgi-bin/reader/conf.cgi?confid=222}{Proceedings of Science, Sissa, 155 Trieste, Italy} the reader can find an electronic version which includes the original articles. v2: author added

We consider a two loop radiative seesaw model with an exact $Z_2 \times Z'_2$ symmetry, which can stabilize two or three dark matter particles. The model is a simple extension of the inert scalar model of Ma, where the lepton-number violating mass term of the inert scalar, which is required to be small for small neutrino masses, is generated at the one-loop level. The semi-annihilation processes of different dark matter particles, which are present when there exist more than three different dark matter particles, not only play an important role for their relic densities, but also are responsible for the monochromatic neutrino lines resulting from the dark matter annihilation processes. The monochromatic neutrinos do not suffer from a chiral suppression, and we investigate the observational possibility of the monochromatic neutrino flux from the Sun., Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures

A recently proposed scale invariant extension of the standard model is modified such that it includes a Dark Matter candidate which can annihilate into gamma-rays. For that a non-zero $U(1)_Y$ hypercharge $Q$ is assigned to the fermions in a QCD-like hidden sector. The Nambu-Goldstone bosons, that arise due to dynamical chiral symmetry breaking in the hidden sector, are cold Dark Matter candidates, and the extension allows them to annihilate into two photons, producing a gamma-ray line spectrum. We find that the gamma-ray line energy must be between 0.7 TeV and 0.9 TeV with the velocity-averaged annihilation cross section $10^{-30}\sim 10^{-26}$ cm^3/s for $Q=1/3$. With a non-zero hypercharge $Q$, the hidden sector is no longer completely dark and can be directly probed by collider experiments., Comment: 21 Pages, 8 Figures. Typos corrected, references added, the section about the properties of the dark matter in our model is extended. Result and conclusion unchanged. To appear in JHEP

We propose a new mechanism to generate the electroweak scale within the framework of QCD, which is extended to include conformally invariant scalar degrees of freedom belonging to a larger irreducible representation of $SU(3)_c$. The electroweak symmetry breaking is triggered dynamically via the Higgs portal by the condensation of the colored scalar field around 1 TeV. The mass of the colored boson is restricted to be 350 GeV $\lesssim m_S\lesssim $ 3 TeV, with the upper bound obtained from perturbative renormalization group evolution. This implies that the colored boson can be produced at LHC. If the colored boson is electrically charged, the branching fraction of the Higgs decaying into two photons can slightly increase, and moreover, it can be produced at future linear colliders. Our idea of non-perturbative EW scale generation can serve as a new starting point for more realistic model building in solving the hierarchy problem., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Title changed, references added, matches version published in PRL

The LHC and other experiments show so far no sign of new physics and long-held beliefs about naturalness should be critically reexamined. We discuss therefore in this paper a model with a combined breaking of conformal and electroweak symmetry by a strongly coupled hidden sector. Even though the conformal symmetry is anomalous, this may still provide an explanation of the smallness of electroweak scale compared to the Planck scale. Specifically we start from a classically conformal model, in which a strongly coupled hidden sector undergoes spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking. A coupling via a real scalar field transmits the breaking scale to the Standard Model Higgs and triggers electroweak symmetry breaking. The model contains dark matter candidates in the form of dark pions, whose stability is being guaranteed by the flavor symmetry of hidden quark sector. We study its relic abundance and direct detection prospects with the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio method and discuss the phase transition in the dark sector as well as in the electroweak sector., Comment: 27 Pages, 13 Figures, DM-DM-S coupling is rescaled with wave function renormalization of DM. Changes in thermal average cross-section and to Figure.8. Phenomenology and conclusion remain the same. Matches published version

A non-supersymmetric model of a two-loop radiative seesaw is proposed. The model contains, in addition to the standard model (SM) Higgs boson, an inert SU(2)_L doublet scalar eta and two inert singlet scalars phi and chi. The lepton number is softly broken by a dimension-two operator, and the tree-level Dirac mass is forbidden by Z_2 x Z_2' (or D_{2N}), which predicts the existence of two or three dark matter particles. The scalar sector is minimal; none of the scalar fields can be suppressed for the radiative seesaw mechanism to work. There are by-products: The SM Higgs boson decay into two gamma's is slightly enhanced by eta^+ (the charged component of eta) circulating in one-loop diagrams for h to gamma gamma. The 135 GeV gamma-ray line observed at the Fermi LAT can be also explained by the annihilation of chi dark matter. We employ a mechanism of temperature-dependent annihilation cross section to suppress the continuum gamma rays and the production of antiprotons. The explanation can survive even down to the XENON1T sensitivity limit., Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, version accepted by Physical Review D

The meaning of non-abelian super flavorsymmetry in the presence of Multiple Higgs Doublets is twofold: The first one is to order the Yukawa sector of the standard model, while generating the Cheng-Sher suppression of tree-level Flavor Changing Neutral Currents (FCNCs), and the second one is to soften the fine tuning problem in the scalar potential and at the same time to suppress FCNCs coming from the soft breaking of supersymmetry. If spontaneous CP violation is combined with non-abelian super flavorsymmetry the CP phases in the soft supersymmetry breaking sector can disappear. This feature of super flavorsymmetry is reviewed and elaborated in a supersymmetric model of flavor based on the finite group Q6. The predictions of the model in ferimion mass and mixing, and flavor and CP violation can be tested in future experiments., Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Fortschritte der Physik (April 2012)

Conversions and semi-annihilations of dark matter (DM) particles in addition to the standard DM annihilations are considered in a three-component DM system. We find that the relic abundance of DM can be very sensitive to these non-standard DM annihilation processes, which has been recently found for two-component DM systems. To consider a concrete model of a three-component DM system, we extend the radiative seesaw model of Ma by adding a Majorana fermion \chi and a real scalar boson \phi, to obtain a Z_2 \times Z'_2 DM stabilizing symmetry, where we assume that the DM particles are the inert Higgs boson, \chi and \phi. It is shown how the allowed parameter space, obtained previously in the absence of \chi and \phi, changes. The semi-annihilation process in this model produces monochromatic neutrinos. The observation rate of these monochromatic neutrinos from the Sun at IceCube is estimated. Observations of high energy monochromatic neutrinos from the Sun may indicate a multi-component DM system., Comment: 27 pages, 11 figures

Augmenting the Standard Model by three right-handed neutrinos allows for an anomaly-free gauge group extension G_max = U(1)_(B-L) x U(1)_(L_e-L_mu) x U(1)_(L_mu-L_tau). While simple U(1) subgroups of G_max have already been discussed in the context of approximate flavor symmetries, we show how two-zero textures in the right-handed neutrino Majorana mass matrix can be enforced by the flavor symmetry, which is spontaneously broken very economically by singlet scalars. These zeros lead to two vanishing minors in the low-energy neutrino mass matrix after the seesaw mechanism. This study may provide a new testing ground for a zero-texture approach: the different classes of two-zero textures with almost identical neutrino oscillation phenomenology can in principle be distinguished by their different Z' interactions at colliders., Comment: 12 pages; Extended and clarified discussion; comments on finetuning in the textures; matches published version

We consider a recently proposed supersymmetric radiative seesaw model which is coupled with the minimal supergravity. The conventional R parity and $Z_2$ invariance are imposed, which ensures the existence of a multi-component dark matter system. We assume that the pair of the lightest neutralino $\tilde{\chi}$ and the fermionic component $\tilde{\xi}$ of the inert Higgs supermultiplet is dark matter. If $\tilde{\xi}$ is lighter than $\tilde{\chi}$, and the lightest neutral inert Higgs boson is kinematically forbidden to decay (third dark matter), the allowed region in the $m_0{\rm \mathchar`-}M_{1/2}$ plane increases considerably, where $m_0$ and $M_{1/2}$ are the universal soft-supersymmetry-breaking scalar and gaugino mass, respectively, although the dominant component of the multi-component dark matter system is $\tilde{\chi}$. There is a wide allowed region above the recent LHC limit., Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures

We observe that a recently proposed supersymmetric model with Q6 flavor symmetry admits a new CP violating ground state. A new sum rule for the quark mixing parameters emerges, which is found to be consistent with data. Simple extensions of the model to the neutrino sector suggest an inverted hierarchical mass spectrum with nearly maximal CP violation (|delta_{MNS}| simeq pi/2). Besides reducing the number of parameters in the fermion sector, these models also provide solutions to the SUSY flavor problem and the SUSY CP problem. We construct a renormalizable scalar potential that leads to the spontaneous breaking of CP symmetry and the family symmetry., Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures

We consider a recently proposed supersymmetric model based on the discrete Q6 family group.Because of the family symmetry and spontaneous CP violation the electric dipole moment (EDM), the CP violation in the mixing of the neural mesons and the dark matter mass m_DM are closely related. This triangle relation is controlled by the size of the mu parameters. Loop effects can give rise to large contributions to the soft mass insertions, and we find that the model allows a large CP violation in the B0 system. Its size is comparable with the recent experimental observations at D0 and CDF, and it could be observed at LHCb in the first years. If the parameter space is constrained by the neutron EDM, and flavor changing neutral currents and CP violations in K0 as well as B0 mixing, the triangle relation yields the following bound on the dark matter candidate: 0.12 TeV < m_DM < 0.33 TeV, which is directly observable at LHC. We also compute a_sl^s - a_sl^d, which is observable at LHCb, where a_sl^s(d) is the semi-leptonic CP asymmetryfor the B_s(d) system., Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures

We consider more than one pair of SU(2)_L doublet Higgs supermultiplets in a generic supersymmetric extension of the standard model, and calculate their one-loop contributions to the soft mass insertions delta_{LL} etc. We find that if large supersymmetry breaking in this sector is realized, the loop effects can give rise to large contributions to the soft mass insertions, meaning that they We apply our result to a recently proposed model based on the discrete Q_6 family group, and calculate the non-diagonal matrix element M_{12} of the neutral meson systems. We focus our attention on the extra phases phi_{d,s}^Delta in B_{d,s}-mixing and flavor-specific CP-asymmetries a_{sl}^{d,s} in neutral B decays and obtain values that can be about one order of magnitude larger than the standard model predictions. Our final results are comparable with the recent experimental observations at D0 and CDF, but they are still about a factor of 5 smaller than the recently measured dimuon asymmetry from D0., Comment: 22 pages, 2 figures

The new contribution to the non-diagonal matrix element M_12 of the neutral B_s meson system is investigated in a supersymmetric extension of the standard model based on the discrete Q6 family symmetry. We assume that CP is explicitly, but softly broken only by the b terms in the soft supersymmetry breaking sector. We find that the new contributions to M_12 are real, and that nevertheless there exists an observable difference in the CP phase compared with the standard model. We focus our attention on the flavor-specific CP asymmetry a_fs^s, and find that a_fs^s of the model is mostly negative and its size can be one order of magnitude larger the standard model value. This prediction is consistent with the current experimental value, and can be experimentally tested in the near future., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures

The cosmic ray data of PAMELA/ATIC may be explained by dark matter decay with a decay rate $\tau_{DM}^{-1}\sim 10^{-26}{sec}^{-1} \sim 10^{-45}{eV}$, an energy scale which could not be understood within the framework of the standard model or its simple supersymmetric extension. We propose anomaly induced dark matter decay to exponentially suppress the decay rate, and apply to a supersymmetric extension of the Ma's inert Higgs model of the radiative seesaw mechanism for neutrino masses. In this model the lightest right-handed neutrino $\psi_N$ and the lightest neutralino $\chi$ can fill the observed necessary dark matter relic, and we find that $\psi_N$ can decay into $\chi$ through anomaly with a right order of decay rate, emitting only leptons. All the emitted poistrons are right-handed., Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, figures included, some references added

Predictions of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) parameters are investigated in detail in recent predictive models which are based on low-energy non-abelian discrete family symmetries. Some of the models can already be excluded at the present precision of the determination of the CKM parameters, while some of them seem to survive. We find that to make the uncertainties in the predictions comparable with the assumed uncertainties of $\sim 1^{\circ}$ and $\sim 2^{\circ}$ in $\phi_2$ and $\phi_3$, respectively, at about 50 inverse atto barn achieved at a feature B factory, it is necessary to reduce the uncertainties in the quark masses, especially that of the strange quark mass by more than 60%., Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, v2:discussions about statistical analysis added, one figure added, one reference added, v3:final version, 15 pages, 6 figures

Extending the standard model with three right-handed neutrinos ($N_k$) and a second Higgs doublet ($\eta$), odd under the discrete parity symmetry $Z_2$, Majorana neutrino masses can be generated at 1-loop order. In the resulting model, the lightest stable particle, either a boson or a fermion, might be a dark matter candidate. Here we assume a specific mass spectrum ($M_1\ll M_2 < M_3 < m_\eta$) and derive its consequences for dark matter and collider phenomenology. We show that (i) the lightest right-handed neutrino is a warm dark matter particle that can give a $\sim$10% contribution to the dark matter density; (ii) several decay branching ratios of the charged scalar can be predicted from measured neutrino data. Especially interesting is that large lepton flavour violating rates in muon and tau final states are expected. Finally, we derive upper bounds on the right-handed neutrino Yukawa couplings from the current experimental limit on $Br(\mu\to e\gamma)$., Comment: 25 pages, 7 figures. A few clarifications and references added, collider physics improved, conclusions unchanged. Version matches publication in PRD (Title changed in journal)

We derive anomaly constraints for Abelian and non-Abelian discrete symmetries using the path integral approach. We survey anomalies of discrete symmetries in heterotic orbifolds and find a new relation between such anomalies and the so-called `anomalous' U(1)., Comment: 32 pages, one figure; v2: matches version published in NPB

A supersymmetric extension of the standard model based on the discrete $Q_6$ family symmetry is considered, and we investigate flavor-changing neutral current (FCNC) processes, especially those mediated by heavy flavor-changing neutral Higgs bosons. Because of the family symmetry the number of the independent Yukawa couplings is smaller than that of the observed quantities such as the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix and the quark masses, so that the FCNCs can be parametrized only by the mixing angles and masses of the Higgs fields. We focus our attention on the mass differences of the neutral $K, D$ and $B$ mesons. All the constraints including that from the ratio $\Delta M_{B_s}/\Delta M_{B_d}$ can be satisfied, if the heavy Higgs bosons are heavier than $\sim 1.5$ TeV. If the constraint from $\Delta M_K$ is slightly relaxed, the heavy Higgs bosons can be as light as $\sim 0.4$ TeV, which is within the accessible range of LHC., Comment: 37 pages, 10 figures

Anomalies of discrete R-symmetries appearing in heterotic orbifold models are studied. We find that the mixed anomalies for different gauge groups satisfy the universal Green-Schwarz (GS) condition, indicating that these anomalies are canceled by the GS mechanism. An exact relation between the anomaly coefficients of the discrete R-symmetries and one-loop beta-function coefficients is obtained. We also find that the discrete R-symmetries have a good chance to be unbroken down to the supersymmetry breaking scale. Even below this scale a $Z_2$ subgroup is unbroken, which may be an origin of the R-parity of the minimal supersymmetric standard model. Relations between the R-symmetry anomalies and T-duality anomalies are also investigated., Comment: 19 pages, no figure

We consider a supersymmetric extension of the standard model, which possess a family symmetry based on a binary dihedral group Q6, and investigate the consequences of the family symmetry on the mixing of fermions, FCNCs and the stability of proton., Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, to appear in Proceedings of SUSY06, the 14th International Conference on Supersymmetry and the Unification of Fundamental Interactions, UC Irvine, California, 12-17 June 2006

We consider a non-supersymmetric extension of the standard model with a family symmetry based on D6 Z2 Z2, where one of Z2's is exactly conserved. This Z2 forbids the tree-level neutrino masses and simultaneously ensures the stability of cold dark matter candidates. From the assumption that cold dark matter is fermionic we can single out the D6 singlet right-handed neutrino as the best cold dark mater candidate. We find that an inert charged Higgs with a mass between 300 and 750 GeV decays mostly into an electron (or a positron) with a large missing energy, where the missing energy is carried away by the cold dark matter candidate. This will be a clean signal at LHC., Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures

We propose a model for neutrino mass generation based on both the tree-level seesaw mechanism with a single right-handed neutrino and one-loop radiative effects in a non-supersymmetric framework. The generated mass matrix is composed of two parts which have the same texture and produce neutrino mass eigenvalues and mixing suitable for the explanation of neutrino oscillations. The model has a good CDM candidate which contributes to the radiative neutrino mass generation. The stability of the CDM candidate is ensured by $Z_2$ which is the residual symmetry of a spontaneously broken U(1)$^\prime$. We discuss the values of $U_{e3}$ and also estimate the masses of the relevant fields to realize an appropriate abundance of the CDM., Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, published version

Two of the most important and pressing questions in cosmology and particle physics are: (1) What is the nature of cold dark matter? and (2) Will near-future experiments on neutrinoless double beta decay be able to ascertain that the neutrino is a Majorana particle, i.e. its own antiparticle? We show that these two seemingly unrelated issues are intimately connected if neutrinos acquire mass only because of their interactions with dark matter., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures

Family symmetry could explain large mixing of the atmospheric neutrinos. The same symmetry could explain why the flavor changing current processes in supersymmetric standard models can be so suppressed. It also may be able to explain why the proton is so stable. We investigate these questions in a supersymmetric, renormalizable extension of the standard model, which possess a family symmetry based on a binary dihedral group Q_6. We find that the amplitude for \mu \to e+\gamma enjoys a suppression factor proportional to |(V_{MNS})_{e3}| ~ m_e/(\sqrt{2}m_\mu) ~ 3.4\times 10^{-3}, and that B(p \to K^0 \mu^+)/B(p \to K^0 e^+) ~ |(V_{MNS})_{e3}|^2 ~ 10^{-5}, where V_{MNS} is the neutrino mixing matrix., Comment: 35 pages, 26 figures

Extra dimension deconstructed on a closed chain has naturally the symmetry of a regular polygon, the dihedral symmetry D_N. We assume that the fields are irreducible representations of the binary dihedral group Q_2N, which is the covering group of D_N. It is found that although the orbifold boundary conditions break the dihedral invariance explicitly, the Q_2N symmetry appears as an intact internal, global flavor symmetry at low energies. A concrete predictive model based on Q_6N$ with an odd N is given., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures