We consider supersymmetric extensions of the standard model with two pairs of Higgs doublets. We study the possibility that CP violation is generated spontaneously in the scalar sector via vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of the Higgs fields. Using a simple geometrical interpretation of the minimum conditions we prove that the minimum of the tree-level scalar potential for these models is allways real. We show that complex VEVs can appear once radiative corrections and/or explicit {\it soft} CP violating terms are added to the effective potential.

Manuel Masip Andrija Rasin

It is shown that the minimal supersymmetric left-right model can provide a natural solution to the strong {\it CP} problem without the need for an axion, nor any additional symmetries beyond supersymmetry and parity.

Rabindra N. Mohapatra Andrija Rasin

We systematically study the connection between P, C and strong CP in the context of both non-supersymmetric and supersymmetric left-right theories. We find that the solution to the strong CP problem requires both supersymmetry and parity breaking scales to be around the weak scale.

Rabindra N. Mohapatra Andrija Rasin Goran Senjanovic

We show how the renormalizable see-saw mechanism in the context of supersymmetry and spontaneously broken B-L symmetry implies exact R-parity at all energies. We argue that supersymmetry plays an important role in providing a "canonical" form for the see-saw, in particular in grand unified theories that solve the doublet-triplet splitting problem via the Dimopoulos-Wilczek mechanism.

Charanjit S. Aulakh Alejandra Melfo Andrija Rasin Goran Senjanovic

A promising direction to find physics beyond the standard model is to look for violation of $L_{e,\mu,\tau}$ conservation. In particular the process $e^- e^- \to \mu^- \mu^-$ with the exchange of a gauge bilepton has a striking signal without background and is predicted in the most economical model to have a cross-section an order of magnitude higher than previous estimates.

Paul H. Frampton Andrija Rasin

We study the Higgs sector of a SO(10) grand unified theory which predicts exact conservation of R-parity at all scales and incorporates the see-saw mechanism. We find possible intermediate scales and light states compatible with the constraints coming from the running of the gauge couplings. Such a pattern could lower the SO(10) breaking scale, allowing the d=6 proton decay operators to be comparable in magnitude to the d=5 ones.

Charanjit S. Aulakh Borut Bajc Alejandra Melfo Andrija Rasin Goran Senjanovic

Nonabelian discrete groups are an attractive tool to describe fermion masses and mixings. They have nonsinglet representations which seem particularly suitable for distinguishing the lighter generations from the heavier ones. Also, they do not suffer from the extra constraints a continuous group must obey, e.g. limits on extra particles. Some of the simplest groups are the nonabelian discrete subgroups of SO(3) and SU(2), the so called dihedral groups D_n and dicyclic groups Q_2n, which both have only singlet and doublet representations. After studying which vacuum expectation value (VEV) directions of representations of dihedral and dicyclic groups preserve which subgroups, we construct a simple model based on the group Q_6 \times Q_6. The model reproduces the masses and mixings of all quarks and leptons, including neutrinos. It has a large mixing angle in the mu - tau neutrino sector, in accordance with the recent SuperKamiokande results, while keeping a small quark mixing in the bottom - charm sector. The reason is similar to the one found in the literature based on the SU(5) group: the large_left_ handed mixing angle in the lepton sector corresponds to the large unphysical_right_ handed in the down quark sector. The large mixing is also responsible for the different hierarchies of the two heaviest families in the up and down sector, and can be summarized as the order of magnitude relation: m_s/m_b \sim tan(theta_\mu\tau) \sqrt{m_c/m_t}

Paul H. Frampton Andrija Rasin

Approximate flavor symmetries in the quark sector have been used as a handle on physics beyond the Standard Model. Due to the great interest in neutrino masses and mixings and the wealth of existing and proposed neutrino experiments it is important to extend this analysis to the leptonic sector. We show that in the see-saw mechanism, the neutrino masses and mixing angles do not depend on the details of the right-handed neutrino flavor symmetry breaking, and are related by a simple formula. We propose several ans\"{a}tze which relate different flavor symmetry breaking parameters and find that the MSW solution to the solar neutrino problem is always easily fit. Further, the $\nu_\mu - \nu_\tau$ oscillation is unlikely to solve the atmospheric neutrino problem and, if we fix the neutrino mass scale by the MSW solution, the neutrino masses are found to be too small to close the Universe.

Andrija Rašin João P. Silva

Stringent bounds on baryon and lepton number violating interactions have been derived from the requirement that such interactions, together with electroweak instantons, do not destroy a cosmological baryon asymmetry produced at an extremely high temperature in the big bang. While these bounds apply in specific models, we find that they are generically evaded. In particular, the only requirement for a theory to avoid these bounds is that it contain charged particles which, during a certain cosmological epoch, carry a non-zero hypercharge asymmetry. Hypercharge neutrality of the universe then dictates that the remaining particles must carry a compensating hypercharge density, which is necessarily shared amongst them so as to give a baryon asymmetry. Hence the generation of a hypercharge density in a sector of the theory forces the universe to have a baryon asymmetry.

Aram Antaramian Lawrence J. Hall Andrija Rašin

We show that the low energy limit of the minimal supersymmetric Left-Right models is the supersymmetric standard model with an exact R-parity. The theory predicts a number of light Higgs scalars and fermions with masses much below the $B-L$ and $SU(2)_R$ breaking scales. The non-renormalizable version of the theory has a striking prediction of light doubly charged supermultiplets which may be accessible to experiment. Whereas in the renormalizable case the scale of parity breaking is undetermined, in the non-renormalizable one it must be bigger than about $10^{10} - 10^{12}$ GeV. The precise nature of the see-saw mechanism differs in the two versions, and has important implications for neutrino masses.

Charanjit S. Aulakh Alejandra Melfo Andrija Rasin Goran Senjanovic