Radiative processes (tau -> mu gamma, mu -> e gamma and muon g-2) as probes of ESSM/SO(10)

Abstract

The Extended Supersymmetric Standard Model (ESSM), motivated on several grounds, introduces two vectorlike families (16 + 16-bar) of SO(10)) with masses of order one TeV. It is noted that the successful predictions of prior work on fermion masses and mixings, based on MSSM embedded in SO(10), can be retained rather simply within the ESSM extension. These include an understanding of the smallness of V_{cb} ~ 0.04 and the largeness of nu_mu - nu_tau oscillation angle, sin^2 2 theta_{nu_mu nu_tau}^{osc} ~ 1. We analyze the new contributions arising through the exchange of the vectorlike families of ESSM to radiative processes including tau -> mu gamma, mu -> e gamma, b -> s gamma, EDM of the muon and the muon (g-2). We show that ESSM makes significant contributions especially to the decays tau -> mu gamma and mu -> e gamma and simultaneously to muon (g-2). For a large and plausible range of relevant parameters, we obtain: a_mu^{ESSM} ~ +(10-40) times 10^{-10}, with a correlated prediction that tau -> mu gamma should be discovered with an improvement in its current limit by a factor of 3-20. The implications for mu -> e gamma are very similar. The muon EDM is within reach of the next generation experiments. Thus, ESSM with heavy leptons being lighter than about 700 GeV (say) can be probed effectively by radiative processes before a direct search for these vectorlike leptons and quarks is feasible at the LHC.