arXiv subjects

Christopher D. Carone

Publications and source records attributed to Christopher D. Carone.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

Low-scale Quantum Gravity and Double Nucleon Decay

In models with a low quantum gravity scale, one might expect sizable effects from nonrenormalizable interactions that violate the global symmetries of the standard model. While some mechanism must be invoked in such theories to suppress higher-dimension operators that contribute to proton decay, operators that change baryon number by two units are less dangerous and may be present at phenomenologically interesting levels. Here we focus on Delta B=2 operators that also change strangeness. We demonstrate how to compute explicitly a typical nucleon-nucleon decay amplitude, assuming a nonvanishing six-quark cluster probability and MIT bag model wave functions. We then use our results to estimate the rate for other possible modes. We find that such baryon-number-violating decays may be experimentally accessible if the operators in question are present and the Planck scale is less than ~ 400 TeV.

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arXiv2001

Orthogonal U(1)'s, Proton Stability and Extra Dimensions

In models with a low quantum gravity scale, one might expect that all operators consistent with gauge symmetries are present in the low-energy effective theory. If this is the case, some mechanism must be present to adequately suppress operators that violate baryon number. Here we explore the possibility that the desired suppression is a consequence of an additional, spontaneously-broken, non-anomalous U(1) symmetry that is orthogonal to hypercharge. We show that successful models can be constructed in which the additional particle content necessary to cancel anomalies is minimal, and compatible with the constraints from precision electroweak measurements and gauge unification. If unification is sacrificed, and only the new U(1) and its associated Higgs fields live in the bulk, it is possible that the gauge field zero mode and first few Kaluza-Klein excitations lie within the kinematic reach of the Tevatron. For gauge couplings not much smaller than that of hypercharge, we show that these highly leptophobic states could evade detection at Run I, but be discovered at Run II. Our scenario presents an alternative to the `cartographic' solution to baryon number violation in which leptons and quarks are separated in an extra dimension.

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arXiv2000

Bosonic Topcolor

A topcolor model is presented that contains both composite and fundamental scalar fields. Strong dynamics accounts for most of the top quark mass and part of the electroweak symmetry breaking scale. The fundamental scalar is weakly coupled and transmits its share of electroweak symmetry breaking to the light fermions. The model is allowed by the current experimental bounds, and can give a potentially large contribution to $D^0-\bar{D^0}$ mixing.

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arXiv2000

A Lot of Flavor Physics from a Little Symmetry

Recent neutrino parameter measurements place increasingly stringent constraints on acceptable supersymmetric theories of flavor. A very fruitful approach is the application of non-Abelian discrete gauged flavor symmetries G_f. We discuss a highly successful model using G_f = T' x Z_3, where T' is a non-Abelian group based on the symmetries of a tetrahedron. This model reproduces the basic features of the U(2) model, and also predicts neutrino masses and mixing angles consistent with either the SMA or LMA solutions.

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arXiv2000

Bounds on Bosonic Topcolor

We consider the phenomenology of models in which electroweak symmetry breaking is triggered by new strong dynamics affecting the third generation and is transmitted to the light fermions via a fundamental Higgs doublet. While similar in spirit to the old bosonic technicolor idea, such `bosonic topcolor' models are allowed by current phenomenological constraints, and may arise naturally in models with large extra dimensions. We study the parameter space of a minimal low-energy theory, including bounds from Higgs boson searches, precision electroweak parameters, and flavor changing neutral current processes. We show that the model can provide a contribution to D0-D0-bar mixing as large as the current experimental bound.

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arXiv2000

Predictions for Decays of Radially Excited Baryons

We consider the strong decays of the lowest-lying radially excited baryons, in SU(6) language the states comprising the first excited 56-plet. Assuming a single-quark decay approximation, and negligible configuration mixing, we make model-independent predictions for the partial decay widths to final states with a single meson. Masses of unobserved states are predicted using results from large-N_c QCD, and the momentum dependence of the one-body decay amplitude is determined phenomenologically by fitting to observed decays, so that the baryon spatial wave functions are not assumed. We point out that comparison of these predictions to experiment may shed light on whether the Roper resonance can be consistently interpreted as a three-quark state.

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arXiv2000

Baryon Spectrum in the Large N_c Limit

We present a model-independent analysis of the mass spectrum of nonstrange L=1 baryons in large N_c QCD. The 1/N_c expansion is used to select and order a basis of effective operators that spans the nine observables (seven masses and two mixing angles). Comparison to the data provides support for the validity of the 1/N_c expansion, but also reveals that only a few nontrivial operators are strongly preferred. We show that our results have a consistent interpretation in a constituent quark model with pseudoscalar meson exchange interactions.

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arXiv2000

Maximal Neutrino Mixing from a Minimal Flavor Symmetry

We study a number of models, based on a non-Abelian discrete group, that successfully reproduce the simple and predictive Yukawa textures usually associated with U(2) theories of flavor. These models allow for solutions to the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems that do not require altering successful predictions for the charged fermions or introducing sterile neutrinos. Although Yukawa matrices are hierarchical in the models we consider, the mixing between second- and third-generation neutrinos is naturally large. We first present a quantitative analysis of a minimal model proposed in earlier work, consisting of a global fit to fermion masses and mixing angles, including the most important renormalization group effects. We then propose two new variant models: The first reproduces all important features of the SU(5)xU(2) unified theory with neither SU(5) nor U(2). The second demonstrates that discrete subgroups of SU(2) can be used in constructing viable supersymmetric theories of flavor without scalar universality even though SU(2) by itself cannot.

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arXiv2000

U(2) Flavor Physics without U(2) Symmetry

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 do not involve modification of the original charged fermion Yukawa textures, or the introduction of sterile neutrinos.

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arXiv1999

Orbitally Excited Baryons in Large N_c QCD

We present a model-independent analysis of the mass spectrum of nonstrange l=1 baryons in large N_c QCD. The 1/N_c expansion is used to select and order a basis of effective operators that spans the nine observables (seven masses and two mixing angles). Comparison to the data provides support for the validity of the 1/N_c expansion, but also reveals that only a few nontrivial operators are strongly preferred. We show that our results have a consistent interpretation in a constituent quark model with pseudoscalar meson exchange interactions.

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arXiv1999

Electroweak Constraints on Extended Models with Extra Dimensions

Electroweak measurements place significant bounds on higher-dimensional versions of the standard model in which the gauge and Higgs fields have Kaluza-Klein excitations. These bounds may be altered quantitatively if chiral matter is also allowed to propagate in the higher-dimensional `bulk'. We determine the electroweak constraints on a number of models of this type, including scenarios in which only the leptons or only the first two generations of matter fields propagate in the bulk. We also consider the possibility that different factors of the electroweak gauge group may be distinguished by their bulk/three-brane assignment, and study a minimal extra-dimensional Z' model. We find typical bounds on the compactification scale between 1.5 and 4 TeV, and comment on models in which these bounds might be significantly relaxed.

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arXiv1999

A Hexagonal Theory of Flavor

We construct a supersymmetric theory of flavor based on the discrete gauge group (D_6)^2, where D_6 describes the symmetry of a regular hexagon under proper rotations in three dimensions. The representation structure of the group allows one to distinguish the third from the lighter two generations of matter fields, so that in the symmetry limit only the top quark Yukawa coupling is allowed and scalar superpartners of the first two generations are degenerate. Light fermion Yukawa couplings arise from a sequential breaking of the flavor symmetry, and supersymmetric flavor-changing processes remain adequately suppressed. We contrast our model with others based on non-Abelian discrete gauge symmetries described in the literature, and discuss the challenges in constructing more minimal flavor models based on this approach.

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arXiv1999

Gauge Unification in Nonminimal Models with Extra Dimensions

We consider gauge unification in nonminimal models with extra spacetime dimensions above the TeV scale. We study the possibility that only a a subset of the supersymmetric standard model gauge and Higgs fields live in the higher dimensional `bulk'. In two of the models we present, a choice for bulk MSSM matter fields can be found that preserves approximate gauge unification. This is true without the addition of any exotic matter multiplets, beyond the chiral conjugate mirror fields required to make the Kaluza-Klein excitations of the matter fields vector-like. In a third model, only a small sector of additional matter fields is introduced. In each of these examples we show that gauge unification can be obtained without the necessity of large string scale threshold corrections. We comment briefly on the phenomenology of these models in the case where the compactification scale is as low as possible.

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arXiv1998

Operator Analysis of L=1 Baryon Masses in Large N_c QCD

We consider in detail the mass operator analysis for the nonstrange L=1 excited baryons in large N_c QCD. We present a straightforward procedure for constructing the large N_c baryon wavefunctions, and provide complete analytic expressions for the matrix elements of all the independent isosinglet mass operators. We discuss the relationship between the old-fashioned operator analyses based on nonrelativistic SU(6) symmetry and the modern large N_c approach, which has a firmer theoretical foundation. We then suggest a possible dynamical interpretation for the subset of operators preferred strongly by the data.

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arXiv1998

Limits on a Light Leptophobic Gauge Boson

We consider the phenomenology of a naturally leptophobic $Z$-prime boson in the 1 to 10 GeV mass range. The $Z$-prime's couplings to leptons arise only via a radiatively-generated kinetic mixing with the $Z$ and photon, and hence are suppressed. We map out the allowed regions of the mass-coupling plane and show that such a $Z$-prime that couples to quarks with electromagnetic strength is not excluded by the current data. We then discuss possible signatures at bottom and charm factories.

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arXiv1998

Decays of l=1 Baryons to Delta gamma

Recently we considered the electromagnetic decays of the orbitally-excited SU(6) 70-plet baryons in large-N_c QCD, fitting to the helicity amplitudes measured in photoproduction experiments. Using the results of this analysis, we predict the helicity amplitudes for the decays N^* \to Δγand Δ^* \to Δγ. These decays can be studied at a number of new experimental facilities, and thus provide another nontrivial test of the lowest order large-N_c predictions.

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arXiv1998

Masses of Orbitally Excited Baryons in Large N_c QCD

We present the first phenomenological study of the masses of orbitally excited baryons in large N_c QCD. Restricting here to the nonstrange sector of the L=1 baryons, the 1/N_c expansion is used to order and select a basis of effective operators that spans the nine observables (seven masses and two mixing angles). Fits are performed using subsets of the complete set of nine operators, including corrections up to O(1/N_c) where leading order is N_c^1. This study shows that the 1/N_c expansion provides an excellent framework for analyzing the mass spectrum, and uncovers a new hierarchy of operator contributions.

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arXiv1998

Photoproduction of of l=1 Baryons: Quark Model versus Large N_c

We consider the electromagnetic decays of the orbitally-excited SU(6) 70-plet baryons, to compare the predictions of the naive quark model with those of large-N_c QCD. The helicity amplitudes measured in N^* photoproduction are computed in a large-N_c effective field theory, based on a Hartree approximation, and the amplitudes are fit to the current experimental data. Our results indicate that the success of the naive quark model predictions cannot be explained by large-N_c arguments alone. This is consistent with the conclusions of an earlier study of the N^*\to Nπdecays, that utilized the same approach.

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