arXiv subjects

Marco Picariello

Publications and source records attributed to Marco Picariello.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2020

Covid-19: Data analysis of the Lombardy region and the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia

The data analysis on deaths in the Lombardy Region and of both the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia shows a twofold aspect on the trend of the epidemic: - all the data show a bias linked to the event of March 10th (day for which the Lombardy region data is partial) and the subsequent change in the way in which positive cases and deaths are calculated; - following the containment measures of the Prime Minister's Decree of March 11th, the spread of the epidemic, although still exponential in nature, has a reduced multiplication coefficient. Our analysis concludes that the situation is not yet compatible with a plateau trend and allows us to predict the trend in the number of deaths in the Lombardy region. We therefore conclude that the containment measures put in place by the government on March 11th will allow a reduction in deaths from around 8000 to just over 6500 for March 27th.

physics.soc-ph↗

arXiv2009

Remaining inconsistencies with solar neutrinos: can spin flavour precession provide a clue?

A few inconsistencies remain after it has been ascertained that LMA is the dominant solution to the solar neutrino problem: why is the SuperKamiokande spectrum flat and why is the Chlorine rate prediction over two standard deviations above the data. There also remains the ananswered and important question of whether the active neutrino flux is constant or time varying. We propose a scenario involving spin flavour precession to sterile neutrinos with three active flavours that predicts a flat SuperK spectrum and a Chlorine rate prediction more consistent with data. We also argue that running the Borexino experiment during the next few years may provide a very important clue as to the possible variability of the solar neutrino flux.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Toward minimal renormalizable SUSY SU(5) Grand Unified Model with tribimaximal mixing from A4 Flavor symmetry

We address the problem of rationalizing the pattern of fermion masses and mixings by adding a nonabelian flavor symmetry in a grand unified framework. With this purpose, we include an A4 flavor symmetry into a unified renormalizable SUSY GUT SU(5) model. With the help of the "Type II Seesaw" mechanism we are able to obtain the pattern of observed neutrino mixings in a natural way, through the so called tribimaximal matrix.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Neutrino masses and tribimaximal mixing in the minimal renormalizable supersymmetric SU(5) grand unified model with A4 flavor symmetry

We analyze all possible extensions of the recently proposed minimal renormalizable SUSY SU(5) grand unified model with the inclusion of an additional A4 flavor symmetry. We find that there are five possible cases but only one of them is phenomenologically interesting. We develop in detail such case and we show how the fermion masses and mixing angles come out. As a prediction we obtain the neutrino masses of order of 0.1 eV with an inverted hierarchy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Light sterile neutrinos, spin flavour precession and the solar neutrino experiments

We generalize to three active flavours a previous two flavour model for the resonant spin flavour conversion of solar neutrinos to sterile ones, a mechanism which is added to the well known LMA one. The transition magnetic moments from the muon and tau neutrinos to the sterile play the dominant role in fixing the amount of active flavour suppression. We also show, through numerical integration of the evolution equations, that the data from all solar neutrino experiments except Borexino exhibit a clear preference for a sizable magnetic field either in the convection zone or in the core and radiation zone. This is possibly related to the fact that the data from the first set are average ones taken during a period of mostly intense solar activity, whereas in contrast Borexino data were taken during a period of quiet sun. We argue that the solar neutrino experiments are capable of tracing the possible modulation of the solar magnetic field. Those monitoring the high energy neutrinos, namely the $^8 B$ flux, appear to be sensitive to a field modulation either in the convection zone or in the core and radiation zone. Those monitoring the low energy fluxes will be sensitive to the second type of solar field profiles only. In this way Borexino alone may play an essential role, since it examines both energy sectors, although experimental redundance from other experiments will be most important.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Predictions for "mu -> e gamma" in SUSY from non trivial Quark-Lepton complementarity

We compute the effect of non diagonal neutrino mass in l_i -> l_j gamma in SUSY theories with non trivial Quark-Lepton complementarity and a flavor symmetry. The correlation matrix V_M=U_{CKM}U_{PMNS} is such that its (1,3) entry, as preferred by the present experimental data, is zero. We do not assume that $V_M$ is bimaximal. Quark-Lepton complementarity and the flavor symmetry strongly constrain the theory and we obtain a clear prediction for the contribution to mu -> e gamma and the tau decays tau -> e gamma and tau -> mu gamma. If the Dirac neutrino Yukawa couplings are degenerate but the low energy neutrino masses are not degenerate, then the lepton decays are related among them by the V_M entries. On the other hand, if the Dirac neutrino Yukawa couplings are hierarchical or the low energy neutrino masses are degenerate, then the prediction for the lepton decays comes from the U_{CKM} hierarchy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

SNO+: predictions from standard solar models and spin flavour precession

Time variability of the solar neutrino flux especially in the low and intermediate energy sector remains an open question and, if it exists, it is likely to be originated from the magnetic moment transition from active to light sterile neutrinos at times of intense solar activity and magnetic field. We examine the prospects for the SNO+ experiment to address this important issue and to distinguish between the two classes of solar models which are currently identified as corresponding to a high (SSM I) and a low (SSM II) heavy element abundance. We also evaluate the predictions from these two models for the Chlorine experiment event rate in the standard LMA and LMA+Spin Flavour Precession (SFP) scenarios. It is found that after three years of SNO+ data taking, the pep flux measurement will be able to discriminate between the standard LMA and LMA+SFP scenarios, independently of which is the correct solar model. If the LMA rate is measured, SFP with $B_0 \sim 280kG$ for the resonant $Δm^2_{01}$ can be excluded at more than $4σ$. A low rate would signal new physics, excluding all the 90% allowed range of the standard LMA solution at 3$σ$, and a time variability would be a strong signature of the SFP model. The CNO fluxes are the ones for which the two SSM predictions exhibit the largest differences, so their measurement at SNO+ will be important to favour one or the other. The distinction will be clearer after LMA or SFP are confirmed with pep, but still, a CNO measurement at the level of SSM I/LMA will disfavour SSM II at about $3 σ$. We conclude that consistency between future pep and CNO flux measurements at SNO+ and Chlorine would either favour an LMA+SFP scenario or favour SSM II over SSM I.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Embedding A4 into left-right flavor symmetry: Tribimaximal neutrino mixing and fermion hierarchy

We address two fundamental aspects of flavor physics: the mass hierarchy and the large lepton mixing angles. On one side, left-right flavor symmetry realizes the democratic mass matrix patterns and explains why one family is much heavier than the others. On the other side, discrete flavor symmetry such as A4 leads to the observed tribimaximal mixing for the leptons. We show that, by explicitly breaking the left-right flavor symmetry into the diagonal A4, it is possible to explain both the observed charged fermion mass hierarchies and quark and lepton mixing angles. In particular we predict a heavy 3rd family, the tribimaximal mixing for the leptons, and we suggest a possible origin of the Cabibbo and other mixing angles for the quarks.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Predictions from non trivial Quark-Lepton complementarity

The complementarity between the quark and lepton mixing matrices is shown to provide robust predictions. We obtain these predictions by first showing that the matrix V_M, product of the quark (CKM) and lepton (PMNS) mixing matrices, may have a zero (1,3) entry which is favored by experimental data. We obtain that any theoretical model with a vanishing (1,3) entry of V_M that is in agreement with quark data, solar, and atmospheric mixing angle leads to $θ_{13}^{PMNS}=(9{^{+1}_{-2}})^\circ$. This value is consistent with the present 90% CL experimental upper limit. We also investigate the prediction on the lepton phases. We show that the actual evidence, under the only assumption that the correlation matrix V_M product of CKM and PMNS has a zero in the entry (1,3), gives us a prediction for the three CP-violating invariants J, S_1, and S_2. A better determination of the lepton mixing angles will give stronger prediction for the CP-violating invariants in the lepton sector. These will be tested in the next generation experiments. Finally we compute the effect of non diagonal neutrino mass in "l_i -> l_j gamma" in SUSY theories with non trivial Quark-Lepton complementarity and a flavor symmetry. The Quark-Lepton complementarity and the flavor symmetry strongly constrain the theory and we obtain a clear prediction for the contribution to "mu -> e gamma" and the "tau" decays "tau -> e gamma" and "tau -> mu gamma". If the Dirac neutrino Yukawa couplings are degenerate but the low energy neutrino masses are not degenerate, then the lepton decays are related among them by the V_M entries. On the other hand, if the Dirac neutrino Yukawa couplings are hierarchical or the low energy neutrino masses are degenerate, then the prediction for the lepton decays comes from the CKM hierarchy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Two Gallium data sets, spin flavour precession and KamLAND

We reexamine the possibility of a time modulation of the low energy solar neutrino flux which is suggested by the average decrease of the Ga data in line with our previous arguments. We perform two separate fits to the solar neutrino data, one corresponding to 'high' and the other to 'low' Ga data, associated with low and high solar activity respectively. We therefore consider an alternative to the conventional solar+KamLAND fitting, which allows one to explore the much wider range of the $θ_{12}$ angle permitted by the KamLAND fitting alone. We find a solution with parameters $Δm^2_{21}=8.2\times 10^{-5} eV^2, tan^{2}θ=0.31$ in which the 'high' and the 'low' Ga rates lie far apart and are close to their central values and is of comparable quality to the global best fit, where these rates lie much closer to each other. This is an indication that the best fit in which all solar and KamLAND data are used is not a good measure of the separation of the two Ga data sets, as the information from the low energy neutrino modulation is dissimulated in the wealth of data. Furthermore for the parameter set proposed one obtains an equally good fit to the KamLAND energy spectrum and an even better fit than the 'conventional' LMA one for the reactor antineutrino survival probability as measured by KamLAND.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

A model for fermion masses and lepton mixing in SO(10) x A4

The discrete flavor symmetry A4 explains very well neutrino data at low energy, but it seems difficult to extend it to grand unified models since in general left-handed and right-handed fields belong to different A4 representations. Recently it has been proposed a model where all the fermions equally transform under A4. We study here a concrete SO(10) realization of such a model providing small neutrino masses through the seesaw mechanism. We fit at tree level the charged fermion masses run up to the unification scale. Some fermion masses properties come from the SO(10) symmetry while lepton mixing angles are consequence of the A4 properties. Moreover, our model predicts the absolute value of the neutrino masses, these ones are in the range $m_ν\simeq 0.005-0.052 eV$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Neutrino CP violating parameters from nontrivial quark-lepton correlation: a S3xGUT model

We investigate the prediction on the lepton phases in theories with a non trivial correlation between quark (CKM) and lepton (PMNS) mixing matrices. We show that the actual evidence, under the only assumption that the correlation matrix $V^M$ product of $CKM$ and $PMNS$ has a zero in the entry $(1,3)$, gives us a prediction for the three CP-violating invariants $J$, $S_1$, and $S_2$. A better determination of the lepton mixing angles will give a strong prediction of the CP-violating invariants in the lepton sector. These will be tested in the next generation experiments. To clarify how our prediction works, we show how a model based on a Grand Unified Theory and the permutation flavor symmetry $S_3$ predicts $V^M_{13}=0$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Highest states in light-cone $AdS_5\times S^5$ superstring

We study the highest states in the compact rank-1 sectors of the AdS5 X S5 superstring in the framework of the recently proposed light cone Bethe Ansatz equations. In the su(1|1) sector we present strong coupling expansions in the two limits L,lambda -> OO (expanding in power of lambda^{-1/4} with fixed large L) and lambda, L -> OO (expanding in power of 1/L with fixed large lambda) where lambda is the 't Hooft coupling and L is the number of Bethe momenta. The two limits do not commute apart from the leading term which reproduces the result obtained with the Arutyunov-Frolov-Staudacher phase in the lambda, L -> OO limit. In the su(2) sector we perform the strong coupling expansions in the L->OO limit up to O(lambda^{-1/4}), and our result is in agreement with previuos String Bethe Ansatz analysis.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Quark-lepton complementarity, neutrino and standard model data predict $(θ_{13}^{PMNS}=9^{+1}_{-2})^\circ$

The complementarity between the quark and lepton mixing matrices is shown to provide a robust prediction for the neutrino mixing angle $θ_{13}^{PMNS}$. We obtain this prediction by first showing that the matrix $V_M$, product of the CKM and PMNS mixing matrices, may have a zero (1,3) entry which is favored by experimental data. Hence models with bimaximal or tribimaximal forms of the correlation matrix $V_M$ are quite possible. Any theoretical model with a vanishing (1,3) entry of $V_M$ that is in agreement with quark data, solar, and atmospheric mixing angle leads to $θ_{13}^{PMNS}=(9{^{+1}_{-2}})^\circ$. This value is consistent with the present 90% CL experimental upper limit.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

The flavor physics in unified gauge theory from an S_3*P discrete symmetry

We investigate the phenomenological implication of the discrete symmetry S_3*P on flavor physics in SO(10) unified theory. We construct a minimal renormalizable model which reproduces all the masses and mixing angle of both quarks and leptons. As usually the SO(10) symmetry gives up to relations between the down sector and the charged lepton masses. The underlining discrete symmetry gives a contribution (from the charged lepton sector) to the PMNS mixing matrix which is bimaximal. This gives a strong correlation between the down quark and charged lepton masses, and the lepton mixing angles. We obtain that the small entries V_{ub}, V_{cb}, V_{td}, and V_{ts} in the CKM matrix are related to the small value of the ratio "dm^2_{sol}/dm^2_{atm}": they come from both the S_2*P structure of our model and the small ratio of the other quark masses with respect to m_t.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

Gallium data variability and KamLAND

We present an alternative fit to the conventional solar+KamLAND one which takes into account the possible time dependence of the Ga data and relies on the partial conversion of active $\to$ sterile neutrinos via the magnetic moment/solar field interaction. We evaluate the prediction for the solar neutrino rates obtaining a fit of similar quality as the LMA one. We also evaluate the KamLAND antineutrino survival probability as a function of reactor distance and find a better agreement with data as compared to LMA.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2005

Neutrino Mass Matrices with Vanishing Determinant and $θ_{13}$

We investigate the prospects for scenarios with vanishing determinant neutrino mass matrices and vanishing $θ_{13}$ mixing angle. Normal and inverse mass hierarchies are considered separately. For normal hierarchy it is found that neutrinoless double beta decay cannot be observed by any of the present or next generation experiments. For inverse hierarchy the neutrinoless double beta decay is, on the contrary, accessible to experiments. We also analyse for both hierarchies the case for texture zeros and equalities between mass matrix elements. No texture zeros are found to be possible nor any such equalities, apart from the obvious ones.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2005

Some Conjectures on the Limit of Infinite Higgs Mass

We consider a possible field theory candidate for the electroweak SU(2) x U(1) model where the limit of infinitely sharp Higgs potential is performed. We show that it is possible to formulate such a limit as a Stueckelberg massive non abelian gauge theory.

hep-th↗