arXiv subjects

Rabindra N. Mohapatra

Publications and source records attributed to Rabindra N. Mohapatra.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Theoretical Constraints on Neutron--Mirror-Neutron Oscillation

Mirror models lead to the possibility that neutron ($n$) can oscillate into its mirror partner ($n'$) inspiring several experimental searches for this phenomenon. The condition for observability of this oscillation is a high degree of degeneracy between the $n$ and $n'$ masses, which can be guaranteed if there is exact parity symmetry taking all particles to their mirror partners. However consistency of these models with big bang nucleosynthesis requires that this parity symmetry be broken in the early universe in a scenario called asymmetric inflation. In this paper we study the consistency of an observable $n-n'$ oscillations signal with asymmetric inflation and derive various theoretical constraints. In particular, we find that the reheat temperature after inflation should lie below 2.5 TeV, and predict a singlet fermion with a mass below 100 GeV. In simple models where the right-handed neutrino is a mediator of baryon number violating interactions we find that the light neutrinos are Dirac fermions with their masses arising radiatively through one-loop diagrams.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

A Unified Model for Inflation, pseudo-Goldstone Dark Matter, Neutrino Mass and Baryogenesis

We present a unified theory of inflation, neutrino mass, baryogenesis and dark matter where global lepton number symmetry and its breaking play a crucial role. The basic idea is to use a lepton number carrying complex scalar field as the inflaton as well as the field that implements Affleck-Dine (AD) leptogenesis. Dark matter is the massive majoron which is a pseudo-Goldstone boson, resulting from the spontaneous breaking of lepton number symmetry supplemented by explicit lepton number violation needed to implement AD leptogenesis. The magnitude of the resulting $n_B/s$ in the model is related to the mass of the pseudo-Goldstone dark matter, connecting two apparently disconnected cosmological observations. Inverse seesaw mechanism with lepton number breaking at low scale is crucial to prevent washout of the lepton asymmetry during the universe's evolution. The model seems to provide an economical solution to several puzzles of the standard model of particle physics and cosmology in one stroke.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Affleck-Dine Baryogenesis with Observable Neutron-Anti-Neutron Oscillation

We discuss the implications of Affleck-Dine (AD) baryogenesis for different classes of baryon and lepton number violating processes: specially focussing on implications for neutron-anti-neutron ($n-\bar{n}$) oscillation. The class of AD baryogenesis scenarios we work with uses the AD field also as the inflaton which is nonminimally coupled to gravity. We find that adequate baryogenesis and no washout by the baryon number ($B$) or the lepton number ($L$) violating operators implies constraints on the observability of the process or in the case of neutrino mass with compatibility with neutrino oscillation observations. In particular, for $n-\bar{n}$ oscillation, we study some of the familiar operators that connect the AD field to $n-\bar{n}$ oscillation and find that a split scalar spectrum model turns out to be most advantageous for obtaining an observable $n-\bar{n}$ while remaining consistent with AD baryogenesis. It is interesting that this spectrum is similar to a non-supersymmetyric SO(10) model for observable $n-\bar{n}$ oscillation discussed before, suggesting that this AD scenario can be embedded into a grand unified SO(10) model. We also find that for a low scale (all scales in the 100 TeV range), there is a narrow range of parameters where the observable $n-\bar{n}$ oscillation is compatible with viable AD baryogenesis. A feature of this baryogenesis scenario for $n-\bar{n}$ oscillation is that it necessarily predicts processes with $ΔB=4$ or higher, all be it with highly suppressed amplitudes.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Light, Long-Lived $B-L$ Gauge and Higgs Bosons at the DUNE Near Detector

The low-energy $U(1)_{B-L}$ gauge symmetry is well-motivated as part of beyond Standard Model physics related to neutrino mass generation. We show that a light $B-L$ gauge boson $Z{'}$ and the associated $U(1)_{B-L}$-breaking scalar $φ$ can both be effectively searched for at high-intensity facilities such as the near detector complex of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). Without the scalar $φ$, the $Z{'}$ can be probed at DUNE up to mass of 1 GeV, with the corresponding gauge coupling $g_{BL}$ as low as $10^{-9}$. In the presence of the scalar $φ$ with gauge coupling to $Z{'}$, the DUNE capability of discovering the gauge boson $Z{'}$ can be significantly improved, even by one order of magnitude in $g_{BL}$, due to additional production from the decay $φ\to Z{'}Z{'}$. The DUNE sensitivity is largely complementary to other long-lived $Z{'}$ searches at beam-dump facilities such as FASER and SHiP, as well as astrophysical and cosmological probes. On the other hand, the prospects of detecting $φ$ itself at DUNE are to some extent weakened in presence of $Z{'}$, compared to the case without the gauge interaction.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Stellar limits on light CP-even scalar

We revisit the astrophysical constraints on a generic light CP-even scalar particle $S$, mixing with the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson, from observed luminosities of the Sun, red giants, white dwarfs and horizontal-branch stars. The production of $S$ in the stellar core is dominated by the electron-nuclei bremsstrahlung process $e + N \to e + N + S$. With the $S$ decay and reabsorption processes taken into consideration, we find that the stellar luminosity limits exclude a broad range of parameter space in the $S$ mass-mixing plane, with the scalar mass up to 350 keV and the mixing angle ranging from $7.0\times10^{-18}$ to $3.4\times10^{-3}$. We also apply the stellar limits to a real-singlet scalar extension of the SM, where we can relate the mixing angle to the parameters in the scalar potential. In both the generic scalar case and the real-singlet extension, we show that the stellar limits preclude the scalar interpretation of the recently observed XENON1T excess in terms of the $S$ particles emitted from the Sun.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Revisiting supernova constraints on a light CP-even scalar

A light CP-even Standard Model (SM) gauge-singlet scalar $S$ can be produced abundantly in the supernova core, via the nucleon bremsstrahlung process $N N \to N N S$, due to its mixing with the SM Higgs boson. Including the effective $S$ coupling to both nucleons and the pion mediators, we evaluate the production amplitude for the $S$ particle and point out a key difference with the well-known light CP-odd scalar (axion) and vector boson (dark photon) cases. Taking the subsequent decay and re-absorption of $S$ into account, we present a complete calculation of the energy loss rate for the $S$ particle. We then use the SN1987A luminosity constraints to derive updated supernova limits on the mixing of the scalar $S$ with the SM Higgs boson. We find that the mixing angle $\sinθ$ with the SM Higgs is excluded only in the narrow range of $3.9 \times 10^{-7}$ to $7.0 \times 10^{-6}$, depending on the scalar mass up to about 147 MeV, beyond which the supernova limit disappears.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Dark Matter Constraints on Low Mass and Weakly Coupled B-L Gauge Boson

We investigate constraints on the new $B-L$ gauge boson ($Z_{BL}$) mass and coupling ($g_{BL}$) in a $U(1)_{B-L}$ extension of the standard model (SM) with an SM singlet Dirac fermion ($ζ$) as dark matter (DM). The DM particle $ζ$ has an arbitrary $B-L$ charge $Q$ chosen to guarantee its stability. We focus on the small $Z_{BL}$ mass and small $g_{BL}$ regions of the model, and find new constraints for the cases where the DM relic abundance arises from thermal freeze-out as well as freeze-in mechanisms. In the thermal freeze-out case, the DM coupling is given by $g_ζ\equiv g_{BL}Q\simeq0.016\sqrt{m_ζ[{\rm GeV}]}$ to reproduce the observed DM relic density and $g_{BL}\geq 2.7 \times 10^{-8} \sqrt{m_ζ[{\rm GeV}]}$ for the DM particle to be in thermal equilibrium prior to freeze-out. Combined with the direct and indirect DM detection constraints, we find that the allowed mass regions are limited to be $m_ζ\gtrsim 200$ GeV and $M_{Z_{BL}} \gtrsim 10$ GeV. We then discuss the lower $g_{BL}$ values where the freeze-in scenario operates and find the following relic density constraints on parameters depending on the $g_{BL}$ range and dark matter mass: Case (A): for $g_{BL}\geq 2.7\times10^{-8}\sqrt{m_ζ[{\rm GeV}]}$, one has $g^2_ζ\,g^2_{BL}+\frac{0.82}{1.2}\,g^4_ζ\simeq 8.2\times10^{-24}$ and Case (B): for $g_{BL} < 2.7 \times 10^{-8} \sqrt{m_ζ[{\rm GeV}]}$, there are two separate constraints depending on $m_ζ$. Case (B1): for $m_ζ\lesssim 2.5{\rm TeV}$, we find $g_ζ^2\,g_{BL}^2\simeq 8.2\times10^{-24}\,\left( \frac{m_ζ}{2.5\,{\rm TeV}} \right)$ and case (B2): for $m_ζ\gtrsim 2.5$ TeV, we have $g_ζ^2 \, g_{BL}^2 \simeq 8.2 \times 10^{-24}$. For this case, we display the various parameter regions of the model that can be probed by a variety of ``Lifetime Frontier" experiments such as FASER, FASER2, Belle II, SHiP and LDMX.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Predictive Dirac and Majorana Neutrino Mass Textures from $SU(6)$ Grand Unified Theories

We present simple and predictive realizations of neutrino masses in theories based on the $SU(6)$ grand unifying group. At the level of the lowest-dimension operators, this class of models predicts a skew-symmetric flavor structure for the Dirac mass term of the neutrinos. In the case that neutrinos are Dirac particles, the lowest-order prediction of this construction is then one massless neutrino and two degenerate massive neutrinos. Higher-dimensional operators suppressed by the Planck scale perturb this spectrum, allowing a good fit to the observed neutrino mass matrix. A firm prediction of this construction is an inverted neutrino mass spectrum with the lightest neutrino hierarchically lighter than the other two, so that the sum of neutrino masses lies close to the lower bound for an inverted hierarchy. In the alternate case that neutrinos are Majorana particles, the mass spectrum can be either normal or inverted. However, the lightest neutrino is once again hierarchically lighter than the other two, so that the sum of neutrino masses is predicted to lie close to the corresponding lower bound for the normal or inverted hierarchy. Near future cosmological measurements will be able to test the predictions of this scenario for the sum of neutrino masses. In the case of Majorana neutrinos that exhibit an inverted hierarchy, future neutrinoless double beta experiments can provide a complementary probe.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Freeze-in Dark Matter from a Minimal B-L Model and Possible Grand Unification

We show that a minimal local $B-L$ symmetry extension of the standard model can provide a unified description of both neutrino mass and dark matter. In our model, $B-L$ breaking is responsible for neutrino masses via the seesaw mechanism, whereas the real part of the $B-L$ breaking Higgs field (called $σ$ here) plays the role of a freeze-in dark matter candidate for a wide parameter range. Since the $σ$-particle is unstable, for it to qualify as dark matter, its lifetime must be longer than $10^{25}$ seconds implying that the $B-L$ gauge coupling must be very small. This in turn implies that the dark matter relic density must arise from the freeze-in mechanism. The dark matter lifetime bound combined with dark matter relic density gives a lower bound on the $B-L$ gauge boson mass in terms of the dark matter mass. We point out parameter domains where the dark matter mass can be both in the keV to MeV range as well as in the PeV range. We discuss ways to test some parameter ranges of this scenario in collider experiments. Finally, we show that if instead of $B-L$, we consider the extra $U(1)$ generator to be $-4I_{3R}+3(B-L)$, the basic phenomenology remains unaltered and for certain gauge coupling ranges, the model can be embedded into a five dimensional $SO(10)$ grand unified theory.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Constraints on long-lived light scalars with flavor-changing couplings and the KOTO anomaly

Recently, the KOTO experiment at J-PARC has observed three anomalous events in the flavor-changing rare decay $K_L \to π^0 ν\barν$, which indicates that the corresponding branching ratio is almost two orders of magnitude larger than the Standard Model (SM) prediction. Taking this intriguing result at face value, we explore model implications of its viable explanation by a long-lived light SM-singlet scalar ($S$) emission, i.e. $K_L \to π^0 S$, with $S$ decaying outside the KOTO detector. We derive constraints on the parameter space of such a light scalar in the context of three simple models: (i) a real singlet scalar extension of the SM; (ii) a $B-L$ extension where neutrino masses arise via type-I seesaw mechanism from $B-L$ breaking; and (iii) a TeV-scale left-right symmetric model. The flavor-changing couplings needed to explain the KOTO excess in models (i) and (ii) originate from tree-level mixing of the scalar with SM Higgs field ($h$), and in model (iii), from the mixing of $S$ and $h$ with the neutral component of the heavy bidoublet Higgs field. After taking into account the stringent constraints from high-precision searches for flavor-changing charged and neutral kaon decays at NA62, E949, KOTO and CHARM experiments, as well as the astrophysical and cosmological constraints on a light scalar, such as those from supernova energy loss, big bang nucleosynthesis and relativistic degrees of freedom, we find that the light scalar interpretation of the KOTO excess is allowed in all these models. Parts of the parameter range can be tested in future NA62 and DUNE experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

CP Violating Effects in Heavy Neutrino Oscillations: Implications for Colliders and Leptogenesis

Two of the important implications of the seesaw mechanism are: (i) a simple way to understand the small neutrino masses, and (ii) the origin of matter-anti-matter asymmetry in the universe via the leptogenesis mechanism. For TeV-scale seesaw models, successful leptogenesis requires that the right-handed neutrinos (RHNs) must be quasi-degenerate and if they have CP violating phases, they also contribute to the CP asymmetry. We investigate this in the TeV-scale left-right models for seesaw and point out a way to probe the quasi-degeneracy possibility with CP violating mixings for RHNs in hadron colliders using simple observables constructed out of same-sign dilepton charge asymmetry (SSCA). In particular, we isolate the parameter regions of the model, where the viability of leptogenesis can be tested using the SSCA at the Large Hadron Collider, as well as future 27 TeV and 100 TeV hadron colliders. We also independently confirm an earlier result that there is a generic lower bound on the $W_R$ mass of about 10 TeV for leptogenesis to work.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

A Grand Unified Parity Solution to Strong CP Problem

A beyond the standard model theory that respects parity symmetry at short distances is known to provide a solution to the strong CP problem without the need for an axion, while keeping the CKM phase unconstrained. In this paper we present a supersymmetric SO(10) grand unified embedding of this idea with Yukawa couplings generated by {\bf 10}, ${\bf \overline{126}}$ and {\bf 120} Higgs fields. This model is known to provide a unified description of masses and mixings of quarks and leptons. When CP symmetry is imposed on this model, the discrete gauge subgroup C of SO(10) combines with it to generate an effective parity symmetry, leading to hermitian quark mass matrices. Imposing an additional discrete symmetry, $G$, we show that there are no other tree level sources of $θ$ in the model; $G$ also guarantees that the one- and two-loop contributions to $θ$ vanish. We then show that the leading three-loop effects and the effect of higher-dimensional operators invariant under $G$ give rise to $θ$ near the current experimental bound, making the model testable in the current searches for neutron electric dipole moment.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Long-Lived Particles at the Energy Frontier: The MATHUSLA Physics Case

We examine the theoretical motivations for long-lived particle (LLP) signals at the LHC in a comprehensive survey of Standard Model (SM) extensions. LLPs are a common prediction of a wide range of theories that address unsolved fundamental mysteries such as naturalness, dark matter, baryogenesis and neutrino masses, and represent a natural and generic possibility for physics beyond the SM (BSM). In most cases the LLP lifetime can be treated as a free parameter from the $μ$m scale up to the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis limit of $\sim 10^7$m. Neutral LLPs with lifetimes above $\sim$ 100m are particularly difficult to probe, as the sensitivity of the LHC main detectors is limited by challenging backgrounds, triggers, and small acceptances. MATHUSLA is a proposal for a minimally instrumented, large-volume surface detector near ATLAS or CMS. It would search for neutral LLPs produced in HL-LHC collisions by reconstructing displaced vertices (DVs) in a low-background environment, extending the sensitivity of the main detectors by orders of magnitude in the long-lifetime regime. In this white paper we study the LLP physics opportunities afforded by a MATHUSLA-like detector at the HL-LHC. We develop a model-independent approach to describe the sensitivity of MATHUSLA to BSM LLP signals, and compare it to DV and missing energy searches at ATLAS or CMS. We then explore the BSM motivations for LLPs in considerable detail, presenting a large number of new sensitivity studies. While our discussion is especially oriented towards the long-lifetime regime at MATHUSLA, this survey underlines the importance of a varied LLP search program at the LHC in general. By synthesizing these results into a general discussion of the top-down and bottom-up motivations for LLP searches, it is our aim to demonstrate the exceptional strength and breadth of the physics case for the construction of the MATHUSLA detector.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Ameliorating Higgs Induced Flavor Constraints on TeV Scale $W_R$

In the TeV scale minimal left-right symmetric model (LRSM) for neutrino masses, there is a tension between the flavor changing Higgs effects which prefer an $SU(2)_R$ breaking scale $v_R \gtrsim (15-25)$ TeV depending on whether the theory is kept invariant under charge conjugation ($Q_L\to (Q_R)^c$) or under parity ($Q_L\to Q_R$) respectively and an LHC accessible few-TeV range mass of $W_R$ boson which would require $v_R \lesssim 10 \, (15)$ TeV if $g_R/g_L = 1 (0.65)$. This requires one quartic coupling in the scalar potential to go non-perturbative, posing a theoretical problem if the $W_R$ is discovered at LHC. We propose a simple extension of the minimal LRSM that adds a $B-L=0$ scalar triplet and study how this can ameliorate this tension. We find that such a model is also constrained from various considerations and implies a lower bound on the $W_R$ mass of 8.1 (5.26) TeV for the parity case with $g_R/g_L= 1\, (0.65)$ and 4.85 (3.16) TeV for the case of charge conjugation, if the flavor constraints have to be avoided while keeping all couplings perturbative. These mass ranges are accessible at the high-luminosity LHC. The model also implies new decay mode of $W_R$ to two scalars which is absent in the minimal LRSM. Finally we comment on the impact of such a scalar multiplet for a class of dark matter extension of LRSM discussed in the literature recently.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Lepton flavor violation induced by neutral and doubly-charged scalars at future lepton colliders

New physics scenarios beyond the Standard Model (SM) for neutrino mass mechanism often necessitate the existence of a neutral scalar $H$ and/or doubly-charged scalar $H^{\pm\pm}$, which couple to the SM charged leptons in a flavor violating way, while evading all existing constraints. Such scalars could be effectively produced at future lepton colliders like CEPC, ILC, FCC-ee and CLIC, either on-shell or off-shell, and induce striking charged lepton flavor violating (LFV) signals. We find that a large parameter space of the scalar masses and the LFV couplings can be probed at lepton colliders, well beyond the current low-energy constraints in the lepton sector. The neutral scalar explanation of the muon $g-2$ anomaly could also be directly tested.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Bounds on Neutron- Mirror Neutron Mixing from Pulsar Timings and Gravitational Wave Detections

The mass loss in putative neutron star to mixed neutron - mirror neutron star transition implies a significant change of orbital period. The precise constancy of the latter can restrict scenarios recently suggested where neutron to mirror neutron mixing occurring in neutron stars, transforms them into mixed stars helping explain the narrow mass distribution observed for pulsars in binary systems. The observation of a very old millisecond pulsar with a mass of 2 solar masses is an additional strong constraint on the above transition.We also note that the observed gravitational waves signals from neutron-neutron stars merger constrain the neutron to mirror neutron transitions inside neutron stars. These considerations exclude a large region in the $ε'$, $δm'$ plane of the neutron-mirror neutron mixing and mass

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Perturbativity constraints on $U(1)_{B-L}$ and left-right models and implications for heavy gauge boson searches

We derive perturbativity constraints on beyond standard model scenarios with extra gauge groups, such as $SU(2)$ or $U(1)$, whose generators contribute to the electric charge, and show that there are both upper and lower limits on the additional gauge couplings, from the requirement that the couplings remain perturbative up to the grand unification theory (GUT) scale. This leads to stringent constraints on the masses of the corresponding gauge bosons and their collider phenomenology. We specifically focus on the models based on $SU(2)_L\times U(1)_{I_{3R}} \times U(1)_{B-L}$ and the left-right symmetric models based on $SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R\times U(1)_{B-L}$, and discuss the implications of the perturbativity constraints for new gauge boson searches at current and future colliders. In particular, we find that the stringent flavor constraints in the scalar sector of left-right model set a lower bound on the right-handed scale $v_R \gtrsim 10$ TeV, if all the gauge and quartic couplings are to remain perturbative up to the GUT scale. This precludes the prospects of finding the $Z_R$ boson in the left-right model at the LHC, even in the high-luminosity phase, and leaves only a narrow window for the $W_R$ boson. A much broader allowed parameter space, with the right-handed scale $v_R$ up to $\simeq 87$ TeV, could be probed at the future 100 TeV collider.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2018

A Theory of $R(D^*,D)$ Anomaly With Right-Handed Currents

We present an ultraviolet complete theory for the $R(D^*)$ and $R(D)$ anomaly in terms of a low mass $W_R^\pm$ gauge boson of a class of left-right symmetric models. These models, which are based on the gauge symmetry $SU(3)_c \times SU(2)_L \times SU(2)_R \times U(1)_{B-L}$, utilize vector-like fermions to generate quark and lepton masses via a universal seesaw mechanism. A parity symmetric version as well as an asymmetric version are studied. A light sterile neutrino emerges naturally in this setup, which allows for new decay modes of $B$-meson via right-handed currents. We show that these models can explain $R(D^*)$ and $R(D)$ anomaly while being consistent with LHC and LEP data as well as low energy flavor constraints arising from $K_L-K_S, B_{d,s}-\bar{B}_{d,s}$, $D-\bar{D}$ mixing, etc., but only for a limited range of the $W_R$ mass: $1.2\, (1.8)~{\rm TeV} \leq M_{W_R}\leq 3~ {\rm TeV}$ for parity asymmetric (symmetric) Yukawa sectors. The light sterile neutrinos predicted by the model may be relevant for explaining the MiniBoone and LSND neutrino oscillation results. The parity symmetric version of the model provides a simple solution to the strong CP problem without relying on the axion. It also predicts an isospin singlet top partner with a mass $M_T = (1.5-2.5)$ TeV.

hep-ph↗