Heavy-quark symmetries in the light of nonperturbative QCD approaches

We critically review the validity of heavy-quark spin and flavor symmetries in heavy-light decay constants, form factors and effective couplings obtained within a nonperturbative framework, the ingredients of which are all motivated by Dyson-Schwinger equations studies of QCD. Along the way, we make new predictions for two effective nonphysical couplings: gDsDK = 24.1-1.6 +2.5 and gBsBK = 33.3 -3.7 +4.0. © Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Licence.

Spontaneous leptonic CP violation and nonzero theta(13)

We consider a simple extension of the Standard Model by adding two Higgs triplets and a complex scalar singlet to its particle content. In this framework, the CP symmetry is spontaneously broken at high energies by the complex vacuum expectation value of the scalar singlet. Such a breaking leads to leptonic CP violation at low energies. The model also exhibits an A(4) X Z(4) flavor symmetry which, after being spontaneously broken at a high-energy scale, yields a tribimaximal pattern in the lepton sector. We consider small perturbations around the tribimaximal vacuum alignment condition in order to generate nonzero values of theta(13), as required by the latest neutrino oscillation data. It is shown that the value of theta(13) recently measured by the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment can be accommodated in our framework together with large Dirac-type CP violation. We also address the viability of leptogenesis in our model through the out-of-equilibrium decays of the Higgs triplets. In particular, the CP asymmetries in the triplet decays into two leptons are computed and it is shown that the effective leptogenesis and low-energy CP-violating phases are directly linked.

IMPROVED STATISTICAL QCD MODEL FOR THE QUARK CONTENT of THE NUCLEON

The neutron-to-proton ratio of the structure functions, F(2)(n)/F(2)(p), as well as the corresponding difference F(2)(p)-F(2)(n) are obtained within a statistical quark model for the nucleon, where the quark energy levels are given by a central linear confining potential.

Probing SU(2) symmetry breaking in the nucleon sea

Investigation of invariant cross-sections for production of K*- and K*0, in the fragmentation region of the proton, in p - p and γ - p reactions, gives a direct and unambiguous probe to the symmetry breaking of the nucleon sea. Based on existing data, we clearly found a large asymmetry of the sea. Our result is in excellent agreement with NA51 measurement, signaling lack of any nuclear effect. The measurement can be carried out in a single experimental set up. The ratio K*-/K*0 is equivalent to ū/d̄, with easy access to the x-dependence of the asymmetry. The observed asymmetry from available experimental data is used to improve the valon-recombination model. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Statistical quark model for the nucleon structure function

A statistical quark model, with quark energy levels given by a central linear confining potential is used to obtain the light sea-quark asymmetry, d̄/ū, and also for the ratio d/u, inside the nucleon. After adjusting a temperature parameter by the Gottfried sum rule violation, and chemical potentials by the valence up and down quark normalizations, the results are compared with experimental data available. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.

Improved statistical quark model for the nucleon structure function

An improved statistical quark model, with quark energy levels given by a central linear confining potential, is used to obtain the light sea-quark asymmetry, d̄/ū, and also for the corresponding difference d̄-ū, inside the nucleon. In the model, a temperature parameter is adjusted by recent results obtained for the Gottfried sum rule violation, with two chemical potentials adjusted by the valence up and down quark normalizations. The results are compared with available recent experimental data. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Statistical quark models for the nucleon structure functions

We consider some existing relativistic models for the nucleon structure functions, relying on statistical approaches instead of perturbative ones. These models are based on the Fermi-Dirac distribution for the confined quarks, where a density of energy levels is obtained from an effective confining potential. In this context, it is presented some results obtained with a recent statistical quark model for the sea-quark asymmetry in the nucleon. It is shown, within this model, that experimental available observables, such as the ratio and difference between proton and neutron structure functions, are quite well reproduced with just three parameters: two chemical potentials used to reproduce the valence up and down quark numbers in the nucleon, and a temperature that is being used to reproduce the Gottfried sum rule violation. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Anomaly-free U(1) gauge symmetries in neutrino seesaw flavor models

Agência Financiadora: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PEst-OE/FIS/UI0777/2013; CERN/FP/123580/2011; PTDC/FIS-NUC/0548/2012

The flavor problem and discrete symmetries

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Abelian symmetries in the two-Higgs-doublet model with fermions

We classify all possible implementations of an Abelian symmetry in the two-Higgs-doublet model with fermions. We identify those symmetries which are consistent with nonvanishing quark masses and a Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark-mixing matrix (CKM), which is not block-diagonal. Our analysis takes us from a plethora of possibilities down to 246 relevant cases, requiring only 34 distinct matrix forms. We show that applying Z(n) with n >= 4 to the scalar sector leads to a continuous U(1) symmetry in the whole Lagrangian. Finally, we address the possibilities of spontaneous CP violation and of natural suppression of the flavor-changing neutral currents. We explain why our work is relevant even for non-Abelian symmetries.

Color-flavor locked strange matter and strangelets at finite temperature

It is possible that a system composed of up, down, and strange quarks exists as the true ground state of nuclear matter at high densities and low temperatures. This exotic plasma, called strange quark matter (SQM), seems to be even more favorable energetically if quarks are in a superconducting state, the so-called color-flavor locked state. Here we present calculations made on the basis of the MIT bag model, considering the influence of finite temperature on the allowed parameters characterizing the system for stability of bulk SQM (the so-called stability windows) and also for strangelets, small lumps of SQM, both in the color-flavor locking scenario. We compare these results with the unpaired SQM and also briefly discuss some astrophysical implications of them. Also, the issue of the strangelet's electric charge is discussed. The effects of dynamical screening, though important for nonpaired SQM strangelets, are not relevant when considering pairing among all three flavors and colors of quarks.

Equation of state for the magnetic-color-flavor-locked phase and its implications for compact star models

Using the solutions of the gap equations of the magnetic-color-flavor-locked (MCFL) phase of paired quark matter in a magnetic field, and taking into consideration the separation between the longitudinal and transverse pressures due to the field-induced breaking of the spatial rotational symmetry, the equation of state of the MCFL phase is self-consistently determined. This result is then used to investigate the possibility of absolute stability, which turns out to require a field-dependent ""bag constant"" to hold. That is, only if the bag constant varies with the magnetic field, there exists a window in the magnetic field vs bag constant plane for absolute stability of strange matter. Implications for stellar models of magnetized (self-bound) strange stars and hybrid (MCFL core) stars are calculated and discussed.

Search for lepton-flavor-violating decays of the neutral kaon

The Fermilab KTeV experiment has searched for lepton-flavor-violating decays of the K(L) meson in three decay modes. We observe no events in the signal region for any of the modes studied, and we set the following upper limits for their branching ratios at the 90% C.L.: BR(K(L)->pi(0)mu(+/-)e(-/+))< 7.6x10(-11); BR(K(L)->pi(0)pi(0)mu(+/-)e(-/+))< 1.7x10(-10); BR(pi(0)->mu(+/-)e(-/+))< 3.6x10(-10). This result represents a factor of 82 improvement in the branching ratio limit for K(L)->pi(0)mu(+/-)e(-/+) and is the first reported limit for K(L)->pi(0)pi(0)mu(+/-)e(-/+).

Measurement of the Neutrino Mass Splitting and Flavor Mixing by MINOS

Measurements of neutrino oscillations using the disappearance of muon neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI neutrino beam as observed by the two MINOS detectors are reported. New analysis methods have been applied to an enlarged data sample from an exposure of 7.25 x 10(20) protons on target. A fit to neutrino oscillations yields values of vertical bar Delta m(2)vertical bar = (2.32(-0.08)(+0.12) x 10(-3) eV(2) for the atmospheric mass splitting and sin(2)(2 theta) > 0.90 (90% C.L.) for the mixing angle. Pure neutrino decay and quantum decoherence hypotheses are excluded at 7 and 9 standard deviations, respectively.

Azimuthal correlations of electrons from heavy-flavor decay with hadrons in p plus p and Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

Measurements of electrons from the decay of open-heavy-flavor mesons have shown that the yields are suppressed in Au+Au collisions compared to expectations from binary-scaled p+p collisions. These measurements indicate that charm and bottom quarks interact with the hot dense matter produced in heavy-ion collisions much more than expected. Here we extend these studies to two-particle correlations where one particle is an electron from the decay of a heavy-flavor meson and the other is a charged hadron from either the decay of the heavy meson or from jet fragmentation. These measurements provide more detailed information about the interactions between heavy quarks and the matter, such as whether the modification of the away-side-jet shape seen in hadron-hadron correlations is present when the trigger particle is from heavy-meson decay and whether the overall level of away-side-jet suppression is consistent. We statistically subtract correlations of electrons arising from background sources from the inclusive electron-hadron correlations and obtain two-particle azimuthal correlations at root s(NN) = 200 GeV between electrons from heavy-flavor decay with charged hadrons in p+p and also first results in Au+Au collisions. We find the away-side-jet shape and yield to be modified in Au+Au collisions compared to p+p collisions.