Quark-lepton symmetry and B − L as the U(1) generator of the electroweak symmetry group

We seek an interpretation of the U(1) part of the electroweak symmetry group in terms of the quantum number B ? L. We show that the electroweak symmetry group, for which U(1) can be interpreted as a local B ? L symmetry, is the left-right symmetry group SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1)_L+R. The equating of U_L+R(1) to U_B?L(1) should lead to physical consequences which are not shared by standard gauge theory. B ? L may also help to explain the inversion of quark and lepton mass spectra.     

Operator analysis of proton decay in an SU(7) gut

An SU(7) model, with a surviving low-energy SU(4) × SU(3) × U(1) gauge symmetry, may reduce the number of low-energy effective four-fermion baryon number violating interactions from six to two. A simple argument, applicable to general SU(N), shows that the terms allowed by SU(4) × SU(3) × U(1) are the same as those allowed by SU(7).     

Natural suppression of strong P and T non-invariance

In gauge theories with spontaneously broken left-right symmetry, strong P and T non-invariant effects can also be made to vanish naturally in the tree approximation without introducing massless quarks or axions. In a four-flavor SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1)_L+R model with manifest left-right symmetry, we show that strong CP noninvariance is absent up to the one-loop level and weak CP-violation is of superweak type. Extension to the case of six quarks gives a left-right symmetric generalization of the Kobayashi-Maskawa model without axions.     

Flipped SO(10)

We constract an N = 1 supersymmetric SO(10) GUT broken down to SU(3)_c×SU(2)_L×U(1)_Y with an intermediate flipped SU(5)×U(1)_X gauge symmetry. A solution to the triplet-doublet mass-splitting problem is proposed in terms of a non-minimal missing-partner mechanism.     

Can the superstring inspire the standard model?

We discuss general features of models in which the E₈ × E′₈ heterotic superstring is compactified on a specific Calabi-Yau manifold. The gauge group of rank-6 in four dimensions is supposed to be broken down at an intermediate scale m_I to the standard model group SU(3)_C × SU(2)_L × U(1)_Y, as a result of two neutral scalar fields acquiring large vacuum expectations (vev's) in one of many flat directions of the effective potential. We find that it is difficult to generate such an intermediate scale by radiative symmetry breaking, whilst such models have prima facie problems with baryon decay mediated by massive particles and with non-perturbative behaviour of the gauge couplings, unless m_I ≳ 10¹⁶ GeV. Rapid baryon decay mediated by light particles, large neutrino masses, other Δ L ≠ 0 processes and flavour-changing neutral currents are generic features of these models. We illustrate these observations with explicit calculations in a number of different models given by vev's in different flat directions.     

Nonabelian electric and magnetic flux in unified SU(5) gauge theory

We study the long-distance behaviour of pure unified SU(5) gauge theory in the limit when the electroweak subgroup is unbroken. We show that the symmetry breaking pattern SU(5)→SU(3)_c×SU(2)×U(1)_Y, with SU(3)_c and SU(2) ×U(1)_Y realized, respectively, in confining and coulombic phases, is a possible dynamical phase of the SU(5) theory. The proof relies on showing that the duality equation of 't Hooft, relating the electric and magnetic flux, is exactly satisfied for the above symmetry breaking pattern. The infrared structure of SU(5), broken down to SU(3)_c×SU(2)×U(1)_Y, is not self-dual.     

Chiral fermion generations from higher-dimensional gravity

We discuss a six-dimensional SO(12) gauge theory which can be obtained from pure gravity in 18 dimensions coupled to a Majorana-Weyl spinor, if the ground state is characterized by a noncompact internal space without boundary with small finite volume. The six-dimensional SO(12) theory spontaneously compactifies to a four-dimensional SO(10) theory with local generation group SU(2)_G × U(1)_G. We obtain an even number of chiral fermion generations transforming as ($\text{16, k, ±}\text{1}\text{2}$) under SO(10) × SU(2)_G × U(1)_G. Adding a scalar field to the six-dimensional theory provides us with fields carrying all the quantum numbers needed for a realistic spontaneous symmetry breakdown to SU(3)_c × U(1)_e.m.     

Bounds on the top-quark mass in N=1 supergravity models

From the tree level study of the SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) model arising as the flat limit of a spontaneously broken N=1 supergravity, via the super Higgs mechanism, we find particular directions of minima which lead to upper bound for the top-quark mass. These bounds on m_t can also be of relevance to superstring-inspired low-energy models.     

A dynamical theory for the rishon model

We propose a composite model for quarks and leptons based on an exact SU(3)_C × SU(3)_H gauge theory and two fundamental $\text{J=}\text{1}\text{2}$ fermions: a charged T-rishon and a neutral V-rishon. Quarks, leptons and W-bosons are SU(3)_H-singlet composites of rishons. A dynamically broken effective SU(3)_C × SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1)_B?L gauge theory emerges at the composite level. The theory is “natural”, anomaly free, has no fundamental scalar particles, and describes at least three generations of quarks and leptons.     

Grand unified model with a stable proton and no axion problem

We present a grand unified model of the strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions based on a local SU(8)_L×SU(8)_R gauge theory which possesses a global U(8)_L × U(8)_R invariance. We break the symmetry down to the standard SU(3)_C × SU(2)_L × U(1) model, with the proton remaining stable and the left-handed neutrinos obliged to remain massless. A novel feature of our model is the simultaneous absence of both strong CP violations and of axions.     

Symmetry breaking in a supersymmetric model of strong and electroweak interactions

We describe a supersymmetric model of strong and electroweak interactions based on the gauge groupSU(3)×SU(2)×U(1)×?(1). We concentrate on the pattern of the spontaneous symmetry breaking by the tree level scalar potential. It is possible to break the?(1) factor at superlarge energies relative to the simultaneous breaking scale ofSU(2)×U(1) and supersymmetry. The model has?(1) anomalies. Attempts to make an anomaly-free model based on the groupE ₆ are described. We also comment on possible modifications of the?(1) anomaly problem due to gravitational effects.     

ΔB = −ΔL, neutron →e−π+, e−K+, μ−π+ and μ−K+ decay modes in SU(2)L × SU(2)R × SU(4)col or SO(10)

It is stressed that within the simplest model SU(4) of color, unifying quarks with leptons, where B  L is a gauge symmetry, a spontaneous breaking of this symmetry leads naturally to baryonlepton decays like n→e^?k⁺, e^?K⁺, μ^?π⁺, μ^?K⁺ [in constant to SU(5) where B  L is not gauged]. Our mechanism is crucially tied to the presence of the Higgs multiplet (2, 2, 15) of SU(2) × SU(2) × SU(4), which is needed to account for the observed quarklepton mass ratios.     

On the structure of the low energy superpotential in superstring theory

We show that after the gauge symmetry breaking of the E₆ grand unified group to the H=SU(3)^c×SU(2)_L×U(1)_Y× U(1)_E subgroup by the Hosotany mechanism a number of additional Yukawa terms not present in a decomposition of 27×27×27 may appear in the low energy superpotential. Some of these terms cause a rapid proton decay.     

Higgs couplings in the integer-charge quark model

Colour SU(3) symmetry is broken spontaneously by the introduction of coloured Higgs scalars in the standard SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) model, so as to make the quarks integrally charged. The resulting couplings of the Higgs bosons with the gauge bosons are worked out.     

Departures from chiral symmetry

We review the physical concepts supporting the notion of an approximate hadron symmetry with special emphasis on the Nambu-Goldstone realizations of chiral SU (2) × SU (2) and SU (3) × SU (3). We stress the role of perturbation theory in the symmetry breaking as the technical instrument to connect broken symmetries with experiment. This is an alternate to the treatments that stress PCAC and current algebra. We find that chiral SU (2) × SU (2) is a good hadron symmetry to within 7% making it the best hadron symmetry after isotopic symmetry. The nonrenormalization theorem, Σ-terms, K_l3 decay, η→3π decay, the Goldberger-Treiman relation and many other specific processes and their relation to approximate chiral symmetry are discussed.     

On the sign of the n-p mass difference in gauge models

We examine the sign of the n-p mass difference in some gauge models based on the SU(2) × U(1) × U(1) or SU(2)_L × SU(2)_R × U(1) group, and show that a few specific elements of the neutral-vector-meson mass matrix can determine the sign of Δm|_n?p. We also present an SU(2) × U(1) × U(1) model which can give the correct Δm|_n?p.     

Composite symmetries and sub-constituent models

Assuming the internal A-spin, B-spin and C-spin of particles from basic symmetry SO(4), the color SU(3), horizontal SU(3)', electroweak SU(2)'_w×U(1) and other higher composite symmetries are derived.     

Non-standard gauge-boson self-interactions within a gauge invariant model

We examine dimension-six extensions of the standard electroweak Lagrangian which are invariant under localSU(2) _L ×U(1) _Y -transformations. The dimensionfour trilinear and quadrilinear effective interactions of the vector bosons with one another are found to coincide with the vector boson interactions previously derived from globalSU(2) weak isospin symmetry broken by electromagnetism. Supplementing the model by a well-known dimension-six single-parameter quadrupole interaction leads to the most general vector boson self-couplings that can be obtained by addition of dimension-six terms to the standard Lagrangian. We examine in some detail anotherSU(2) _L ×U(1) _Y -symmetric interaction which containsW ₃ B mixing and modifies both vector boson self-couplings and fermionic interactions. Independently of being strongly constrained by the LEP 1 data, the addition of this interaction to the above-mentioned non-standard ones does not change the form of the trilinear and quadrilinear non-standard self-couplings of the vector bosons. Therefore, while being interesting in itself with respect to LEP 1 physics, this term is irrelevant with respect to the phenomenology of the vector-boson self-interactions.     

Prospects for supersymmetric SO(10) models with an intermediate mass scale

We investigate possible patterns of SO(10) gauge symmetry breaking compatible with supersymmetry, limiting ourselves to the cases with one intermediate breaking scale. It is found that the one where a 54 representation breaks SO(10) into a Pati-Salam group SU(4)_C×SU(2)_L×SU(2)_R and the one where a 210 breaks it into SU(3)_C× U(1)_C×SU(2)_L×SU(2)_R are the most preferable patterns when supersymmetry is taken into account. Two models with the Pati-Salam intermediate symmetry are studied in more detail.     

On W±, Z0, γ self-interactions: High energy behaviour and tree unitarity bounds

We analyze the high-energy behaviour of vector boson scattering amplitudes within the framework of a recently suggested lagrangian model based on global weak isospin symmetry broken by electromagnetism. Requiring vanishing of the most strongly (as s²) rising contribution to vector boson scattering amplitudes leads to vector boson self-interactions dependent on a single parameter, for which the anomalous W^± magnetic moment, κ, can be chosen. Tree unitarity is violated at about 2 TeV for arbitrary κ as in the SU(2)_L × U(1)_Y theory for m_H → ∞. The model is well suited for significant tests of the vector boson sector of the SU(2)_L × U(1)_Y electroweak theory in processes such as e⁺e⁻ → W⁺W⁻.