Flavor origin of R-parity

Abstract

Proton stability is guaranteed in the MSSM by assuming a discrete symmetry, R-parity. However, there are additional R-parity conserving higher dimensional operators which violate lepton and baryon numbers and induce fast proton decay. Here we study the possibility that all renormalizable, as well as the most dangerous non-renormalizable, R-parity violating operators are forbidden by a flavor symmetry, providing a common origin for fermion mixing and proton and dark matter stability. We propose a specific model based on the Delta(27) discrete symmetry.