$\Delta(27)$ family symmetry and neutrino mixing

Abstract

The observed neutrino mixing, having a near maximal atmospheric neutrino mixing angle and a large solar mixing angle, is close to tri-bi-maximal. This structure may be related to the existence of a discrete non-Abelian family symmetry. In this paper the family symmetry is the non-Abelian discrete group $\Delta(27)$, a subgroup of $SU(3)$ with triplet and anti-triplet representations. Different frameworks are constructed in which the mixing follows from combining fermion mass terms with the vacuum structure enforced by the discrete symmetry. Mass terms for the fermions originate from familon triplets, anti-triplets or both. Vacuum alignment for the family symmetry breaking familons follows from simple invariants.