Minimal Ten-parameter Hermitian Texture Zeroes Mass Matrices and the CKM Matrix

Abstract

Hermitian mass matrices for the up and down quarks with texture zeroes but with the minimum number of parameters, ten, are investigated. We show how these {\em minimum parameter} forms can be obtained from a general set of hermitian matrices through weak basis transformations. For the most simple forms we show that one can derive exact and compact parametrizations of the CKM mixing matrix in terms of the elements of these mass matrices (and the quark masses).