Proton Decay, Neutrino Oscillations And Other Consequences From Supersymmetric SU(6) With Pseudo-Goldstone Higgs

Abstract

We suggest a new mechanism for naturally suppressing dimension five baryon number violating in supersymmetric SU(5+N) (N=0, 1,...) GUTs. The mechanism is realized through suppression of qqT type couplings, and is implemented by introducing new `matter' multiplets belonging to symmetric representations of SU(5+N). Together with the suppression of nucleon decay, these multiplets also enable one to avoid the unwanted asymptotic mass relations $m_s=m_μ$, $\frac{m_d}{m_s}=\frac{m_e}{m_μ}$. As an example, we consider a SU(6) model with pseudo-Goldstone Higgs. By supplementing the model with an anomalous ${\cal U}(1)$ flavor symmetry, we also obtain a simple `all-order' solution of the gauge hierarchy problem and natural explanation of charged fermion mass hierarchies and values of the CKM matrix elements. The proton life time $τ_p\sim 10^{2}τ_p^{SU(5)}$~yr. is compatible with experiments, with the dominant decay being $p\to Kν_{μ, τ}$. Thanks to the SU(6) symmetry, successful unification of the gauge couplings can be retained, and the value of the strong coupling $α_s(M_Z)$ can be reduced to $\simeq 0.12$. Finally, we show how to accommodate the solar and atmospheric neutrino data through the bi-maximal neutrino mixing scenario, with maximal vacuum $ν_e-ν_{μ, τ}$ and large angle $ν_μ-ν_τ$ oscillations.