Andrea Addazi

Neutron Majorana mass from exotic instantons

A bstractWe show how a Majorana mass for the neutron could result from non-perturbative quantum gravity effects peculiar to string theory. In particular, “exotic instantons” in un-oriented string compactifications with D-branes extending the (supersymmetric) standard model could indirectly produce an effective operator δm ntn + h.c.. In a specific model with an extra vector-like pair of ‘quarks’, acquiring a large mass proportional to the string mass scale (exponentially suppressed by a function of the string moduli fields), δm can turn out to be as low as 10−24-10−25 eV.The induced neutron-antineutron oscillations could take place with a time scale τnn> 108 s that could be tested by the next generation of experiments. On the other hand, proton decay and FCNC’s are automatically strongly suppressed and are compatible with the current experimental limits.Depending on the number of brane intersections, the model may also lead to the generation of Majorana masses for R-handed neutrini. Our proposal could also suggest neutron-neutralino or neutron-axino oscillations, with implications in UCN, Dark Matter Direct Detection, UHECR and Neutron-Antineutron oscillations.This suggests to improve the limits on neutron-antineutron oscillations, as a possible test of string theory and quantum gravity.

DAMA annual modulation effect and asymmetric mirror matter

The long-standing model-independent annual modulation effect measured by DAMA Collaboration is examined in the context of asymmetric mirror dark matter, assuming that dark atoms interact with target nuclei in the detector via kinetic mixing between mirror and ordinary photons, both being massless. The relevant ranges for the kinetic mixing parameter are obtained taking into account various existing uncertainties in nuclear and particle physics quantities as well as characteristic density and velocity distributions of dark matter in different halo models.

Exotic see-saw mechanism for neutrinos and leptogenesis in a Pati-Salam model

A bstractWe discuss non-perturbative corrections to the neutrino sector, in the context of a D-brane Pati-Salam-like model, that can be obtained as a simple alternative to SO(10) GUT’s in theories with open and unoriented strings. In such D-brane models, exotic stringy instantons can correct the right-handed neutrino mass matrix in a calculable way, thus affecting mass hierarchies and modifying the see-saw mechanism to what we name exotic see-saw. For a wide range of parameters, a compact spectrum of right-handed neutrino masses can occur that gives rise to a predictive scenario for low energy observables. This model also provides a viable mechanism for Baryon Asymmetry in the Universe (BAU) through leptogenesis. Finally, a Majorana mass for the neutron is naturally predicted in the model, leading to potentially testable neutron-antineutron oscillations. Combined measurements in neutrino and neutron-antineutron sectors could provide precious informations on physics at the quantum gravity scale.

Neutron Majorana mass from exotic instantons in a Pati-Salam model

A bstractWe show how exotic stringy instantons can generate an effective interaction between color diquark sextets in a Pati-Salam model, inducing a Majorana mass term for the neutron. In particular, we discuss a simple quiver theory for a Pati-Salam like model, as an example in which the calculations of exotic instanton effects are simple and controllable. We discuss some different possibilities in order to generate n−n¯

External Stability for Spherically Symmetric Solutions in Lorentz Breaking Massive Gravity

n-\overline{n}

‘Exotic vector-like pair’ of color-triplet scalars

oscillations testable in the next generation of experiments, Majorana mass matrices for neutrini and a Post-Sphaleron Baryogenesis scenario. Connections with Dark Matter issues and the Higgs mass Hierarchy problem are discussed, in view of implications for LHC and rare processes physics. The model may be viewed as a completion of a Left-Right symmetric extension of the Standard Model, alternative to a GUT-inspired scenario. Combined measures in Neutron-Antineutron physics, FCNC, LHC, Dark Matter could rule out the proposed model or uncover aspects of physics at the Planck scale!

The fate of Schwarzschild–de Sitter black holes in f(R) gravity

A bstractIn the context of un-oriented open string theories, we identify quivers whereby a Majorana mass for the neutron is indirectly generated by exotic instantons. We discuss two classes of (Susy) Standard Model like quivers, depending on the embedding of SU(2)W in the Chan-Paton group. In both cases, the main mechanism involves a vector-like pair mixing through a non-perturbative mass term. We also discuss possible relations between the phenomenology of Neutron-Antineutron oscillations and LHC physics in these models. In particular, a vector-like pair of color-triplet scalars or color-triplet fermions could be directly detected at LHC, compatibly with n−n¯