[ NIKHEF theory group ]

Purpose

To meet, discuss, collaborate, generate ideas, share expertise, and in general to strengthen links between Dutch theorical particle physics groups.

We hope to see you here!

Agenda February 26

  • Time: 10.00 - 17.00
  • Talk 10.30 - 11.00, H320:
    Reinier de Adelhart Toorop (Nikhef) "Discrete flavour symmetries in GUTs: the Beaty and the Beast"

    Abstract:Both Grand Unified symmetries and discrete flavour symmetries are appealing candidates for beyond the Standard Model physics. These symmetries can be used to explain apparent structures in the gauge and flavour sectors of the Standard Model. It is therefore interesting to consider models that contain both types of symmetries. We consider in detail a model that has the Pati-Salam extension of the standard model in the gauge sector and that also has a discrete flavour symmetrie S4. This model gives rise to a beauty and a beast. The beauty is on the side of model building. We show that we can we can well explain the mass hierarchies and mixing angles observed in nature. The beast is hidden in the interplay between the two types of symmetries. When we study the beast in more detail, we see that the two symmetries force the Higgs sector to be rather non-minimal and that the running of the gauge and Yukawa coupling constants excludes much of the parameter space that at first hand seemed viable. In the parts of parameter space where the beauty survives, we find an interesting neutrino phenomenology, with a rather large reactor mixing angle and a preference for the inverted over the normal hierarchy.

  • Time: 15.00 - 16.00 Student meeting: Sander Mooij and Jan Weenink "Intro to inflation "
  • Talk 16.30 - 17.00, H320:
    Thijs van den Broek (RU) "Particle physics from noncommutative geometry"

  • 17.00 Borrel

Registration

To help us plan, please let us know whether you are coming, by registering here for yourself, and your laptop!

Previous meetings

  • Sept. 22, 2006
  • Dec. 1, 2006
  • Apr. 13, 2007
  • May 11, 2007
  • June 22, 2007
  • Sept. 14, 2007
  • Oct. 13, 2007
  • Nov. 30, 2007
  • Jan. 18, 2008
  • Mar. 28, 2008
  • May 23, 2008
  • June 20, 2008
  • July 18, 2008
  • August 22, 2008
  • Sept. 19, 2008
  • Oct. 17, 2008
  • Nov. 14, 2008
  • Dec. 12, 2008
  • Jan. 16, 2009
  • Feb. 13, 2009
  • Mar. 13, 2009
  • April 17, 2009
  • May 29, 2009
  • June 26, 2009
  • August 28, 2009
  • Sept. 18, 2009
  • Dec. 11, 2009
  • Jan. 22, 2010

Next meetings

See here for dates.

Talks and relevant documents: