The Rotating Mass Matrix, the Strong CP Problem and Higgs Decay

TL;DR

This paper explores a rotating mass matrix approach to address the strong CP problem, examines its consistency with fermion mass data, and predicts Higgs decay suppression and potential flavor-violating decays.

Contribution

It introduces a rotating mass matrix trajectory that explains fermion masses and mixing angles while addressing the strong CP problem and predicts modified Higgs decay patterns.

Findings

Suppression of Higgs decay to charm quarks compared to the standard model.

Consistency of the rotating mass matrix with experimental fermion data.

Potential for observable flavor-violating Higgs decays, including tau-muon mode.

Abstract

We investigate a recent solution to the strong CP problem, obtaining a theta-angle of order unity, and show that a smooth trajectory of the massive eigenvector of a rank-one rotating mass matrix is consistent with the experimental data for both fermion masses and mixing angles (except for the masses of the lightest quarks). Using this trajectory we study Higgs decay and find suppression of $\Gamma(H\to c\bar{c})$ compared to the standard model predictions for a range of Higgs masses. We also give limits for flavour violating decays, including a relatively large branching ratio for the $\tau^-\mu^+$ mode.