Reproducing lepton mixing in a texture zero model

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that specific conditions in a texture zero neutrino mass matrix with inverted ordering can reproduce observed lepton mixing features, predicting a non-maximal atmospheric angle and a near-π Dirac phase, with implications for neutrinoless double beta decay.

Contribution

It introduces a novel texture zero model with inverted neutrino mass ordering that explains lepton mixing features and provides three simple seesaw models for realization.

Findings

Atmospheric mixing angle is less than maximal.

Dirac phase δ is close to π.

Large cancellation in neutrinoless ββ decay effective mass.

Abstract

We note that the emerging features of lepton mixing can be reproduced if, with inverted neutrino mass ordering, both the smallest neutrino mass and the $\tau\tau$ element of the neutrino mass matrix vanish. Then, the atmospheric neutrino mixing angle is less than maximal and the Dirac phase $\delta$ is close to $\pi$. We derive the correlations among the mixing parameters and show that there is a large cancellation in the effective mass responsible for neutrinoless $\beta\beta$ decay. Three simple seesaw models leading to our scenario are provided.