Sterile Neutrinos in String Derived Models

TL;DR

This paper explores the natural emergence of sterile neutrinos in string-derived models, highlighting their potential presence in large volume models and the challenges faced in heterotic-string models, with implications for new gauge symmetries.

Contribution

It analyzes the conditions under which sterile neutrinos can arise in different string models, emphasizing the differences between large volume and heterotic-string frameworks.

Findings

Sterile neutrinos naturally appear in large volume string models.

Heterotic-string models face challenges in accommodating sterile neutrinos.

Sterile neutrinos in heterotic models may suggest new Abelian gauge symmetries.

Abstract

The MiniBooNE collaboration recently reported further evidence for the existence of sterile neutrinos, implying substantial mixing with the left-handed active neutrinos and at a comparable mass scale. I argue that while sterile neutrinos may arise naturally in large volume string models, they prove more of a challenge in heterotic-string models that replicate the Grand Unified Theory structure of the Standard Model matter states. Sterile neutrinos in heterotic-string models may imply the existence of an additional Abelian gauge symmetry of order 10-100TeV.