Neutrino mass and dark matter from an approximate $B-L$ symmetry

TL;DR

This paper proposes a minimal flipped 3-3-1 model where an approximate B-L symmetry explains neutrino masses and dark matter stability, with potential collider signatures.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal flipped 3-3-1 model with an approximate B-L symmetry that naturally accounts for neutrino masses and dark matter properties.

Findings

Neutrino masses generated via type II and III seesaws.

Dark matter can be long-lived and either unified with the Higgs or inert.

Model predicts new physics signals at colliders.

Abstract

We argue that neutrino mass and dark matter can arise from an approximate $B-L$ symmetry. This idea can be realized in a minimal setup of the flipped 3-3-1 model, which discriminates lepton families while keeping universal quark families and uses only two scalar triplets in order for symmetry breaking and mass generation. This proposal contains naturally an approximate non-Abelian $B-L$ symmetry which consequently leads to an approximate matter parity. The approximate symmetries produce small neutrino masses in terms of type II and III seesaws and may make dark matter long lived. Additionally, dark matter candidate is either unified with the Higgs doublet by gauge symmetry or acted as an inert multiplet. The Peccei-Quinn symmetry is discussed. The gauge and scalar sectors are exactly diagonalized. The signals of the new physics at colliders are examined.