Speaker
Fredrik Björkeroth
(INFN-LNF)
Description
In Peccei-Quinn (PQ) solutions to the strong CP problem, a global $U(1)_{PQ}$ symmetry is typically added by hand. However, $U(1)_{PQ}$ need not be exact: it may arise from discrete symmetry, provided the PQ solution is protected to sufficient order. We present a rather complete model, based on Pati-Salam unification and $A_4$, wherein such discrete symmetries are the very same symmetries that govern quark and lepton flavour. The QCD axion itself resides within $A_4$ triplet flavons, which dictate fermion Yukawa structures; axion and flavour scales are firmly linked. Potentially viable avenues for testing the model include: (1) model fitting to quark and lepton mixing, (2) flavour-violating meson and lepton decays, (3) dark matter.
