LocalB−LSymmetry of Electroweak Interactions, Majorana Neutrinos, and Neutron Oscillations

Abstract

Interpretation of the U(1) generator of the left-right-symmetric electroweak model in terms of $B-L$ enables us to study the spontaneous breaking of local $B-L$ symmetry. The same Higgs mechanism at the "partial unification" level of $\mathrm{SU}{\mathrm{}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}}_L\otimes \mathrm{SU}{\mathrm{}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}}_R\otimes \mathrm{SU}\left(4^{\prime }\right)$ that produces ${\Delta }_L=2\mathrm{}$ processes (e.g., Majorana neutrinos) also yields $\Delta B=2\mathrm{}$ processes (e.g., "neutron oscillations"). The observation of "neutrinoless" double $\beta$ decay and $\Delta B=2\mathrm{}$ nucleon transitions without proton decay would favor this model and an intermediate mass scale.