See-saw and grand unification

Abstract

I review the profound connection between the see-saw mechanism for neutrino masses and grand unification. This connection points naturally towards SO(10) grand unified theory. The emphasis here is on the supersymmetric theory, but I also discuss salient features of its split supersymmetry version and ordinary non-supersymmetric SO(10). Particular attention is paid to the crucial issue of the minimal such theory, i.e. the question of the Higgs sector needed to break SO(10) down to the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model or the Standard Model. Some essential features of the see-saw mechanism are clarified, in particular its precise origin at the high scale.

Comments: Talk given at SEESAW25: International Conference on the Seesaw Mechanism and the Neutrino Mass, Paris, France, 10-11 Jun 2004