Neutrino Textures in the Light of Super-Kamiokande Data and a Realistic String Model

Motivated by the Super-Kamiokande atmospheric neutrino data, we discuss possible textures for Majorana and Dirac neutrino masses within the see-saw framework. The main purposes of this paper are twofold: first to obtain intuition from a purely phenomenological analysis, and secondly to explore to what extent it may be realized in a specific model. We comment initially on the simplified two-generation case, emphasizing that large mixing is not incompatible with a large hierarchy of mass eigenvalues. We also emphasize that renormalization-group effects may amplify neutrino mixing, presenting semi-analytic expressions for estimating this amplification. Several examples are then given of three-family neutrino mass textures which may also accommodate the persistent solar neutrino deficit, with different assumptions for the neutrino Dirac mass matrices. We comment on a few features of neutrino mass textures arising in models with a U(1) flavour symmetry. Finally, we discuss the possible pattern of neutrino masses in a `realistic' flipped SU(5) model derived from string theory, illustrating how a desirable pattern of mixing may emerge. Both small- or large-angle MSW solutions are possible, whilst a hierarchy of neutrino masses appears more natural than near-degeneracy. This model contains some unanticipated features that may also be relevant in other models: the neutrino Dirac matrices may not be related closely to the quark mass matrices, and the heavy Majorana states may include extra gauge-singlet fields.