Renormalization group effects for a rank degenerate Yukawa matrix and the fate of the massless neutrino

Abstract: The Type-I seesaw model is a common extension to the Standard Model that describes neutrino masses. The Type-I seesaw introduces heavy right-handed neutrinos with Majorana mass that transform as Standard Model electroweak gauge singlets. We initially study a case with two right-handed neutrinos called the 3-2 model. At an energy scale above the right-handed neutrinos, the effective neutrino mass matrix is rank degenerate implying the lightest neutrino is massless. After considering renormalization effects below the two right-handed neutrinos, the effective neutrino mass matrix remains rank degenerate. Next, we study a model with three right-handed neutrinos called the 3-3 model. Above the energy scale of the three right-handed neutrinos, we construct the effective neutrino mass matrix to be rank degenerate. After solving for the renormalization effects to energies below the three right-handed neutrinos, we find the rank of the effective neutrino mass matrix depends on the kernel solutions of the renormalization group equations. We prove for the simplest kernel solutions the effective neutrino mass matrix remains rank degenerate.