Parity violating neutral currents in a left-right symmetric gauge model

Abstract

We consider parity violating effects in the neutral sector of a left-right symmetric SU(2) L × SU(2) R × U(1) gauge model of weak and electromagnetic interaction. With four quarks and four leptons, the parity violating optical rotation in atoms is estimated to be about an order of magnitude smaller (and of opposite sign) compared to the Salam-Weinberg (SW) model prediction. However, with new quarks and leptons this effect can be arranged to be even smaller. Weak-electromagnetic interference effects are quantitatively different from those found in the SW model. A unified gauge theory which embeds the left-right symmetric gauge model is briefly discussed.