Derivation of the Wolfenstein form of the Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix from fermion masses

Abstract

An empirical, perturbative approach to the fermion mass matrix is used to examine the derivation of the Wolfenstein form of the Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix as a power series in the Cabibbo-angle parameter \ensuremath{\lambda}=sin${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{C}$. With the aid of an SU(3) family symmetry, the theory is extended to neutrinos and predictions are made about their Dirac masses and mixing angles.