LPTHE-ORSAY 96/79 hep-ph/9610257 Neutrino mass models with an abelian family symmetry

Abelian family symmetries provide a predictive framework for neutrino mass models. In seesaw models based on an abelian family symmetry, the structures of the Dirac and the Majorana matrices are derived from the symmetry, and the neutrino masses and mixing angles are determined by the lepton charges under the family symmetry. Such models can lead to mass degeneracies and large mixing angles as well as mass hierarchies, the squared mass di erence between quasi-degenerate neutrinos being determined by the symmetry. We present two models illustrating this approach. To appear in the proceedings of the NATO ASI on Masses of Fundamental Particles, Carg ese, France, August 5-17, 1996. Supported in part by the Human Capital and Mobility Programme, contract CHRXCT93-0132. Laboratoire associ e au CNRS-URA-D0063.