Models of supersymmetric U(2)xU(1) flavor symmetry

We use a U(2) x U(1) horizontal symmetry in order to construct supersymmetr ic models where the flavor structure of both quarks and leptons is induced naturally. The supersymmetric flavor changing neutral currents problem is s olved by the degeneracy between sfermions induced by the U(2) symmetry. The additional U(1) enables the generation of mass ratios that cannot be gener ated by U(2) alone. The resulting phenomenology differs from that of models with either abelian or U(2) x GUT symmetries. Our models give rise to inte resting neutrino spectra, which can incorporate the Super-Kamiokande result s regarding atmospheric neutrinos. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.