Neutrino masses from U(1) symmetries and the Super-Kamiokande data

Motivated by the Super-Kamiokande data, we revisit models with U(1) symmetries and discuss the origin of neutrino masses and mixings in such theories. We show that, in models with just three light neutrinos and a hierarchy of neutrino masses, large (2-3) mixing fixes the lepton doublet U(1) charges and is thus related to the structure of the charged lepton mass matrix. We discuss the fermion mass structure that follows from the abelian family symmetry with an extended gauge group. Requiring that the quark and lepton masses be ordered by the family symmetry, we identify the most promising scheme. This requires large, but not necessarily maximal, mixing in the mu tau sector and gives e mu mixing in the range that is required for the small angle solution of the solar neutrino deficit.