High Energy Physics

We study the sub-structure of heterotic Kahler moduli space due to the presence of non-Abelian internal gauge fields from the perspective of the four-dimensional effective theory. Internal gauge fields can be supersymmetric in some regions of Kahler moduli space but break supersymmetry in others. In the context of the four-dimensional theory, we investigate what happens when the Kahler moduli are changed from the supersymmetric to the non-supersymmetric region. Our results provide a low-energy description of supersymmetry breaking by internal gauge fields as well as a physical picture for the mathematical notion of bundle stability. Specifically, we find that at the transition between the two regions an additional anomalous U(1) symmetry appears under which some of the states in the low-energy theory acquire charges. We compute the associated D-term contribution to the four-dimensional potential which contains a Kahler modulus dependent Fayet-Iliopoulos term and contributions from the charged states. We show that this Dterm correctly reproduces the expected physics. Several mathematical conclusions concerning vector bundle stability are drawn from our arguments. We also discuss possible physical applications of our results to heterotic model building and moduli stabilisation.

What, exactly, happened around the time of the Big Bang? Exploring new models inspired by superstring theory and supergravity, e.g. ones in which we live on “branes” that collide with a “big bang”. Satellite experiments to test such models.

Physics beyond the standard model: theories of elementary particles with extra space dimensions (large, small, warped and flat); supersymmetry; grand unification; dark matter; inflation and dark energy; as well as relationships between the different subjects.

Many aspects of string theory, ranging from its mathematical structure and various formulations, to possible implications for black holes and cosmology. Using string phenomenology to connect theory with reality, i.e. string mathematics with elementary particle physics.

We present a short review of the local conformal symmetry and its anomalous violation in curved $4d$ space-time. Furthermore we discuss the ambiguities of conformal anomaly and the anomaly-induced effective actions. Despite the conformal symmetry is always broken at quantum level, it is useful for constructing the best known approximations for investigating quantum corrections to the classical action of gravity. These quantum corrections represent an appropriate basis for a number of applications in cosmology and black hole physics.

We use black holes to understand some basic properties of theories of quantum gravity. First, we apply ideas from black hole physics to the physics of accelerated observers to show that the equations of motion of generalized theories of gravity are equivalent to the thermodynamic relation $\delta Q = T \delta S$. Our proof relies on extending previous arguments by using a more general definition of the Noether charge entropy. We have thus completed the implementation of Jacobson's proposal to express Einstein's equations as a thermodynamic equation of state. Additionally, we find that the Noether charge entropy obeys the second law of thermodynamics if the energy momentum tensor obeys the null energy condition. Our results support the idea that gravitation on a macroscopic scale is a manifestation of the thermodynamics of the vacuum. Then, we show that the existence of semiclassical black holes of size as small as a minimal length scale l_{UV} implies a bound on a gravitational analogue of 't-Hooft's coupling $\lambda_G(l)\equiv N(l) G_N/l^2$ at all scales $l \ge l_{UV}$. The proof is valid for any metric theory of gravity that consistently extends Einstein's gravity and is based on two assumptions about semiclassical black holes: i) that they emit as black bodies, and ii) that they are perfect quantum emitters. The examples of higher dimensional gravity and of weakly coupled string theory are used to explicitly check our assumptions and to verify that the proposed bound holds. Finally, we discuss some consequences of the bound for theories of quantum gravity in general and for string theory in particular.

We present a string dual to finite temperature N=4 SYM coupled to Nf massless flavors with abelian symmetry. The solution includes the backreaction of the flavor up to second order in the ratio N_f/N_c times the 't Hooft coupling at the temperature of the dual QGP. The thermodynamics show a departure from conformality as a second order effect, and the energy loss of a quark through the plasma is enhanced by new degrees of freedom.

The screening of electric charge in plasma with Bose condensate of a charged scalar field is calculated. In all previous calculations before 2009 the effects of Bose condensation have not been considered. Due to the condensate the time-time component of the photon polarization tensor in addition to the usual terms k-squared and Debye mass squared, contains infrared singular terms inversely proportional to k and k-squared. Such terms lead to power law oscillation behaviour of the screened potential, which is different form Friedel oscillations known for fermions. An analogue of Friedel oscillations in bosonic case is also considered.

The Standard model of Cosmology consists of a package of ideas that include Cold Dark Matter, Inflation, and the existence of a small Cosmological Constant. While there is no consensus about what lies beyond the Standard Model, there is a leading candidate that also includes a small package of ideas: A Landscape of connected vacua: the idea that the universe started out with a large energy density, and Coleman DeLuccia Tunneling between vacua. An additional idea that comes from string theory and black hole physics is the Holographic Principle. I will explain how the various ingredients for a "post-standard-model" standard model fit together.