Search results for "hep-th"
showing 10 items of 757 documents
Real symplectic formulation of local special geometry
2006
We consider a formulation of local special geometry in terms of Darboux special coordinates $P^I=(p^i,q_i)$, $I=1,...,2n$. A general formula for the metric is obtained which is manifestly $\mathbf{Sp}(2n,\mathbb{R})$ covariant. Unlike the rigid case the metric is not given by the Hessian of the real function $S(P)$ which is the Legendre transform of the imaginary part of the holomorphic prepotential. Rather it is given by an expression that contains $S$, its Hessian and the conjugate momenta $S_I=\frac{\partial S}{\partial P^I}$. Only in the one-dimensional case ($n=1$) is the real (two-dimensional) metric proportional to the Hessian with an appropriate conformal factor.
Swampland Bounds on the Abelian Gauge Sector
2019
We derive bounds on the number of abelian gauge group factors in six-dimensional gravitational theories with minimal supersymmetry and in their F-theoretic realisations. These bounds follow by requiring consistency of certain BPS strings in the spectrum of the theory, as recently proposed in the literature. Under certain assumptions this approach constrains the number of abelian gauge group factors in six-dimensional supergravity theories with at least one tensor multiplet to be $N \leq 20$ (or $N \leq 22$ in absence of charged matter). For any geometric F-theory realisation with at least one tensor multiplet we establish the bound $N \leq 16$ by demanding unitarity of a heterotic solitonic…
Lensing and dynamics of ultracompact bosonic stars
2017
Spherically symmetric bosonic stars are one of the few examples of gravitating solitons that are known to form dynamically, via a classical process of (incomplete) gravitational collapse. As stationary solutions of the Einstein--Klein-Gordon or the Einstein--Proca theory, bosonic stars may also become sufficiently compact to develop light rings and hence mimic, in principle, gravitational-wave observational signatures of black holes (BHs). In this paper, we discuss how these horizonless ultra-compact objects (UCOs) are actually distinct from BHs, both phenomenologically and dynamically. In the electromagnetic channel, the light ring associated phenomenology reveals remarkable lensing patter…
On the current status of Modified Gravity
2014
We revisit the cosmological viability of the Hu $\&$ Sawicki modified gravity scenario. The impact of such a modification on the different cosmological observables, including gravitational waves, is carefully described. The most recent cosmological data, as well as constraints on the relationship between the clustering parameter $\sigma_8$ and the current matter mass-energy density $\Omega_m$ from cluster number counts and weak lensing tomography, are considered in our numerical calculations. The strongest bound we find is $|f_{R0}| < 3.7 \times 10^{-6}$ at $95\%$~CL. Forthcoming cluster surveys covering 10,000 deg$^2$ in the sky, with galaxy surface densities of $\mathcal{O}(10)$~arcmin$^{…
The Power Spectrum in de Sitter Inflation, Revisited
2008
We find that the amplitude of quantum fluctuations of the invariant de Sitter vacuum coincides exactly with that of the vacuum of a comoving observer for a massless scalar (inflaton) field. We propose redefining the actual physical power spectrum as the difference between the amplitudes of the above vacua. An inertial particle detector continues to observe the Gibbons-Hawking temperature. However, although the resulting power spectrum is still scale-free, its amplitude can be drastically reduced since now, instead of the Hubble's scale at the inflationary period, it is determined by the square of the mass of the inflaton fluctuation field.
Evolution of coupled scalar and spinor particles in classical field theory
2006
We study the evolution of mixed scalar as well as spinor fields within the context of the classical field theory. The initial condition problem is solved and the fields distributions, exactly accounting for the initial conditions, are obtained for both scalar and spinor fields. In the system of two coupled fields we consider the special case of the initial conditions which are rapidly oscillating functions. It is demonstrated that the energy densities of the scalar fields and the intensities of the spinor fields coincide with the usual transition and survival probabilities of neutrino flavor oscillations in vacuum.
Novel mechanism for CMB modulation in the Standard Model
2020
We demonstrate that light spectator fields can source sizeable CMB anisotropies through modulated reheating even in the absence of direct couplings to the inflaton. The effect arises when the phase space of the inflaton decay is modulated by the spectator which generates masses for the decay products. We call the mechanism \textit{indirect modulation} and show that it can source perturbations even four orders of magnitude larger than the observed. Importantly, the indirect mechanism is present in the Standard Model extended with right-handed neutrinos. For a minimally coupled Higgs boson this leads to a novel lower bound on the quartic coupling and constrains the neutrino Yukawas below unit…
Corrections to the ${\bf SU(3)\times SU(3)}$ Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner relation and chiral couplings $L^r_8$ and $H^r_2$
2012
Next to leading order corrections to the $SU(3) \times SU(3)$ Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner relation (GMOR) are obtained using weighted QCD Finite Energy Sum Rules (FESR) involving the pseudoscalar current correlator. Two types of integration kernels in the FESR are used to suppress the contribution of the kaon radial excitations to the hadronic spectral function, one with local and the other with global constraints. The result for the pseudoscalar current correlator at zero momentum is $\psi_5(0) = (2.8 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{-3} GeV^{4}$, leading to the chiral corrections to GMOR: $\delta_K = (55 \pm 5)%$. The resulting uncertainties are mostly due to variations in the upper limit of integration in…
Applications of intersection numbers in physics
2022
In this review I discuss intersection numbers of twisted cocycles and their relation to physics. After defining what these intersection number are, I will first discuss a method for computing them. This is followed by three examples where intersection numbers appear in physics. These examples are: tree-level scattering amplitudes within the the CHY-formalism, reduction of Feynman integrals to master integrals and correlation functions on the lattice.
Light neutrino masses from gravitational condensation: the Schwinger-Dyson approach
2019
In this work we demonstrate that non-zero neutrino masses can be generated from gravitational interactions. We solve the Schwinger-Dyson equations to find a non-trivial vacuum thereby determining the scale of the neutrino condensate and the number of new particle degrees of freedom required for gravitationally induced dynamical chiral symmetry breaking. We show for minimal beyond the Standard Model particle content, the scale of the condensation occurs close to the Planck scale.