59376303
Signs of Analyticity in Single-Field Inflation
The analyticity of response functions and scattering amplitudes implies powerful relations between low-energy observables and the underlying short-distance dynamics. These “IR/UV” relations are rooted in basic physical principles, such as causality and unitarity. In this paper, we seek similar connections in inflation, relating cosmological observations to the physics responsible for the accelerated expansion. We assume that the inflationary theory is Lorentz invariant at short distances, but allow for nonrelativistic interactions and a nontrivial speed of propagation at low energies. Focusing on forward scattering, we derive a “sum rule” which equates a combination of low-energy parameters to an integral which is sensitive to the high-energy behavior of the theory. While for relativistic amplitudes unitarity is sufficient to prove positivity of the sum rule, this is not guaranteed in the nonrelativistic case. We discuss the conditions under which positivity still applies, and show that they are satisfied by all known UV completions of single-field inflation. In that case, we obtain a consistency condition for primordial non-Gaussianity, which constrains the size and the sign of the equilateral four-point function in terms of the amplitude of the three-point function. The resulting bound rules out about half of the parameter space that is still allowed by current observations. Finding a violation of our consistency condition would point toward less conventional theories of inflation, or violations of basic physical principles.
119213185
The superhorizon test of future B-mode experiments
Inflation predicts B-mode polarization with correlations that span superhorizon scales at recombination. In contrast, the correlations set up by causal sources, such as phase transitions or defects, necessarily vanish on superhorizon scales. Motivated by BICEP2's B-mode detection, we consider the prospects for measuring the inflationary superhorizon signature in future observations. We explain that the finite resolution of an experiment and the filtering of the raw data induces a transfer of spurious subhorizon power to superhorizon scales, and describe ways to correct for it. We also provide a detailed treatment of possible sources of noise in the measurement. Finally, we present forecasts for the detectability of the signal with future CMB polarization experiments.
17932655
Spontaneous localization of bulk fields: the six-dimensional case
Abstract We study N =2 supersymmetric gauge theories with d =6 bulk and d =4 brane fields charged under a U (1) gauge symmetry. Radiatively induced Fayet–Iliopoulos terms lead to an instability of the bulk fields. We compute the profile of the bulk zero modes and observe the phenomenon of spontaneous localization towards the position of the branes. While this mechanism is quite similar to the d =5 case, the mass spectrum of the excited Kaluza–Klein modes shows a crucial difference.
204934408
Gravity in the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Theory with the Randall-Sundrum Background
We obtain the full 5D graviton propagator in the Randall-Sundrum model with the Gauss-Bonnet interaction. From the decomposition of the graviton propagator on the brane, we show that localization of gravity arises in the presence of the Gauss-Bonnet term. We also obtain the metric perturbation for observers on the brane with considering the brane bending and compute the amplitude of one massless graviton exchange. For the positive definite amplitude or no ghost states, the sign of the Gauss-Bonnet coefficient should be negative in our convention, which is compatible with string amplitude computations. In that case, the ghost-free condition is sufficient for obtaining the Newtonian gravity. For a vanishing Gauss-Bonnet coefficient, the brane bending allows us to reproduce the correct graviton polarizations for the effective 4D Einstein gravity.
31015901
Muon anomaly and dark parity violation.
The muon anomalous magnetic moment exhibits a 3.6σ discrepancy between experiment and theory. One explanation requires the existence of a light vector boson, Z(d) (the dark Z), with mass 10-500 MeV that couples weakly to the electromagnetic current through kinetic mixing. Support for such a solution also comes from astrophysics conjectures regarding the utility of a U(1)(d) gauge symmetry in the dark matter sector. In that scenario, we show that mass mixing between the Z(d) and ordinary Z boson introduces a new source of "dark" parity violation, which is potentially observable in atomic and polarized electron scattering experiments. Restrictive bounds on the mixing (m(Z(d))/m(Z))δ are found from existing atomic parity violation results, δ2<2×10(-5). Combined with future planned and proposed polarized electron scattering experiments, a sensitivity of δ2∼10(-6) is expected to be reached, thereby complementing direct searches for the Z(d) boson.
119542847
Revival of the Thermal Sneutrino Dark Matter
Studies of the rotation curves of galaxies, large scale structures, and recent measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation, have confirmed that about 23% of the energy in the Universe is in the form of cold dark matter (CDM) [1]. The origin and the nature of CDM is one of the biggest puzzles in both particle physics and cosmology. Since all known particles are ruled out as dark matter candidates, dark matter provides the strongest phenomenological motivation for new physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). The Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), supplemented with an exact discrete symmetry (R-parity), possesses two natural CDM candidates: the lightest neutralino and the lightest scalar neutrino (sneutrino). The former is a generic mixture of the superpartners of the neutral gauge and Higgs bosons, and its phenomenology has been the subject of extensive studies over the last 20 years [2]. In contrast, the left-handed (LH) sneutrinos of the MSSM have been ruled out as a major component of the dark matter in the Universe, by the combination of cosmological and experimental constraints. More precisely, LH sneutrinos are weakly charged, and typically annihilate too rapidly via Z-mediated s-channel diagrams, resulting in a relic density too small to account for all of the dark matter. To suppress the annihilation rate it was proposed that the sneutrinos should be either very light (O(GeV)) [3] or very heavy (O(TeV)) [4]. However, a very light sneutrino is excluded by the measurement of the invisible width of the Z gauge boson, while a very heavy sneutrino is excluded by direct dark matter searches [4]. Therefore, the LH sneutrinos of the MSSM are now disfavored as dark matter candidates. On the other hand, the recent evidence of neutrino masses provides strong impetus for extending the particle content of the MSSM with right-handed (RH) neutri� ∗
119235859
Inflation and dark matter in two Higgs doublet models
A bstractWe consider the Higgs inflation in the extension of the Standard Model with two Higgs doublets coupled to gravity non-minimally. In the presence of an approximate global U(1) symmetry in the Higgs sector, both radial and angular modes of neutral Higgs bosons drive inflation where large non-Gaussianity is possible from appropriate initial conditions on the angular mode. We also discuss the case with single-field inflation for which the U(1) symmetry is broken to a Z2 subgroup. We show that inflationary constraints, perturbativity and stability conditions restrict the parameter space of the Higgs quartic couplings at low energy in both multi- and single-field cases. Focusing on the inert doublet models where Z2 symmetry remains unbroken at low energy, we show that the extra neutral Higgs boson can be a dark matter candidate consistent with the inflationary constraints. The doublet dark matter is always heavy in multi-field inflation while it can be light due to the suppression of the co-annihilation in single-field inflation. The implication of the extra quartic couplings on the vacuum stability bound is also discussed in the light of the recent LHC limits on the Higgs mass.