124 research outputs found
Bubbles from Nothing
Within the framework of flux compactifications, we construct an instanton
describing the quantum creation of an open universe from nothing. The solution
has many features in common with the smooth 6d bubble of nothing solutions
discussed recently, where the spacetime is described by a 4d compactification
of a 6d Einstein-Maxwell theory on S^2 stabilized by flux. The four-dimensional
description of this instanton reduces to that of Hawking and Turok. The choice
of parameters uniquely determines all future evolution, which we additionally
find to be stable against bubble of nothing instabilities.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure
Effects on the CMB from Compactification Before Inflation
Many theories beyond the Standard Model include extra dimensions, though these have yet to be directly observed. In this work we consider the possibility of a compactification mechanism which both allows extra dimensions and is compatible with current observations. This compactification is predicted to leave a signature on the CMB by altering the amplitude of the low l multipoles, dependent on the amount of inflation. Recently discovered CMB anomalies at low multipoles may be evidence for this. In our model we assume the spacetime is the product of a four-dimensional spacetime and flat extra dimensions. Before the compactification, both the four-dimensional space- time and the extra dimensions can either be expanding or contracting independently. Taking into account physical constraints, we explore the observational consequences and the plausibility of these different models
Decay of flux vacua to nothing
We construct instanton solutions describing the decay of flux
compactifications of a gauge theory by generalizing the Kaluza-Klein
bubble of nothing. The surface of the bubble is described by a smooth
magnetically charged solitonic brane whose asymptotic flux is precisely that
responsible for stabilizing the 4d compactification. We describe several
instances of bubble geometries for the various vacua occurring in a
Einstein-Maxwell theory namely, AdS_4 x S^2, R^{1,3} x S^2, and dS_4 x S^2.
Unlike conventional solutions, the bubbles of nothing introduced here occur
where a {\em two}-sphere compactification manifold homogeneously degenerates.Comment: 31 pages, 15 figure
Brane Bremsstrahlung in DBI Inflation
We consider the effect of trapped branes on the evolution of a test brane
whose motion generates DBI inflation along a warped throat. The coupling
between the inflationary brane and a trapped brane leads to the radiation of
non-thermal particles on the trapped brane. We calculate the Gaussian spectrum
of the radiated particles and their backreaction on the DBI motion of the
inflationary brane. Radiation occurs for momenta lower than the speed of the
test brane when crossing the trapped brane. The slowing down effect is either
due to a parametric resonance when the interaction time is small compared to
the Hubble time or a tachyonic resonance when the interaction time is large. In
both cases the motion of the inflationary brane after the interaction is
governed by a chameleonic potential,which tends to slow it down. We find that a
single trapped brane can hardly slow down a DBI inflaton whose fluctuations
lead to the Cosmic Microwave Background spectrum. A more drastic effect is
obtained when the DBI brane encounters a tightly spaced stack of trapped
branes.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figur
The Non-Gaussianity of Racetrack Inflation Models
In this paper, we use the result in [7] to calculate the non-Gaussianity of
the racetrack models in [3, 5]. The two models give different non-
Gaussianities. Both of them are reasonable.Comment: 8 pages, no figures; PACS and Keywords are added; mistake is
correcte
Measures for a Transdimensional Multiverse
The multiverse/landscape paradigm that has emerged from eternal inflation and
string theory, describes a large-scale multiverse populated by "pocket
universes" which come in a huge variety of different types, including different
dimensionalities. In order to make predictions in the multiverse, we need a
probability measure. In landscapes, the scale factor cutoff measure
has been previously shown to have a number of attractive properties. Here we
consider possible generalizations of this measure to a transdimensional
multiverse. We find that a straightforward extension of scale factor cutoff to
the transdimensional case gives a measure that strongly disfavors large amounts
of slow-roll inflation and predicts low values for the density parameter
, in conflict with observations. A suitable generalization, which
retains all the good properties of the original measure, is the "volume factor"
cutoff, which regularizes the infinite spacetime volume using cutoff surfaces
of constant volume expansion factor.Comment: 30 pages, 1 figure Minor revisions, reference adde
Strings at the bottom of the deformed conifold
We present solutions of the equations of motion of macroscopic F and D
strings extending along the non compact 4D sections of the conifold geometry
and winding around the internal directions. The effect of the Goldstone modes
associated with the position of the strings on the internal manifold can be
seen as a current on the string that prevents it from collapsing and allows the
possibility of static 4D loops. Its relevance in recent models of brane
inflation is discussed.Comment: 9+1 page
Volume modulus inflection point inflation and the gravitino mass problem
Several models of inflection point inflation with the volume modulus as the
inflaton are investigated. Non-perturbative superpotentials containing two
gaugino condensation terms or one such term with threshold corrections are
considered. It is shown that the gravitino mass may be much smaller than the
Hubble scale during inflation if at least one of the non-perturbative terms has
a positive exponent. Higher order corrections to the Kahler potential have to
be taken into account in such models. Those corrections are used to stabilize
the potential in the axion direction in the vicinity of the inflection point.
Models with only negative exponents require uplifting and in consequence have
the supersymmetry breaking scale higher than the inflation scale. Fine-tuning
of parameters and initial conditions is analyzed in some detail for both types
of models. It is found that fine-tuning of parameters in models with heavy
gravitino is much stronger than in models with light gravitino. It is shown
that recently proposed time dependent potentials can provide a solution to the
problem of the initial conditions only in models with heavy gravitino. Such
potentials can not be used to relax fine tuning of parameters in any model
because this would lead to values of the spectral index well outside the
experimental bounds.Comment: 27 pages, 9 figures, comments and references added, version to be
publishe
On supersymmetric Minkowski vacua in IIB orientifolds
Supersymmetric Minkowski vacua in IIB orientifold compactifications based on
orbifolds with background fluxes and non-perturbative superpotentials are
investigated. Especially, microscopic requirements and difficulties to obtain
such vacua are discussed. We show that orbifold models with one and two complex
structure moduli and supersymmetric 2-form flux can be successfully stabilized
to such vacua. By taking additional gaugino condensation on fixed space-time
filling D3-branes into account also models without complex structure can be
consistently stabilized to Minkowski vacua.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures; More detailed proof for absence of complex flat
directions in susy AdS vacua given; Footnotes and reference adde
Classical paths in systems of fermions
We implement in systems of fermions the formalism of pseudoclassical paths
that we recently developed for systems of bosons and show that quantum states
of fermionic fields can be described, in the Heisenberg picture, as linear
combinations of randomly distributed paths that do not interfere between
themselves and obey classical Dirac equations. Every physical observable is
assigned a time-dependent value on each path in a way that respects the
anticommutative algebra between quantum operators and we observe that these
values on paths do not necessarily satisfy the usual algebraic relations
between classical observables. We use these pseudoclassical paths to define the
dynamics of quantum fluctuations in systems of fermions and show that, as we
found for systems of bosons, the dynamics of fluctuations of a wide class of
observables that we call "collective" observables can be approximately
described in terms of classical stochastic concepts. Finally, we apply this
formalism to describe the dynamics of local fluctuations of globally conserved
fermion numbers.Comment: to appear in Pys. Rev.
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