6 research outputs found
SO(10) Cosmic Strings and SU(3) Color Cheshire Charge
Certain cosmic strings that occur in GUT models such as can carry a
magnetic flux which acts nontrivially on objects carrying
quantum numbers. We show that such strings are non-Abelian Alice strings
carrying nonlocalizable colored ``Cheshire" charge. We examine claims made in
the literature that strings can have a long-range, topological
Aharonov-Bohm interaction that turns quarks into leptons, and observe that such
a process is impossible. We also discuss flux-flux scattering using a
multi-sheeted formalism.Comment: 37 Pages, 8 Figures (available upon request) phyzzx, iassns-hep-93-6,
itp-sb-93-6
Proton Decay and Related Processes in Unified Models with Gauged Baryon Number:
In unification models based on SU(15) or SU(16), baryon number is part of the
gauge symmetry, broken spontaneously. In such models, we discuss various
scenarios of important baryon number violating processes like proton decay and
neutron-antineutron oscillation. Our analysis depends on the effective operator
method, and covers many variations of symmetry breaking, including different
intermediate groups and different Higgs boson content. We discuss processes
mediated by gauge bosons and Higgs bosons parallely. We show how accidental
global or discrete symmetries present in the full gauge invariant Lagrangian
restrict baryon number violating processes in these models. In all cases, we
find that baryon number violating interactions are sufficiently suppressed to
allow grand unification at energies much lower than the usual GeV.Comment: (32 pages LATEX) [DOE-ER\,40757-022, CPP-93-22] {Small changes made
and two references added. This version will appear in Phys. Rev. D
Hacking the quantum revolution: 1925–1975
I argue that the quantum revolution should be seen as an Ian Hacking type of scientific
revolution: a profound, longue durée, multidisciplinary process of
transforming our understanding of physical nature, with deep-rooted social components from
the start. The “revolution” exhibits a characteristic style of reasoning – the
hierarchization of physical nature – and developed and uses a specific language – quantum
field theory (QFT). It is by virtue of that language that the quantum theory has achieved
some of its deepest insights into the description of the dynamics of the physical world.
However, the meaning of what a quantum field theory is and what it describes has deeply
altered, and one now speaks of “effective” quantum field theories. Interpreting all
present day quantum field theories as but “effective” field theories sheds additional
light on Phillip Anderson’s assertion that “More is different”. This important element is
addressed in the last part of the paper