Evaporation of Schwarzschild Black Holes in Matrix Theory

Recently, in collaboration with Susskind, we proposed a model of Schwarzschild black holes in Matrix theory. A large Schwarzschild black hole is described by a metastable bound state of a large number of D0-branes which are held together by a background, whose structure has so far been understood only in 8 and 11 dimensions. The Hawking radiation proceeds by emission of small clusters of D0-branes. We estimate the Hawking rate in the Matrix theory model of Schwarzschild black holes and find agreement with the semiclassical rate up to an undetermined numerical coefficient of order 1.Comment: 9 pages, harvma

D-brane recoil

It is shown that there are logarithmic operators in D-brane backgrounds that lead to infrared divergences in open string loop amplitudes. These divergences can be cancelled by changing the closed string background by operators that correspond to the D-brane moving with constant velocity after some instant in time, since it is precisely such operators that give rise to the appropriate ultraviolet divergences in the closed string channel.Comment: Plain TeX, 5 page

Inverse Seesaw Neutrino Mass from Lepton Triplets in the U(1)_Sigma Model

The inverse seesaw mechanism of neutrino mass, i.e. m_nu = (m_D^2/m_N^2)epsilon_L where epsilon_L is small, is discussed in the context of the U(1)_Sigma model. This is a gauge extension of the Standard Model of particle interactions with lepton triplets (Sigma^+,Sigma^),Sigma^-) as (Type III) seesaw anchors for obtaining small Majorana neutrino masses.Comment: 7 pages, no figur

Renormalisation of the Fayet-Iliopoulos D-term

We consider the renormalisation of the Fayet-Iliopoulos D-term in a softly-broken Abelian supersymmetric theory. We show that there exists (at least through three loops) a renormalisation group invariant trajectory for the coefficient of the D-term, corresponding to the conformal anomaly solution for the soft masses and couplings.Comment: 11 pages, TeX, Uses Harvmac (big). References added, minor corrections (including a sign error for the zeta(3) terms), and discussion of scheme dependence corrected and amplifie

Schwarzchild Black Holes in Matrix Theory II

We present a crude Matrix Theory model for Schwarzchild black holes in uncompactified dimension greater than $5$. The model accounts for the size, entropy, and long range state interactions of black holes. The key feature of the model is a Boltzmann gas of D0 branes, a concept which depends on certain qualitative features of Matrix Theory which have not previously been utilized in studies of black holes.Comment: 20 pages,harvmac,big, Some Typos corrected, 1 reference adde

Beyond Conformal Field Theory

This is an account of some recent work done with H. S. La [1] [2], based ultimately on the work of Fischler and Susskind [3] and Polchinski [4]

Electromagnetic Contributions to the Schiff Moment

The Schiff moment, \smij, is a parity and time reversal violating fermion-fermion coupling. The nucleus-electron Schiff moment generically gives the most important contribution to the electric dipole moments of atoms and molecules with zero net intrinsic electronic spin and nuclear spin ${1 \over 2}$. Here, the electromagnetic contribution to the Schiff moment, \emij, is considered. For a nucleon, the leading chirally violating contribution to this interaction is calculable in the chiral limit in terms of the parity and time reversal violating pion-nucleon coupling. For the Schiff moment of heavy nuclei, this chiral contribution is somewhat smaller than the finite size effect discussed previously in the literature.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure (not included), Tex file, requires phyzzx, preprint SCIPP 93/4

Renormalization of the Fayet-Iliopoulos Term in Softly Broken SUSY Gauge Theories

It is shown that renormalization of the Fayet-Iliopoulos term in a softly broken SUSY gauge theory, in full analogy with all the other soft terms renormalizations, is completely defined in a rigid or an unbroken theory. However, contrary to the other soft renormalizations, there is no simple differential operator that acts on the renormalization functions of a rigid theory and allows one to get the renormalization of the F-I term. One needs an analysis of the superfield diagrams and some additional diagram calculations in components. The method is illustrated by the four loop calculation of some part of renormalization proportional to the soft scalar masses and the soft triple couplings.Comment: Latex2e, 14 pages, uses axodraw.sty. References adde

The issue of Dark Energy in String Theory

Recent astrophysical observations, pertaining to either high-redshift supernovae or cosmic microwave background temperature fluctuations, as those measured recently by the WMAP satellite, provide us with data of unprecedented accuracy, pointing towards two (related) facts: (i) our Universe is accelerated at present, and (ii) more than 70 % of its energy content consists of an unknown substance, termed dark energy, which is believed responsible for its current acceleration. Both of these facts are a challenge to String theory. In this review I outline briefly the challenges, the problems and possible avenues for research towards a resolution of the Dark Energy issue in string theory.Comment: Based on Invited lecture at the ``Third Aegean Summer School on: The Invisible Universe: Dark matter and Dark energy'', Karfas, Chios Island (Greece) September 26-October 1 200

Effective Action and Phase Structure of Multi-Layer Sine-Gordon Type Models

We analyze the effective action and the phase structure of N-layer sine-Gordon type models, generalizing the results obtained for the two-layer sine-Gordon model found in [I. Nandori, S. Nagy, K. Sailer and U. D. Jentschura, Nucl. Phys. B725, 467-492 (2005)]. Besides the obvious field theoretical interest, the layered sine-Gordon model has been used to describe the vortex properties of high transition temperature superconductors, and the extension of the previous analysis to a general N-layer model is necessary for a description of the critical behaviour of vortices in realistic multi-layer systems. The distinction of the Lagrangians in terms of mass eigenvalues is found to be the decisive parameter with respect to the phase structure of the N-layer models, with neighbouring layers being coupled by quadratic terms in the field variables. By a suitable rotation of the field variables, we identify the periodic modes (without explicit mass terms) in the N-layer structure, calculate the effective action and determine their Kosterlitz-Thouless type phase transitions to occur at a coupling parameter \beta^2_{c} = 8 N \pi, where N is the number of layers (or flavours in terms of the multi-flavour Schwinger model).Comment: 15 page