Gaugino Condensation in M-theory on S^1/Z_2

In the low energy limit of for M-theory on S^1/Z_2, we calculate the gaugino condensate potential in four dimensions using the background solutions due to Horava. We show that this potential is free of delta-function singularities and has the same form as the potential in the weakly coupled heterotic string. A general flux quantization rule for the three-form field of M-theory on S^1/Z_2 is given and checked in certain limiting cases. This rule is used to fix the free parameter in the potential originating from a zero mode of the form field. Finally, we calculate soft supersymmetry breaking terms. We find that corrections to the Kahler potential and the gauge kinetic function, which can be large in the strongly coupled region, contribute significantly to certain soft terms. In particular, for supersymmetry breaking in the T-modulus direction, the small values of gaugino masses and trilinear couplings that occur in the weakly coupled, large radius regime are enhanced to order m_3/2 in M-theory. The scalar soft masses remain small even, in the strong coupling M-theory limit.Comment: 20 pages, LATE

SO(10) Grand Unification with a Low-Energy MRM_R

Contrary to commonly held belief, we show that one can obtain a low value for $M_R$, the $SU(2)_R$ breaking scale, in grand unification theories based on $SO(10)$. This possibility emerges in the supersymmetric version of $SO(10)$ with a judicious choice of Higgs content. The unification scale is found to be consistent with the constraint from proton decay. This result is first explicitly demonstrated using the one loop renormalization group equations, and then a full two loop analysis is carried out.Comment: LaTex format, 10 pages & 1 figure (available on request), OITS-50