Gravity and Matter in Extra Dimensions

In this paper, we derive from the viewpoint of the effective 4D theory the interaction terms between linearized gravity propagating in N>= 2 large extra dimensions and matter propagating into one extra dimension. This generalizes known results for the interactions between gravity and 4D matter in ADD-type models. Although we assume that matter is described by an Universal Extra Dimensions (UED) scenario (with all fields propagating into the fifth dimension), we present our results in a general form that can be easily adapted to various other scenarios of matter distribution. We then apply our results to the UED model on a fat brane and consider some phenomenological applications. Among these are the computation of the gravitational decay widths of the matter KK excitations and the effect the width of the brane has on the interactions of gravity with Standard Model particles. We also estimate the cross-section for producing single KK excitations at colliders through KK number-violating gravitational interaction.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, Late

Z' Decays into Four Fermions

If a new $Z'$ is discovered with a mass $\sim 1 \ TeV$ at LHC/SSC, its (rare) decays into two charged leptons plus missing transverse energy will probe the $Z'$ coupling to the lepton doublet $(\nu,e)_L$ and to $W^+W^-$, allowing further discrimination among extended electroweak models.Comment: 9 pages plus 1 figure (not included but available), UG-FT-22/9

Minimal Higher-Dimensional Extensions of the Standard Model and Electroweak Observables

We consider minimal 5-dimensional extensions of the Standard Model compactified on an $S^1/Z_2$ orbifold, in which the SU(2)$_L$ and U(1)$_Y$ gauge fields and Higgs bosons may or may not all propagate in the fifth dimension while the observable matter is always assumed to be confined to a 4-dimensional subspace. We pay particular attention to consistently quantize the higher-dimensional models in the generalized $R_\xi$ gauge and derive analytic expressions for the mass spectrum of the resulting Kaluza-Klein states and their couplings to matter. Based on recent data from electroweak precision tests, we improve previous limits obtained in the 5-dimensional Standard Model with a common compactification radius and extend our analysis to other possible 5-dimensional Standard-Model constructions. We find that the usually derived lower bound of $\sim 4$ TeV on an universal compactification scale may be considerably relaxed to $\sim 3$ TeV in a minimal scenario, in which the SU(2)$_L$ gauge boson is the only field that feels the presence of the fifth dimension.Comment: 48 pages, LaTeX, 1 eps figure, typos correcte

Universal Extra Dimensions and Kaluza Klein Bound States

We study the bound states of the Kaluza-Klein (KK) excitations of quarks in certain models of Universal Extra Dimensions. Such bound states may be detected at future lepton colliders in the cross section for the pair production of KK-quarks near threshold. For typical values of model parameters, we find that "KK-quarkonia" have widths in the 10 - 100 MeV range, and production cross sections of order a few picobarns for the lightest resonances. Two body decays of the constituent KK-quarks lead to distinctive experimental signatures. We point out that such KK resonances may be discovered before any of the higher KK modes.Comment: 21 pages LaTeX, 9 eps figure

Discerning Noncommutative Extra Dimensions

Experimental limits on the violation of four-dimensional Lorentz invariance imply that noncommutativity among ordinary spacetime dimensions must be small. Noncommutativity among extra, compactified spatial dimensions, however, is far less constrained and may have discernable collider signatures. Here we study the experimental consequences of noncommutative QED in six dimensions, with noncommutativity restricted to a TeV-scale bulk. Assuming the orbifold T^2/Z_2, we construct the effective four-dimensional theory and study interactions unique to the noncommutative case. New vertices involving the Kaluza-Klein (KK) excitations of the photon yield order 100% corrections to the pair production and to the decays of some of the lighter modes. We show that these effects are difficult to resolve at the LHC, but are likely within the reach of a future Very Large Hadron Collider (VLHC).Comment: 20 pages LaTeX, 8 eps figures (minor revisions, version to appear in Phys. Rev. D

Towards a Resolution of the Cosmological Singularity in Non-local Higher Derivative Theories of Gravity

One of the greatest problems of standard cosmology is the Big Bang singularity. Previously it has been shown that non-local ghostfree higher-derivative modifications of Einstein gravity in the ultra-violet regime can admit non-singular bouncing solutions. In this paper we study in more details the dynamical properties of the equations of motion for these theories of gravity in presence of positive and negative cosmological constants and radiation. We find stable inflationary attractor solutions in the presence of a positive cosmological constant which renders inflation {\it geodesically complete}, while in the presence of a negative cosmological constant a cyclic universe emerges. We also provide an algorithm for tracking the super-Hubble perturbations during the bounce and show that the bouncing solutions are free from any perturbative instability.Comment: 38 pages, 6 figures. V2: Added: a word to the title, clarifications, an appendix, many references. To appear in JCA

Inverse Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Revisited

We critically reexamine the prospects for the observation of the $\Delta L=2$ lepton-number-violating process \eeWW using the $e^-e^-$ option of a high-energy $e^+e^-$ collider (NLC). We find that, except in the most contrived scenarios, constraints from neutrinoless double beta decay render the process unobservable at an NLC of $\sqrt{s}<2$ TeV. Other $\Delta L=2$ processes such as \ggllww, \egnllw, \eennll ($\ell=\mu,\tau$), and \egeww, which use various options of the NLC, require a $\sqrt{s}$ of at least 4 TeV for observability.Comment: paper in LATEX, 24 pages, 10 figures in separate uuencoded psfile. Complete psfile available via anonymous ftp at ftp://lapphp0.in2p3.fr/pub/preprints-theorie/doublebeta.uu or via www at http://lapphp0.in2p3.fr/preplapp/psth/doublebeta.ps.g

Standard Model baryogenesis through four-fermion operators in braneworlds

We study a new baryogenesis scenario in a class of braneworld models with low fundamental scale, which typically have difficulty with baryogenesis. The scenario is characterized by its minimal nature: the field content is that of the Standard Model and all interactions consistent with the gauge symmetry are admitted. Baryon number is violated via a dimension-6 proton decay operator, suppressed today by the mechanism of quark-lepton separation in extra dimensions; we assume that this operator was unsuppressed in the early Universe due to a time-dependent quark-lepton separation. The source of CP violation is the CKM matrix, in combination with the dimension-6 operators. We find that almost independently of cosmology, sufficient baryogenesis is nearly impossible in such a scenario if the fundamental scale is above 100 TeV, as required by an unsuppressed neutron-antineutron oscillation operator. The only exception producing sufficient baryon asymmetry is a scenario involving out-of-equilibrium c quarks interacting with equilibrium b quarks.Comment: 39 pages, 5 figures v2: typos, presentational changes, references and acknowledgments adde