Constraints on Deflation from the Equation of State of Dark Energy

In cyclic cosmology based on phantom dark energy the requirement that our universe satisfy a CBE-condition ({\it Comes Back Empty}) imposes a lower bound on the number $N_{\rm cp}$ of causal patches which separate just prior to turnaround. This bound depends on the dark energy equation of state $w = p/\rho = -1 - \phi$ with $\phi > 0$. More accurate measurement of $\phi$ will constrain $N_{\rm cp}$. The critical density $\rho_c$ in the model has a lower bound $\rho_c \ge (10^9 {\rm GeV})^4$ or $\rho_c \ge (10^{18} {\rm GeV})^4$ when the smallest bound state has size $10^{-15}$m, or $10^{-35}$m, respectively.Comment: 23 pages, 3 figures, typos fixe

Minimal Family Unification

Absract It is proposed that there exist, within a new $SU(2)^{'}$, a gauged discrete group $Q_6$ (the order 12 double dihedral group) acting as a family symmetry. This nonabelian finite group can explain hierarchical features of families, using an assignment for quarks and leptons dictated by the requirements of anomaly cancellation and of no additional quarks.Comment: 10 pages, IFP-701-UNC;VAND-TH-94-

Upper and Lower Bounds on Gravitational Entropy

The entropy in the interior of the Universe has many contributions including well understood ones from radiation and relic neutrinos. The gravitational entropy is larger and more subtle. One contribution which provides our lower bound is from supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies. The remainder is harder to pin down. We suggest an upper bound which is many orders of magnitude below the holographic bound yet above that of the supermassive black holes. We propose that gravitational entropy in dark matter halos is the largest contributor to the present entropy of the universe.Comment: 10 pages LaTeX. Minor correction

Possible manifestation of heavy stable colored particles in cosmology and cosmic rays

We discuss the cosmological implications as well as possible observability of massive, stable, colored particles which often appear in the discussion of physics beyond the standard model. We argue that if their masses are more than a few hundred GeV and if they saturate the halo density and/or occur with closure density of the universe, they are ruled out by the present WIMP search experiments as well as the searches for anomalous heavy isotopes of ordinary nuclei. We then comment on the possibility that these particles as well as the monopoles could be responsible for the ultra high energy cosmic rays with energy $\geq 10^{20}$ eV and point out that their low inelasticity argues against this.Comment: 9 pages; UMD-PP-98-1

Echoes of the fifth dimension?

In this article we examine the question of whether the highest energy cosmic ray primaries could be ultra relativistic magnetic monopoles. The analysis is performed within the framework of large compact dimensions and TeV scale quantum gravity. Our study indicates that while this hypothesis must be regarded as highly speculative it cannot be ruled out with present data.Comment: Revised version accepted for publication in Physical Review D. The bibliography has been considerably reduced for the journal version due to limited spac

Muon anomalous magnetic moment in string inspired extended family models

We propose a standard model minimal extension with two lepton weak SU(2) doublets and a scalar singlet to explain the deviation of the measured anomalous magnetic moment of the muon from the standard model expectation. This scheme can be naturally motivated in string inspired models such as E_6 and AdS/CFT.Comment: 9 pages, RevTeX, 2 figures, version to be published in Phys. Rev.

High-Energy Tests of Lorentz Invariance

We develop a perturbative framework with which to discuss departures from exact Lorentz invariance and explore their potentially observable ramifications. Tiny non-invariant terms introduced into the standard model Lagrangian are assumed to be renormalizable (dimension $\le 4$), invariant under $SU(3)\otimes SU(2)\otimes U(1)$ gauge transformations, and rotationally and translationally invariant in a preferred frame. There are a total of 46 independent TCP-even perturbations of this kind, all of which preserve anomaly cancellation. They define the energy-momentum eigenstates and their maximal attainable velocities in the high-energy limit. The effects of these perturbations increase rapidly with energy in the preferred frame, more rapidly than those of TCP-odd perturbations. Our analysis of Lorentz-violating kinematics reveals several striking new phenomena that are relevant both to cosmic-ray physics ({\it e.g.,} by undoing the GZK cutoff) and neutrino physics ({\it e.g.,} by generating novel types of neutrino oscillations). These may lead to new and sensitive high-energy tests of special relativity.Comment: 33 pages, uses harvmac. This 2nd revision corrects two typos, an error in the Appendix, and includes further acknowledgement

Quantum Gravity, the Origin of Time and Time's Arrow

The local Lorentz and diffeomorphism symmetries of Einstein's gravitational theory are spontaneously broken by a Higgs mechanism by invoking a phase transition in the early Universe, at a critical temperature $T_c$ below which the symmetry is restored. The spontaneous breakdown of the vacuum state generates an external time and the wave function of the Universe satisfies a time dependent Schrodinger equation, which reduces to the Wheeler-deWitt equation in the classical regime for $T < T_c$, allowing a semi-classical WKB approximation to the wave function. The conservation of energy is spontaneously violated for $T > T_c$ and matter is created fractions of seconds after the big bang, generating the matter in the Universe. The time direction of the vacuum expectation value of the scalar Higgs field generates a time asymmetry, which defines the cosmological arrow of time and the direction of increasing entropy as the Lorentz symmetry is restored at low temperatures.Comment: 37 page