Gravitational uncertainties from dimension-six operators on supersymmetric GUT predictions

We consider the gravity induced dimension six terms in addition to the dimension five terms in the SUSY GUT Lagrangian and find that the prediction for $\alpha_s$ may be washed out completely in supersymmetric grand unified theories unless the triplet higgs mass is smaller than $7\times 10^{16}$ GeV.Comment: 7 pages,latex.Title of original version changed,text added and a figure has been added.Figure is available on request.To appear as a brief Report in Phys.Rev.

Relic Neutralino Densities and Detection Rates with Nonuniversal Gaugino Masses

We extend previous analyses on the interplay between nonuniversalities in the gaugino mass sector and the thermal relic densities of LSP neutralinos, in particular to the case of moderate to large tan beta. We introduce a set of parameters that generalizes the standard unified scenario to cover the complete allowed parameter space in the gaugino mass sector. We discuss the physical significance of the cosmologically preferred degree of degeneracy between charginos and the LSP and study the effect this degree of degeneracy has on the prospects for direct detection of relic neutralinos in the next round of dark matter detection experiments. Lastly, we compare the fine tuning required to achieve a satisfactory relic density with the case of universal gaugino masses, as in minimal supergravity, and find it to be of a similar magnitude. The sensitivity of quantifiable measures of fine-tuning on such factors as the gluino mass and top and bottom masses is also examined.Comment: Uses RevTeX; 14 pages, 16 figure

Aspects of meson properties in dense nuclear matter

We investigate the modification of meson spectral densities in dense nuclear matter at zero temperature. These effects are studied in a fully relativistic mean field model which goes beyond the linear density approximation and also includes baryon resonances. In particular, the role of N*(1520) and N*(1720) on the rho meson spectral density is highlighted. Even though the nucleon-nucleon loop and the nucleon-resonance loop contribute with the opposite sign, an overall reduction of rho meson mass is still observed at high density. Importantly, it is shown that the resonances cause substantial broadening of the rho meson spectral density in matter and also induces non-trivial momentum dependence. The spectral density of the a0 meson is also shown. We study the dispersion relations and collective oscillations induced by the rho meson propagation in nuclear matter together with the influence of the mixing of rho with the a0 meson. The relevant expression for the plasma frequency is also recovered analytically in the appropriate limit.Comment: 19 pages, 17 figure

Remarks on the Racetrack Scheme

There are only a small number of ideas for stabilizing the moduli of string theory. One of the most appealing of these is the racetrack mechanism, in which a delicate interplay between two strongly interacting gauge groups fixes the value of the coupling constant. In this note, we explore this scenario. We find that quite generally, some number of discrete tunings are required in order that the mechanism yield a small gauge coupling. Even then, there is no sense in which a weak coupling approximation is valid. On the other hand, certain holomorphic quantities can be computed, so such a scheme is in principle predictive. Searching for models which realize this mechanism is thus of great interest. We also remark on cosmology in these schemes.Comment: 20 pp, latex, discussion of calculability modifie

Theory-Motivated Benchmark Models and Superpartners at the Tevatron

Recently published benchmark models have contained rather heavy superpartners. To test the robustness of this result, several benchmark models have been constructed based on theoretically well-motivated approaches, particularly string-based ones. These include variations on anomaly and gauge-mediated models, as well as gravity mediation. The resulting spectra often have light gauginos that are produced in significant quantities at the Tevatron collider, or will be at a 500 GeV linear collider. The signatures also provide interesting challenges for the LHC. In addition, these models usually account for electroweak symmetry breaking with relatively less fine-tuning than previous benchmark models.Comment: 44 pages, 4 figures; some typos corrected. Revisions reflect published versio

Copper Alloy-Impregnated Carbon-Carbon Hybrid Composites for Electronic Packaging Applications

Porous carbon-carbon preforms, based on three-dimensional networks of PAN (Polyacrylonitrile)-based carbon fibers and various volume fractions of chemical vapor-deposited (CVD) carbon, were impregnated by oxygen-free, high-conductivity (OFHC) Cu, Cu-6Si-0.9Cr, and Cu-0.3Si-0.3Cr (wt pct) alloys by pressure infiltration casting. The obtained composites were characterized for their coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and thermal conductivity (K) along the through-thickness and two in-plane directions. One composite, with a 28 vol pct Cu-0.3Si-0.3Cr alloy, showed outstanding potential for thermal management applications in electronic applications. This composite exhibited approximately isotropic thermal expansion properties (CTE = 4 to 6.5 ppm/K) and thermal conductivities (k greater than or equal to 260 W/m K)

One-loop Correction and the Dilaton Runaway Problem

We examine the one-loop vacuum structure of an effective theory of gaugino condensation coupled to the dilaton for string models in which the gauge coupling constant does not receive string threshold corrections. The new ingredients in our treatment are that we take into account the one-loop correction to the dilaton K\"ahler potential and we use a formulation which includes a chiral field $H$ corresponding to the gaugino bilinear. We find through explicit calculation that supersymmetry in the Yang-Mills sector is broken by gaugino condensation. The dilaton and $H$ field have masses on the order of the gaugino condensation scale independently of the dilaton VEV. Although the calculation performed here is at best a model of the full gaugino condensation dynamics, the result shows that the one-loop correction to the dilaton K\"ahler potential as well as the detailed dynamics at the gaugino condensation scale may play an important role in solving the dilaton runaway problem.Comment: 19 page

Scalar Mesons in a Chiral Quark Model with Glueball

Ground-state scalar isoscalar mesons and a scalar glueball are described in a U(3)xU(3) chiral quark model of the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio (NJL) type with 't Hooft interaction. The latter interaction produces singlet-octet mixing in the scalar and pseudoscalar sectors. The glueball is introduced into the effective meson Lagrangian as a dilaton on the base of scale invariance. The mixing of the glueball with scalar isoscalar quarkonia and amplitudes of their decays into two pseudoscalar mesons are shown to be proportional to current quark masses, vanishing in the chiral limit. Mass spectra of the scalar mesons and the glueball and their main modes of strong decay are described.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX text, requires svjour.cls and svepj.cl

Possible Origin of Antimatter Regions in the Baryon Dominated Universe

We discuss the evolution of U(1) symmetric scalar field at the inflation epoch with a pseudo Nambu-Goldstone tilt revealing after the end of exponential expansion of the Universe. The U(1) symmetry is supposed to be associated with baryon charge. It is shown that quantum fluctuations lead in natural way to baryon dominated Universe with antibaryon excess regions. The range of parameters is calculated at which the fraction of Universe occupied by antimatter and the size of antimatter regions satisfy the observational constraints, survive to the modern time and lead to effects, accessible to experimental search for antimatter.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figur