Second Randall-Sundrum brane world scenario with a nonminimally coupled bulk scalar field

In our previous work of Ref. [5] we studied the stability of the RS2-model with a nonminimally coupled bulk scalar field $\phi$, and we found that in appropriate regions of $\xi$ the standard RS2-vacuum becomes unstable. The question that arises is whether there exist other new static stable solutions where the system can relax. In this work, by solving numerically the Einstein equations with the appropriate boundary conditions on the brane, we find that depending on the value of the nonminimal coupling $\xi$, this model possesses three classes of new static solutions with different characteristics. We also examine what happens when the fine tuning of the RS2-model is violated, and we obtain that these three classes of solutions are preserved in appropriate regions of the parameter space of the problem. The stability properties and possible physical implications of these new solutions are discussed in the main part of this paper. Especially in the case where $\xi=\xi_c$ ($\xi_c$ is the five dimensional conformal coupling) and the fine tuning is violated, we obtain a physically interesting static stable solution.Comment: 22 pages, 13 figure

Brane world scenario in the presence of a non-minimally coupled bulk scalar field

We present our recent work on brane world models with a non-minimally coupled scalar field. In [9] we examined the stability of these models against scalar field perturbations and we discussed possible physical implications, while in [10] we developed a numerical approach for the solution of the Einstein equations with the non-minimally coupled scalar field.Comment: 8 pages,1 figure, talk given in Nafplio NEB XII 200

Fermion-induced effective action in the presence of a static inhomogeneous magnetic field

We develop an approach for the numerical calculation of the fermion-induced effective action in the presence of a static inhomogeneous magnetic field for both 3+1 and 2+1 dimensional QED. The magnetic field is assumed to be cylindrically symmetric and to tend rapidly to zero outside a cylinder of radius d. We discuss the effect of the effective action on the stability of the magnetic field. Our numerical results are compared with the numerical results of M. Bordag and K. Kirsten and with the derivative expansion. The appearance of metastable states in the presence of a strong magnetic field is discussed in an appendix

Non-Linear Sigma Model and asymptotic freedom at the Lifshitz point

We construct the general O(N)-symmetric non-linear sigma model in 2+1 spacetime dimensions at the Lifshitz point with dynamical critical exponent z=2. For a particular choice of the free parameters, the model is asymptotically free with the beta function coinciding to the one for the conventional sigma model in 1+1 dimensions. In this case, the model admits also a simple description in terms of adjoint currents.Comment: 23 pages, 2 figure

Gauss-Bonnet gravity, brane world models, and non-minimal coupling

We study the case of brane world models with an additional Gauss-Bonnet term in the presence of a bulk scalar field which interacts non-minimally with gravity, via a possible interaction term of the form $-1/2 \xi R \phi^2$. The Einstein equations and the junction conditions on the brane are formulated, in the case of the bulk scalar field. Static solutions of this model are obtained by solving numerically the Einstein equations with the appropriate boundary conditions on the brane. Finally, we present graphically and comment these solutions for several values of the free parameters of the model.Comment: 13 pages,4 figures, published versio

Quantum stabilization of Z-strings, a status report on D=3+1 dimensions

We investigate an extension to the phase shift formalism for calculating one-loop determinants. This extension is motivated by requirements of the computation of Z-string quantum energies in D=3+1 dimensions. A subtlety that seems to imply that the vacuum polarization diagram in this formalism is (erroneously) finite is thoroughly investigated.Comment: Based on talk by O.S. at QFEXT07, Leipzig Sept. 2007. 8 page

Neutrino oscillations in a Robertson-Walker Universe with space time foam

In Phys. Rev. D77 (2008) 105001, we have studied decoherence models for flavour oscillations in four-dimensional stochastically fluctuating space times and discussed briefly the sensitivity of current terrestrial and astrophysical neutrino experiments to such models. In this addendum we extend these results to incorporate the effects due to the expansion of the Universe, so that our analysis can be useful in studies of extragalactic high-energy neutrinos, such as those coming from Gamma Ray Bursts at cosmological distances. Unfortunately for some microscopic models of foam, constructed in the string theory framework, we arrive at pessimistic conclusions about the detectability of the decoherence effects via flavour oscillation meaurements.Comment: Addendum to Phys. Rev. D77 (2008) 10500

Asymmetrically Warped Brane Models, Bulk Photons and Lorentz Invariance

We present a brief review of our recent work [1] on asymmetrically warped brane models, where the background metric is characterized by different time and space warp factors. In particular we examine the case of bulk photons and we show that the standard Lorentz invariant dispersion relation is corrected by nonlinear terms which lead to an Energy-dependent speed of light. Stringent constraints on the parameters of our models can be set by comparing the results with recent data from high-energy Gamma-Ray Astrophysics, for instance the MAGIC Telescope.Comment: 11 pages, talk given in Thessaloniki NEB XII 2008 (Greece

Neutrino oscillations in a stochastic model for space-time foam

We study decoherence models for flavour oscillations in four-dimensional stochastically fluctuating space times and discuss briefly the sensitivity of current neutrino experiments to such models. We pay emphasis on demonstrating the model dependence of the associated decoherence-induced damping coefficients in front of the oscillatory terms in the respective transition probabilities between flavours. Within the context of specific models of foam, involving point-like D-branes and leading to decoherence-induced damping which is inversely proportional to the neutrino energies, we also argue that future limits on the relevant decoherence parameters coming from TeV astrophysical neutrinos, to be observed in ICE-CUBE, are not far from theoretically expected values with Planck mass suppression. Ultra high energy neutrinos from Gamma Ray Bursts at cosmological distances can also exhibit in principle sensitivity to such effects.Comment: 12 pages RevTex4, no figure

Graviton localization and Newton's law for brane models with a non-minimally coupled bulk scalar field

Brane world models with a non-minimally coupled bulk scalar field have been studied recently. In this paper we consider metric fluctuations around an arbitrary gravity-scalar background solution, and we show that the corresponding spectrum includes a localized zero mode which strongly depends on the profile of the background scalar field. For a special class of solutions, with a warp factor of the RS form, we solve the linearized Einstein equations, for a point-like mass source on the brane, by using the brane bending formalism. We see that general relativity on the brane is recovered only if we impose restrictions on the parameter space of the models under consideration.Comment: 17 pages, revised versio