General considerations of the cosmological constant and the stabilization of moduli in the brane-world picture

We argue that the brane-world picture with matter-fields confined to 4-d domain walls and with gravitational interactions across the bulk disallows adding an arbitrary constant to the low-energy, 4-d effective theory -- which finesses the usual cosmological constant problem. The analysis also points to difficulties in stabilizing moduli fields; as an alternative, we suggest scenarios in which the moduli motion is heavily damped by various cosmological mechanisms and varying ultra-slowly with time.Comment: 5 pages, no figure

Unification with Enlarged Kaluza-Klein Dimensions

In minimal theories with extra spatial dimensions at scales mu_0 much lower than the conventional GUT scale, unification can give too-large predictions for alpha_3(M_Z) given alpha_1(M_Z) and alpha_2(M_Z) as empirical input. We systematically study the effects of adding extra states above the compactification scale on running of the gauge couplings and find several simple examples that give unification where all alpha_i(M_Z) are consistent with low-energy data. We study both the supersymmetric and nonsupersymmetric unification.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX, analysis for the susy case takes into account that extra hypermultiplets come in conjugate pairs, minor changes in text and references, to be published in Phys. Lett.

On the Ubiquity of K3 Fibrations in String Duality

We consider the general case of N=2 dual pairs of type IIA/heterotic string theories in four dimensions. We show that if the type IIA string in this pair can be viewed as having been compactified on a Calabi-Yau manifold in the usual way then this manifold must be of the form of a K3 fibration. We also see how the bound on the rank of the gauge group of the perturbative heterotic string has a natural interpretation on the type IIA side.Comment: LateX, 16 pages, 1 figure, minor corrections, reference adde

Brane-Universe in Six Dimensions

Growing non-singular solution of 6-dimensional Einstein equations for the 4-brane in infinite transversal 2-space is found. This solution provides gravitational trapping of matter and 4-dimensional gravity on the brane without extra delta-like source. The suitable solution exists in the case of the (2+4)-space and not exists for the (1+5)-signature.Comment: Version accepted in Phys.Lett. B. Minor correction

Classification of Flat Directions in Perturbative Heterotic Superstring Vacua with Anomalous U(1)

We develop techniques to classify D- and F-flat directions for N=1 supersymmetric string vacua of the perturbative heterotic string theory, which possess an anomalous U(1) gauge group at the tree level. Genus-one corrections generate a Fayet-Iliopoulos term for the D-term of U(1)_A, which is canceled by non-zero vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of certain massless multiplets in such a way that the anomalous U(1) is broken, while maintaining the D- and F-flatness of the effective field theory. A systematic analysis of flat directions is given for non-zero VEVs of non-Abelian singlets, and the techniques are illustrated for a specific model. The approach sets the stage to classify the D- and F-flat directions for a large class of perturbative string vacua. This classification is a prerequisite to address systematically the phenomenological consequences of these models.Comment: 26 page

Probing the neutron star interior and the Equation of State of cold dense matter with the SKA

With an average density higher than the nuclear density, neutron stars (NS) provide a unique test-ground for nuclear physics, quantum chromodynamics (QCD), and nuclear superfluidity. Determination of the fundamental interactions that govern matter under such extreme conditions is one of the major unsolved problems of modern physics, and -- since it is impossible to replicate these conditions on Earth -- a major scientific motivation for SKA. The most stringent observational constraints come from measurements of NS bulk properties: each model for the microscopic behaviour of matter predicts a specific density-pressure relation (its `Equation of state', EOS). This generates a unique mass-radius relation which predicts a characteristic radius for a large range of masses and a maximum mass above which NS collapse to black holes. It also uniquely predicts other bulk quantities, like maximum spin frequency and moment of inertia. The SKA, in Phase 1 and particularly in Phase 2 will, thanks to the exquisite timing precision enabled by its raw sensitivity, and surveys that dramatically increase the number of sources: 1) Provide many more precise NS mass measurements (high mass NS measurements are particularly important for ruling out EOS models); 2) Allow the measurement of the NS moment of inertia in highly relativistic binaries such as the Double Pulsar; 3) Greatly increase the number of fast-spinning NS, with the potential discovery of spin frequencies above those allowed by some EOS models; 4) Improve our knowledge of new classes of binary pulsars such as black widows and redbacks (which may be massive as a class) through sensitive broad-band radio observations; and 5) Improve our understanding of dense matter superfluidity and the state of matter in the interior through the study of rotational glitches, provided that an ad-hoc campaign is developed.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, to be published in: "Advancing Astrophysics with the Square Kilometre Array", Proceedings of Science, PoS(AASKA14)04

Single Electron Transistors

Contains description of one research project.Joint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-89-C-0001Joint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-92-C-0001National Science Foundation Grant ECS 88-1325

U(1)' Symmetry Breaking in Supersymmetric E6 Models

We study the electroweak and $U(1)^{'}$ symmetry breaking patterns in models with the particle content of supersymmetric $E_{6}$, including standard model singlets $S$ and exotic quarks $D,~\bar{D}$. Motivated by free fermionic string models, we do not require $E_{6}$-type relations between Yukawa couplings. In particular, we assume that baryon and lepton numbers are conserved, so that the exotic quarks can be light. Gauge invariance allows Yukawa interactions between $S$ and Higgs doublets, and between $S$ and the exotic quarks, allowing radiative $U(1)^{'}$ symmetry breaking and the generation of an effective $\mu$ parameter at the electroweak scale. For both the $E_{6}$ $\psi$ and $\eta$ models, universal soft supersymmetry breaking parameters and Yukawa universality at the high (string) scale do not yield acceptable low energy phenomenology. Relaxing universality, we find solutions with phenomenologically acceptable values of $M_{Z^{'}}$ and the $Z-Z^{'}$ mixing angle. In addition, by varying the $U(1)^{'}$ charge assignments due to the mixing of $U(1)_{\chi}$ and $U(1)_{\psi}$ of $E_{6}$, it is possible to have acceptable low energy phenomenology with universal boundary conditions.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables, LaTex; minor revision of the numerical results, typos corrected, reference adde

Ten-Dimensional Supergravity Constraints from the Pure Spinor Formalism for the Superstring

It has recently been shown that the ten-dimensional superstring can be quantized using the BRST operator $Q=\oint\lambda^\alpha d_\alpha$ where $\lambda^\alpha$ is a pure spinor satisfying $\lambda \gamma^m \lambda=0$ and $d_\alpha$ is the fermionic supersymmetric derivative. In this paper, the pure spinor version of superstring theory is formulated in a curved supergravity background and it is shown that nilpotency and holomorphicity of the pure spinor BRST operator imply the on-shell superspace constraints of the supergravity background. This is shown to lowest order in $\alpha'$ for the heterotic and Type II superstrings, thus providing a compact pure spinor version of the ten-dimensional superspace constraints for N=1, Type IIA and Type IIB supergravities. Since quantization is straightforward using the pure spinor version of the superstring, it is expected that these methods can also be used to compute higher-order $\alpha'$ corrections to the ten-dimensional superspace constraints.Comment: 30 pages late