Instanton - like transitions at high energies in (1+1) dimensional scalar models. II.Classically allowed induced vacuum decay

We consider classical Minkowskian solutions to the field equation in the (1+1) dimensional scalar model with the exponential interaction that describe the unsuppressed false vacuum decay induced by $n$ initial particles. We find that there is a critical value of $n$ below which there are no such solutions, i.e., the vacuum decay is always suppressed. For the number of initial particles larger than this value the vacuum decay is unsuppressed at high enough energies.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures, LaTex, figures in PS, INR-T-94/

Semiclassical Study of Baryon and Lepton Number Violation in High-Energy Electroweak Collisions

We make use of a semiclassical method for calculating the suppression exponent for topology changing transitions in high-energy electroweak collisions. In the Standard Model these processes are accompanied by violation of baryon and lepton number. By using a suitable computational technique we obtain results for s-wave scattering in a large region of initial data. Our results show that baryon and lepton number violation remains exponentially suppressed up to very high energies of at least 30 sphaleron masses (250 TeV). We also conclude that the known analytic approaches inferred from low energy expansion provide reasonably good approximations up to the sphaleron energy (8 TeV) only.Comment: 23 pages, 18 figures. Phys.Rev.D journal version (two references added

Cosmology with non-minimal scalar field: graceful entrance into inflation

We propose a scenario of the beginning of inflation in which the non-vacuum value of the scalar field that drives inflation develops dynamically due to the non-minimal coupling to gravity. In this scenario, inflation emerges as an intermediate stage of the evolution of the Universe, well after the Planck epoch, from a fairly general initial state.Comment: LaTeX, uses axodraw style, 7 pages, 1 ps-figur

The cosmological constant and dark energy in braneworlds

We review recent attempts to address the cosmological constant problem and the late-time acceleration of the Universe based on braneworld models. In braneworld models, the way in which the vacuum energy gravitates in the 4D spacetime is radically different from conventional 4D physics. It is possible that the vacuum energy on a brane does not curve the 4D spacetime and only affects the geometry of the extra-dimensions, offering a solution to the cosmological constant problem. We review the idea of supersymmetric large extra dimensions that could achieve this and also provide a natural candidate for a quintessence field. We also review the attempts to explain the late-time accelerated expansion of the universe from the large-distance modification of gravity based on the braneworld. We use the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati model to demonstrate how one can distinguish this model from dark energy models in 4D general relativity. Theoretical difficulties in this approach are also addressed.Comment: Invited Review for a special Gen. Rel. Grav. issue on Dark Energy, 22 pages, 13 figures, references adde

More about spontaneous Lorentz-violation and infrared modification of gravity

We consider a model with Lorentz-violating vector field condensates, in which dispersion laws of all perturbations, including tensor modes, undergo non-trivial modification in the infrared. The model is free of ghosts and tachyons at high 3-momenta. At low 3-momenta there are ghosts, and at even lower 3-momenta there exist tachyons. Still, with appropriate choice of parameters, the model is phenomenologically acceptable. Beyond a certain large distance scale and even larger time scale, the gravity of a static source changes from that of General Relativity to that of van Dam--Veltman--Zakharov limit of the Fierz--Pauli theory. Yet the late time cosmological evolution is always determined by the standard Friedmann equation, modulo small correction to the ``cosmological Planck mass'', so the modification of gravity cannot by itself explain the accelerated expansion of the Universe. We argue that the latter property is generic in a wide class of models with condensates.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, JHEP3.cls; Added reference

Towards the realistic fermion masses with a single family in extra dimensions

In a class of multidimensional models, topology of a thick brane provides three chiral fermionic families with hierarchical masses and mixings in the effective four-dimensional theory, while the full model contains a single vector-like generation. We carry out numerical simulations and reproduce all known Standard Model fermion masses and mixings in one of these models.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, uses JHEP3.cls. Some minor corrections are mad

An Example of Semiclassical Instanton-Like Scattering: (1+1) Dimensional Sigma Model

A solution to the classical field equations in the massless (1+1)-dimensional O(3) sigma model is found, which describes a multi-particle instanton-like transition at high energy. In the limit of small number of initial particles, the number of final particles is shown to be also small, and the probability of the transition is suppressed by $\exp(-2S_0)$, where $S_0$ is the instanton action. This solution, however, does not correspond to the maximum transition probability among all states with given number of incoming particles and energy. Unless the limit $g^2 n_{initial}\to0$ is exponentially sensitive to the structure of the initial state, our results imply that well above the sphaleron energy, the instanton-induced cross section becomes again suppressed by the instanton exponent, and the number of final paricles is again small.Comment: 28 pages, LaTeX preprint TPI-MINN-92/66-

Chern-Simons number asymmetry from CP violation at electroweak tachyonic preheating

We consider the creation of non-zero Chern-Simons number in a model of the early Universe, where the Higgs field experiences a fast quench at the end of inflation and subsequently rolls down its potential barrier. Neglecting the expansion, we perform numerical lattice simulations in the Abelian Higgs model in 1+1 dimensions with an added phenomenological C and P violating term during this stage of so-called tachyonic preheating. The results suggest that even the sign of the Chern-Simons and thus baryon number is dependent on the ratio of the Higgs to W mass. We also discuss the appropriate choice of vacuum initial conditions for classical simulations.Comment: 24 pages, 17 figures, added references, published versio

Doubling of background solution in 5D stabilized brane world model

We discuss a model providing two different stationary background solutions with flat and $dS_{4}$ metric on the branes under the same values of the fundamental parameters. It is shown that only an additional fine-tuning of the brane scalar field potentials can provide a separation between two background solutions.Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX, typos correcte

Vector field localization and negative tension branes

It is shown that negative tension branes in higher dimensions may lead to an effective lower dimensional theory where the gauge-invariant vector fields associated with the fluctuations of the metric are always massless and localized on the brane. Explicit five-dimensional examples of this phenomenon are provided. Furthermore, it is shown that higher dimensional gauge fields can also be localized on these configurations with the zero mode separated from the massive tower by a gap.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX style; to appear in Phys. Rev.