Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory for curved spacetime backgrounds

We consider a modified version of four-dimensional electrodynamics, which has a photonic Chern-Simons-like term with spacelike background vector in the action. Light propagation in curved spacetime backgrounds is discussed using the geometrical-optics approximation. The corresponding light path is modified, which allows for new effects. In a Schwarzschild background, for example, there now exist stable bounded orbits of light rays and the two polarization modes of light rays in unbounded orbits can have different gravitational redshifts. An Erratum with important corrections has been published, which appears as Appendix E in this arXiv version.Comment: 28 pages with elsart, v6: published version of paper and Erratu

Models for low-energy Lorentz violation in the photon sector: Addendum to 'Consistency of isotropic modified Maxwell theory'

In a previous article [arXiv:1011.4258], we established the consistency of isotropic modified Maxwell theory for a finite range of the Lorentz-violating parameter \tilde{kappa}_{tr}, which includes both positive and negative values of \tilde{kappa}_{tr}. As an aside, we mentioned the existence of a physical model which, for low-energy photons, gives rise to isotropic modified Maxwell theory with a positive parameter \tilde{kappa}_{tr} (corresponding to a "slow" photon). Here, we present a related model which gives rise to isotropic modified Maxwell theory with a negative parameter \tilde{kappa}_{tr} (corresponding to a "fast" photon). Both models have an identical particle content, photon and Dirac particles, but differ in the type of spacetime manifold considered.Comment: 6 pages, v4: published versio

Construction of a New Electroweak Sphaleron

We present a self-consistent ansatz for a new sphaleron in the electroweak standard model. The resulting field equations are solved numerically. This sphaleron sets the height of the energy barrier for the global SU(2) anomaly.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, NIKHEF-H/93-09 (June 1993), postscript file including figures 1 and 2 available by anonymous ftp, figure 3 available by fax (send request to [email protected]

A sphaleron for the non-Abelian anomaly

A self-consistent Ansatz for a new sphaleron of SU(3) Yang-Mills-Higgs theory is presented. With a single triplet of Weyl fermions added, there exists, most likely, one pair of fermion zero modes, which is known to give rise to the non-Abelian (Bardeen) anomaly as a Berry phase. The corresponding SU(3) gauge field configuration could take part in the nonperturbative dynamics of Quantum Chromodynamics.Comment: LaTeX with elsart.cls, 26 pages, v4: published versio

Fundamental time asymmetry from nontrivial space topology

It is argued that a fundamental time asymmetry could arise from the global structure of the space manifold. The proposed mechanism relies on the CPT anomaly of certain chiral gauge theories defined over a multiply connected space manifold. The resulting time asymmetry (microscopic arrow of time) is illustrated by a simple thought experiment. The effect could, in principle, play a role in determining the initial conditions of the big bang.Comment: 9 pages, REVTeX, v5: version publishe

A New Perspective on Electroweak Strings

The vortex solution (Z-string) of the electroweak interactions can be interpreted as the 2-dimensional sphaleron at the top of a non-contractible sphere. The same holds for another type of solution, the W-string.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, NIKHEF-H/94-02 (February 2, 1994), 1 figure available by fax or mail (send request to [email protected]

QCD-scale modified-gravity universe

A possible gluon-condensate-induced modified-gravity model with f(R) \propto |R|^{1/2} has been suggested previously. Here, a simplified version is presented using the constant flat-spacetime equilibrium value of the QCD gluon condensate and a single pressureless matter component (cold dark matter, CDM). The resulting dynamical equations of a spatially-flat and homogeneous Robertson-Walker universe are solved numerically. This simple empirical model allows, in fact, for a careful treatment of the boundary conditions and does not require a further scaling analysis as the original model did. Reliable predictions are obtained for several observable quantities of the homogeneous model universe. In addition, the estimator E_{G}, proposed by Zhang et al. to search for deviations from standard Einstein gravity, is calculated for linear sub-horizon matter-density perturbations. The QCD-scale modified-gravity prediction for E_{G}(z) differs from that of the LambdaCDM model by about \pm 10 % depending on the redshift z.Comment: 24 pages; v7: published versio

Fermion zero-modes of a new constrained instanton in Yang-Mills-Higgs theory

Self-consistent Ansaetze are presented for the left- and right-handed isodoublet fermion zero-modes of the constrained instanton Istar in the vacuum sector of euclidean SU(2) Yang-Mills-Higgs theory. These left- and right-handed fermion wave functions do not coincide and, most likely, have maxima at different positions. This may be important for the fermion zero-mode contribution to the euclidean 4-point Green's function in chiral Yang-Mills-Higgs theory and the high-energy behaviour of fermion-fermion scattering processes.Comment: Version to be published, changes in last two sections. 20 pages LaTeX Final version

The imaginary time Path Integral and non-time-reversal-invariant- saddle points of the Euclidean Action

We discuss new bounce-like (but non-time-reversal-invariant-) solutions to Euclidean equations of motion, which we dub boomerons. In the Euclidean path integral approach to quantum theories, boomerons make an imaginary contribution to the vacuum energy. The fake vacuum instabilty can be removed by cancelling boomeron contributions against contributions from time reversed boomerons (anti-boomerons). The cancellation rests on a sign choice whose significance is not completely understood in the path integral method.Comment: 19 pages, LaTex, 5 epsf figures. A new example from quantum mechanics is included. The role of internal symmetries is discussed. To be published in Nucl. Phys.

CPT anomaly: a rigorous result in four dimensions

The existence of a CPT anomaly is established for a particular four-dimensional Abelian lattice gauge theory with Ginsparg-Wilson fermions.Comment: LaTeX with elsart.cls, 24 pages, v3: published versio