Inflation in String Theory
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A String Landscape Perspective on Naturalness Outline • Preliminaries
A String Landscape Perspective on Naturalness A. Hebecker (Heidelberg) Outline • Preliminaries (I): The problem(s) and the multiverse `solution' • Preliminaries (II): From field theory to quantum gravity (String theory in 10 dimensions) • Compactifications to 4 dimensions • The (flux-) landscape • Eternal inflation, multiverse, measure problem The two hierarchy/naturalness problems • A much simplified basic lagrangian is 2 2 2 2 4 L ∼ MP R − Λ − jDHj + mhjHj − λjHj : • Assuming some simple theory with O(1) fundamental parameters at the scale E ∼ MP , we generically expectΛ and mH of that order. • For simplicity and because it is experimentally better established, I will focus in on theΛ-problem. (But almost all that follows applies to both problems!) The multiverse `solution' • It is quite possible that in the true quantum gravity theory, Λ comes out tiny as a result of an accidental cancellation. • But, we perceive that us unlikely. • By contrast, if we knew there were 10120 valid quantum gravity theories, we would be quite happy assuming that one of them has smallΛ. (As long as the calculations giving Λ are sufficiently involved to argue for Gaussian statisics of the results.) • Even better (since in principle testable): We could have one theory with 10120 solutions with differentΛ. Λ-values ! The multiverse `solution' (continued) • This `generic multiverse logic' has been advertised long before any supporting evidence from string theory existed. This goes back at least to the 80's and involves many famous names: Barrow/Tipler , Tegmark , Hawking , Hartle , Coleman , Weinberg .... • Envoking the `Anthropic Principle', [the selection of universes by demanding features which we think are necessary for intelligent life and hence for observers] it is then even possible to predict certain observables. -
Arxiv:2108.08491V1 [Hep-Th] 19 Aug 2021
Prepared for submission to JHEP RESCEU-16/21 Sequestered Inflation Renata Kallosh,a Andrei Linde,a Timm Wrase,b and Yusuke Yamadac aStanford Institute for Theoretical Physics and Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA bDepartment of Physics, Lehigh University, 16 Memorial Drive East, Bethlehem, PA 18018, USA cResearch Center for the Early Universe (RESCEU), Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Abstract: We construct supergravity models allowing to sequester the phenomenology of inflation from the Planckian energy scale physics. The procedure consists of two steps: At Step I we study supergravity models, which might be associated with string theory or M-theory, and have supersymmetric Minkowski vacua with flat directions. At Step II we uplift these flat directions to inflationary plateau potentials. We find certain conditions which ensure that the superheavy fields involved in the stabilization of the Minkowski vacua at Step I are completely decoupled from the inflationary phenomenology. arXiv:2108.08491v2 [hep-th] 30 Aug 2021 Contents 1 Introduction2 2 Single field models3 2.1 Step I 3 2.1.1 Models with canonical K¨ahlerpotential4 2.1.2 General K¨ahlerpotentials5 2.1.3 α-attractors6 3 Two field model8 3.1 Step I 8 3.2 Step II 9 4 Three field model 10 4.1 Step I 10 4.2 Step II 11 5 Discussion 13 1 Introduction Cosmological α-attractors [1{4] are among the very few inflationary models favored by the Planck2018 data [5, 6]. -
String Theory for Pedestrians
String Theory for Pedestrians – CERN, Jan 29-31, 2007 – B. Zwiebach, MIT This series of 3 lecture series will cover the following topics 1. Introduction. The classical theory of strings. Application: physics of cosmic strings. 2. Quantum string theory. Applications: i) Systematics of hadronic spectra ii) Quark-antiquark potential (lattice simulations) iii) AdS/CFT: the quark-gluon plasma. 3. String models of particle physics. The string theory landscape. Alternatives: Loop quantum gravity? Formulations of string theory. 1 Introduction For the last twenty years physicists have investigated String Theory rather vigorously. Despite much progress, the basic features of the theory remain a mystery. In the late 1960s, string theory attempted to describe strongly interacting particles. Along came Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD)– a theory of quarks and gluons – and despite their early promise, strings faded away. This time string theory is a credible candidate for a theory of all interactions – a unified theory of all forces and matter. Additionally, • Through the AdS/CFT correspondence, it is a valuable tool for the study of theories like QCD. • It has helped understand the origin of the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of black holes. • Finally, it has inspired many of the scenarios for physics Beyond the Standard Model of Particle physics. 2 Greatest problem of twentieth century physics: the incompatibility of Einstein’s General Relativity and the principles of Quantum Mechanics. String theory appears to be the long-sought quantum mechanical theory of gravity and other interactions. It is almost certain that string theory is a consistent theory. It is less certain that it describes our real world. -
Inflation in String Theory: - Towards Inflation in String Theory - on D3-Brane Potentials in Compactifications with Fluxes and Wrapped D-Branes
1935-6 Spring School on Superstring Theory and Related Topics 27 March - 4 April, 2008 Inflation in String Theory: - Towards Inflation in String Theory - On D3-brane Potentials in Compactifications with Fluxes and Wrapped D-branes Liam McAllister Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA hep-th/0308055 SLAC-PUB-9669 SU-ITP-03/18 TIFR/TH/03-06 Towards Inflation in String Theory Shamit Kachru,a,b Renata Kallosh,a Andrei Linde,a Juan Maldacena,c Liam McAllister,a and Sandip P. Trivedid a Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA b SLAC, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94309, USA c Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA d Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400 005, INDIA We investigate the embedding of brane inflation into stable compactifications of string theory. At first sight a warped compactification geometry seems to produce a naturally flat inflaton potential, evading one well-known difficulty of brane-antibrane scenarios. Care- arXiv:hep-th/0308055v2 23 Sep 2003 ful consideration of the closed string moduli reveals a further obstacle: superpotential stabilization of the compactification volume typically modifies the inflaton potential and renders it too steep for inflation. We discuss the non-generic conditions under which this problem does not arise. We conclude that brane inflation models can only work if restric- tive assumptions about the method of volume stabilization, the warping of the internal space, and the source of inflationary energy are satisfied. We argue that this may not be a real problem, given the large range of available fluxes and background geometries in string theory. -
The String Theory Landscape and Cosmological Inflation
The String Theory Landscape and Cosmological Inflation Background Image: Planck Collaboration and ESA The String Theory Landscape and Cosmological Inflation Outline • Preliminaries: From Field Theory to Quantum Gravity • String theory in 10 dimensions { a \reminder" • Compactifications to 4 dimensions • The (flux-) landscape • Eternal inflation and the multiverse • Slow-roll inflation in our universe • Recent progress in inflation in string theory From Particles/Fields to Quantum Gravity • Naive picture of particle physics: • Theoretical description: Quantum Field Theory • Usually defined by an action: Z 4 µρ νσ S(Q)ED = d x Fµν Fρσ g g with T ! @Aµ @Aν 0 E Fµν = − = @xν @xµ −E "B Gravity is in principle very similar: • The metric gµν becomes a field, more precisely Z 4 p SG = d x −g R[gµν] ; where R measures the curvature of space-time • In more detail: gµν = ηµν + hµν • Now, with hµν playing the role of Aµ, we find Z 4 ρ µν SG = d x (@ρhµν)(@ h ) + ··· • Waves of hµν correspond to gravitons, just like waves of Aµ correspond to photons • Now, replace SQED with SStandard Model (that's just a minor complication....) and write S = SG + SSM : This could be our `Theory of Everything', but there are divergences .... • Divergences are a hard but solvable problem for QFT • However, these very same divergences make it very difficult to even define quantum gravity at E ∼ MPlanck String theory: `to know is to love' • String theory solves this problem in 10 dimensions: • The divergences at ~k ! 1 are now removed (cf. Timo Weigand's recent colloquium talk) • Thus, in 10 dimensions but at low energy (E 1=lstring ), we get an (essentially) unique 10d QFT: µνρ µνρ L = R[gµν] + FµνρF + HµνρH + ··· `Kaluza-Klein Compactification’ to 4 dimensions • To get the idea, let us first imagine we had a 2d theory, but need a 1d theory • We can simply consider space to have the form of a cylinder or `the surface of a rope': Image by S. -
Pure De Sitter Supergravity
Pure de Sitter supergravity The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters. Citation Bergshoeff, Eric A., Daniel Z. Freedman, Renata Kallosh, and Antonie Van Proeyen. "Pure de Sitter supergravity." Phys. Rev. D 92, 085040 (October 2015). © 2015 American Physical Society As Published http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.92.085040 Publisher American Physical Society Version Final published version Citable link http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/99486 Terms of Use Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. PHYSICAL REVIEW D 92, 085040 (2015) Pure de Sitter supergravity † ‡ Eric A. Bergshoeff,1,* Daniel Z. Freedman,2,3, Renata Kallosh,2, and Antoine Van Proeyen4,§ 1Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands 2SITP and Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA 3Center for Theoretical Physics and Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA 4KU Leuven, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium (Received 30 July 2015; published 27 October 2015) Using superconformal methods we derive an explicit de Sitter supergravity action invariant under spontaneously broken local N ¼ 1 supersymmetry. The supergravity multiplet interacts with a nilpotent Goldstino multiplet. We present a complete locally supersymmetric action including the graviton and the fermionic fields, gravitino and Goldstino, no scalars. In the global limit when the supergravity multiplet decouples, our action reproduces the Volkov-Akulov theory. -
Lectures on Naturalness, String Landscape and Multiverse
Lectures on Naturalness, String Landscape and Multiverse Arthur Hebecker Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 19, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany 24 August, 2020 Abstract The cosmological constant and electroweak hierarchy problem have been a great inspira- tion for research. Nevertheless, the resolution of these two naturalness problems remains mysterious from the perspective of a low-energy effective field theorist. The string theory landscape and a possible string-based multiverse offer partial answers, but they are also controversial for both technical and conceptual reasons. The present lecture notes, suitable for a one-semester course or for self-study, attempt to provide a technical introduction to these subjects. They are aimed at graduate students and researchers with a solid back- ground in quantum field theory and general relativity who would like to understand the string landscape and its relation to hierarchy problems and naturalness at a reasonably technical level. Necessary basics of string theory are introduced as part of the course. This text will also benefit graduate students who are in the process of studying string theory arXiv:2008.10625v3 [hep-th] 27 Jul 2021 at a deeper level. In this case, the present notes may serve as additional reading beyond a formal string theory course. Preface This course intends to give a concise but technical introduction to `Physics Beyond the Standard Model' and early cosmology as seen from the perspective of string theory. Basics of string theory will be taught as part of the course. As a central physics theme, the two hierarchy problems (of the cosmological constant and of the electroweak scale) will be discussed in view of ideas like supersymmetry, string theory landscape, eternal inflation and multiverse. -
Introduction to String Theory A.N
Introduction to String Theory A.N. Schellekens Based on lectures given at the Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen Last update 6 July 2016 [Word cloud by www.worldle.net] Contents 1 Current Problems in Particle Physics7 1.1 Problems of Quantum Gravity.........................9 1.2 String Diagrams................................. 11 2 Bosonic String Action 15 2.1 The Relativistic Point Particle......................... 15 2.2 The Nambu-Goto action............................ 16 2.3 The Free Boson Action............................. 16 2.4 World sheet versus Space-time......................... 18 2.5 Symmetries................................... 19 2.6 Conformal Gauge................................ 20 2.7 The Equations of Motion............................ 21 2.8 Conformal Invariance.............................. 22 3 String Spectra 24 3.1 Mode Expansion................................ 24 3.1.1 Closed Strings.............................. 24 3.1.2 Open String Boundary Conditions................... 25 3.1.3 Open String Mode Expansion..................... 26 3.1.4 Open versus Closed........................... 26 3.2 Quantization.................................. 26 3.3 Negative Norm States............................. 27 3.4 Constraints................................... 28 3.5 Mode Expansion of the Constraints...................... 28 3.6 The Virasoro Constraints............................ 29 3.7 Operator Ordering............................... 30 3.8 Commutators of Constraints.......................... 31 3.9 Computation of the Central Charge..................... -
The Romance Between Maths and Physics
The Romance Between Maths and Physics Miranda C. N. Cheng University of Amsterdam Very happy to be back in NTU indeed! Question 1: Why is Nature predictable at all (to some extent)? Question 2: Why are the predictions in the form of mathematics? the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in natural sciences. Eugene Wigner (1960) First we resorted to gods and spirits to explain the world , and then there were ….. mathematicians?! Physicists or Mathematicians? Until the 19th century, the relation between physical sciences and mathematics is so close that there was hardly any distinction made between “physicists” and “mathematicians”. Even after the specialisation starts to be made, the two maintain an extremely close relation and cannot live without one another. Some of the love declarations … Dirac (1938) If you want to be a physicist, you must do three things— first, study mathematics, second, study more mathematics, and third, do the same. Sommerfeld (1934) Our experience up to date justifies us in feeling sure that in Nature is actualized the ideal of mathematical simplicity. It is my conviction that pure mathematical construction enables us to discover the concepts and the laws connecting them, which gives us the key to understanding nature… In a certain sense, therefore, I hold it true that pure thought can grasp reality, as the ancients dreamed. Einstein (1934) Indeed, the most irresistible reductionistic charm of physics, could not have been possible without mathematics … Love or Hate? It’s Complicated… In the era when Physics seemed invincible (think about the standard model), they thought they didn’t need each other anymore. -
Life at the Interface of Particle Physics and String Theory∗
NIKHEF/2013-010 Life at the Interface of Particle Physics and String Theory∗ A N Schellekens Nikhef, 1098XG Amsterdam (The Netherlands) IMAPP, 6500 GL Nijmegen (The Netherlands) IFF-CSIC, 28006 Madrid (Spain) If the results of the first LHC run are not betraying us, many decades of particle physics are culminating in a complete and consistent theory for all non-gravitational physics: the Standard Model. But despite this monumental achievement there is a clear sense of disappointment: many questions remain unanswered. Remarkably, most unanswered questions could just be environmental, and disturbingly (to some) the existence of life may depend on that environment. Meanwhile there has been increasing evidence that the seemingly ideal candidate for answering these questions, String Theory, gives an answer few people initially expected: a huge \landscape" of possibilities, that can be realized in a multiverse and populated by eternal inflation. At the interface of \bottom- up" and \top-down" physics, a discussion of anthropic arguments becomes unavoidable. We review developments in this area, focusing especially on the last decade. CONTENTS 6. Free Field Theory Constructions 35 7. Early attempts at vacuum counting. 36 I. Introduction2 8. Meromorphic CFTs. 36 9. Gepner Models. 37 II. The Standard Model5 10. New Directions in Heterotic strings 38 11. Orientifolds and Intersecting Branes 39 III. Anthropic Landscapes 10 12. Decoupling Limits 41 A. What Can Be Varied? 11 G. Non-supersymmetric strings 42 B. The Anthropocentric Trap 12 H. The String Theory Landscape 42 1. Humans are irrelevant 12 1. Existence of de Sitter Vacua 43 2. Overdesign and Exaggerated Claims 12 2. -
Bachas: Massive Ads Gravity from String Theory
Massive AdS Gravity from String Theory Costas BACHAS (ENS, Paris) Conference on "Geometry and Strings’’ Schloss Ringberg, July 23 - 27, 2018 Based on two papers with Ioannis Lavdas arXiv: 1807.00591 arXiv: 1711.11372 Earlier work with John Estes arXiv: 1103.2800 If I have time, I may also comment briefly on arXiv: 1711.06722 with Bianchi & Hanany Plan of Talk 1. Foreword 2. g-Mass from holography 3. Representation merging 4. Review of N=4 AdS4/CFT3 5. g-Mass operator 6. `Scottish Bagpipes’ 7. 3 rewritings & bigravity 8. Final remarks 1 Foreword An old question: Can gravity be `higgsed’ (become massive) ? Extensive (recent & less recent) literature: Pauli, Fierz, Proc.Roy.Soc. 1939 . Nice reviews: Hinterblicher 1105.3735; de Rham 1401.4173 Schmidt-May & von Strauss 1512.00021 The question is obviously interesting, since any sound IR modification of General Relativity could have consequences for cosmology [degravitating dark energy? `mimicking dark matter’ ? . ] The main messages of this talk : — Massive AdS Gravity is part of the string-theory landscape — A quasi-universal, quantized formula for the mass Setting is 10d IIB sugra, and holographic dual CFTs If <latexit sha1_base64="RY3Mceo40A2JogR2P79cFMHL7hM=">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</latexit> -
Tensor Modes on the String Theory Landscape Arxiv:1206.4034V1 [Hep
Tensor modes on the string theory landscape Alexander Westphal Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Theory Group, D-22603 Hamburg, Germany We attempt an estimate for the distribution of the tensor mode fraction r over the landscape of vacua in string theory. The dynamics of eternal inflation and quantum tunneling lead to a kind of democracy on the landscape, providing no bias towards large-field or small-field inflation regardless of the class of measure. The tensor mode fraction then follows the number frequency distributions of inflationary mechanisms of string theory over the landscape. We show that an estimate of the relative number frequencies for small-field vs large-field inflation, while unattainable on the whole landscape, may be within reach as a regional answer for warped Calabi-Yau flux compactifications of type IIB string theory. arXiv:1206.4034v1 [hep-th] 18 Jun 2012 June 19, 2012 Contents 1 Introduction and Motivation 2 2 Assumptions 5 2.1 Need for symmetry . 5 2.2 Properties of scalar fields in compactified string theory . 7 2.3 Populating vacua { tunneling and quantum diffusion . 8 3 An almost argument { field displacement is expensive 11 4 Counting ... 24 4.1 Eternity . 24 4.2 Democracy { tumbling down the rabbit hole . 26 4.3 Vacuum energy distribution . 31 4.4 Multitude . 32 4.5 An accessible sector of landscape . 36 5 Discussion 38 A Suppression of uphill tunneling 41 A.1 CdL tunneling in the thin-wall approximation . 41 A.2 CdL tunneling away from the thin-wall approximation . 42 A.3 Hawking-Moss tunneling - the 'no-wall' limit .