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Axions In String Theory

Peter Svrcek·Edward Witten
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Abstract

In the context of string theory, axions appear to provide the most plausible solution of the strong CP problem. However, as has been known for a long time, in many string-based models, the axion coupling parameter F_a is several orders of magnitude higher than the standard cosmological bounds. We re-examine this problem in a variety of models, showing that F_a is close to the GUT scale or above in many models that have GUT-like phenomenology, as well as some that do not. On the other hand, in some models with Standard Model gauge fields supported on vanishing cycles, it is possible for F_a to be well below the GUT scale.

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Peter Svrcek, Edward Witten. 2006-06-09. Axions In String Theory. https://doi.org/10.1088/1126-6708%2F2006%2F06%2F051

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