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Alex Kehagias

Publications and source records attributed to Alex Kehagias.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Relativistic Superluminal Neutrinos

We present a possible solution to the reported OPERA anomaly for the speed of neutrinos, based on the idea that it is a local effect caused by a scalar field sourced by the earth. The coupling of the scalar to neutrinos effectively changes the background metric where neutrinos propagate, leading to superluminality. The strength of the coupling is set by a new mass scale, which should be at $1\, {\rm TeV}$ to account for the OPERA anomaly. Moreover, if this scenario is valid, the neutrino velocity depends on the baseline distance between the emission and detection points in such a way that superluminal signals turn to subluminal ones for baseline distances roughly larger than the earth radius.

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UV-Protected Inflation

In Natural Inflation, the Inflaton is a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson which acquires a mass by explicit breaking of a global shift symmetry at scale f. In this case, for small field values, the potential is flat and stable under radiative corrections. Nevertheless, slow roll conditions enforce f>>M_p making the validity of the whole scenario questionable. In this letter, we show that a coupling of the Inflaton kinetic term to the Einstein tensor allows f<<M_p by enhancing the gravitational friction acting on the Inflaton during inflation. This new unique interaction, a) keeps the theory perturbative in the whole inflationary trajectory, b) preserves the tree-level shift invariance of the pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone Boson and c) avoids the introduction of any new degrees of freedom with respect the standard Natural Inflation.

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Classicalization of Gravitons and Goldstones

We establish a close parallel between classicalization of gravitons and derivatively-coupled Nambu-Goldstone-type scalars. We show, that black hole formation in high energy scattering process represents classicalization with the classicalization radius given by Schwarzschild radius of center of mass energy, and with the precursor of black hole entropy being given by number of soft quanta composing this classical configuration. Such an entropy-equivalent is defined for scalar classicalons also and is responsible for exponential suppression of their decay into small number of final particles. This parallel works in both ways. For optimists that are willing to hypothesize that gravity may indeed self-unitarize at high energies via black hole formation, it illustrates that the Goldstones may not be much different in this respect, and they classicalize essentially by similar dynamics as gravitons. In the other direction, it may serve as an useful de-mystifier of via-black-hole-unitarization process and of the role of entropy in it, as it illustrates, that much more prosaic scalar theories essentially do the same. Finally, it illustrates that in both cases classicalization is the defining property for unitarization, and that it sets-in before one can talk about accompanying properties, such as entropy and thermality of static classicalons (black holes). These properties are by-products of classicalization, and their equivalents can be defined for non-gravitational cases of classicalization.

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UV-Completion by Classicalization

We suggest a novel approach to UV-completion of a class of non-renormalizable theories, according to which the high-energy scattering amplitudes get unitarized by production of extended classical objects (classicalons), playing a role analogous to black holes, in the case of non-gravitational theories. The key property of classicalization is the existence of a classicalizer field that couples to energy-momentum sources. Such localized sources are excited in high-energy scattering processes and lead to the formation of classicalons. Two kinds of natural classicalizers are Nambu-Goldstone bosons (or, equivalently, longitudinal polarizations of massive gauge fields) and scalars coupled to energy-momentum type sources. Classicalization has interesting phenomenological applications for the UV-completion of the Standard Model both with or without the Higgs. In the Higgless Standard Model the high-energy scattering amplitudes of longitudinal $W$-bosons self-unitarize via classicalization, without the help of any new weakly-coupled physics. Alternatively, in the presence of a Higgs boson, classicalization could explain the stabilization of the hierarchy. In both scenarios the high-energy scatterings are dominated by the formation of classicalons, which subsequently decay into many particle states. The experimental signatures at the LHC are quite distinctive, with sharp differences in the two cases.

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Cosmological Perturbations in the New Higgs Inflation

We study the cosmological perturbations created during the New Higgs inflationary phase. In the New Higgs Inflation, the Higgs boson is kinetically coupled to the Einstein tensor and only three perturbative degrees of freedom, a scalar and two tensorial (gravitational waves), propagate during Inflation. Scalar perturbations are found to match the latest WMAP-7yrs data within Standard Model Higgs parameters. Primordial gravitational waves also, although propagating with superluminal speed, are consistent with present data. Finally, we estimate the values of the parameter of the New Higgs Inflation in relation to the Higgs mass, the spectral index and amplitude of the primordial scalar perturbations showing that the unitarity bound of the theory is not violated.

astro-ph.CO↗

A new type of scalar field inflation

In this short note we discuss the possibility of producing a slow rolling inflationary background by considering a massive scalar field whose kinetic term is non-minimally coupled to gravity.

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Relativistic Quantum Gravity at a Lifshitz Point

We show that the Horava theory for the completion of General Relativity at UV scales can be interpreted as a gauge fixed theory, and it can be extended to an invariant theory under the full group of four-dimensional diffeomorphisms. In this respect, although being fully relativistic, it results to be locally anisotropic in the time-like and space-like directions defined by a family of irrotational observers. We show that this theory propagates generically three degrees of freedom: two of them are related to the four-dimensional diffeomorphism invariant graviton (the metric) and one is related to a propagating scalar mode. Finally, we note that in the present formulation, matter can be consistently coupled to gravity.

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Scalar perturbations in p-nflation: the 3-form case

We calculate the primordial spectrum of scalar perturbations of the 3-form inflation and we find that the curvature perturbations decay at late times. As as result, although a non-minimally coupled massive 3-form field may drive inflation at early times, it should be assisted by other fields in order to reproduce the observed temperature fluctuations of the CMB sky.

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The black hole and FRW geometries of non-relativistic gravity

We consider the recently proposed non-relativistic Hořava-Lifshitz four-dimensional theory of gravity. We study a particular limit of the theory which admits flat Minkowski vacuum and we discuss thoroughly the quadratic fluctuations around it. We find that there are two propagating polarizations of the metric. We then explicitly construct a spherically symmetric, asymptotically flat, black hole solution that represents the analog of the Schwarzschild solution of GR. We show that this theory has the same Newtonian and post-Newtonian limits as GR and thus, it passes the classical tests. We also consider homogeneous and isotropic cosmological solutions and we show that although the equations are identical with GR cosmology, the couplings are constrained by the observed primordial abundance of ${}^4{\rm He}$.

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The Cosmological Slingshot Scenario: Myths and Facts

We generalize the Cosmological Slingshot Scenario for a Slingshot brane moving in a Klebanov-Strassler throat. We show that the horizon and isotropy problems of standard cosmology are avoided, while the flatness problem is acceptably alleviated. Regarding the primordial perturbations, we identify their vacuum state and elucidate the evolution from the quantum to the classical regimes. Also, we calculate their exact power spectrum showing its compatibility with current data. We discuss the bouncing solution from a four dimensional point of view. In this framework the radial and angular motion of the Slingshot brane are described by two scalar fields. We show that the bouncing solution for the scale factor in String frame is mapped into a monotonically increasing (in conformal time) solution in the Einstein frame. We finally discuss about the regularity of the geometry in Einstein frame.

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P-nflation: generating cosmic Inflation with p-forms

We show that an inflationary background might be realized by using any p-form non-minimally coupled to gravity. Standard scalar field inflation corresponds to the 0-form case and vector inflation to the 1-form. Moreover, we show that the 2- and 3-form fields are dual to a new vector and scalar inflationary theories where the kinetic terms are non-minimally coupled to gravity.

astro-ph.CO↗

The Cosmological Slingshot Scenario: a Stringy Proposal for the Early Time Cosmology

In the Cosmological Slingshot Scenario, our Universe is a D3-brane that extends in the 4d noncompact directions of a warped Calabi-Yau compactification of IIB Supergravity. Early time cosmology corresponds to a period in which the brane moves inside a warped throat where a non-vanishing angular momentum ensures that the trajectory of the brane has a turning point. The corresponding induced metric on the D3-brane experiences a cosmological evolution with a bounce. In this framework, the homogeneity, flatness, and isotropy problems of standard cosmology might be avoided. The power spectrum of primordial perturbations of the brane embedding can be found and it is shown to be in agreement to WMAP data.

hep-th↗

The Cosmological Slingshot Scenario: A Stringy Early Times Universe

A cosmological model for the early time Universe is proposed. In this model, the Universe is a wandering brane moving in a warped throat of a Calabi-Yau space. A non-zero angular momentum induces a turning point in the brane trajectory, and leads to a bouncing cosmology as experienced by an observer living on the brane. The Universe undergoes a decelerated contraction followed by an accelerating expansion and no big-bang singularity. Although the number of e-folds of accelerated motion is low (less than 2), standard cosmological problems are not present in our model thanks to the absence of an initial singularity and the violation of energy conditions of mirage matter at high energies. Density perturbations are also calculated in our model and we find a slightly red spectral index with negligible tensorial perturbations in compatibility with WMAP data.

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Three-dimensional AdS gravity and extremal CFTs at c=8m

We note that Witten's proposed duality between extremal c=24k CFTs and three-dimensional anti-de Sitter gravity may possibly be extended to central charges that are multiples of 8, for which extremal self-dual CFTs are known to exist up to c=40. All CFTs of this type with central charge 24 or higher, provided that they exist, have the required mass gap and may serve as candidate duals to three-dimensional gravity at the corresponding values of the cosmological constant. Here, we compute the genus one partition function of these theories up to c=88, we give exact and approximate formulas for the degeneracies of states, and we determine the genus two partition functions of the theories up to c=40.

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Flat-brane Compactifications in Supergravity Induced by Scalars

We discuss flat compactifications of supergravities in diverse dimensions in the presence of branes. The compactification is induced by the scalar fields of supergravity and it is such that there is no relic cosmological constant on the brane, rendering this way the latter flat. We discuss in particular the D=4, $N=2,4$ and D=8, N=1 supergravities with $n=1,2,3$ vector multiplets where the scalar manifolds are Grassmannian cosets of the form $SO(2,n)/SO(2)\times SO(n)$. By introducing branes at certain points in the transverse space, finite energy solutions to the field equations are constructed. Some of the solutions we present may be interpreted as intersecting branes.

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New type scalar fields for cosmic acceleration

We present a model where a non-conventional scalar field may act like dark energy leading to cosmic acceleration. The latter is driven by an appropriate field configuration, which result in an effective cosmological constant. The potential role of such a scalar in the cosmological constant problem is also discussed.

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Cosmic Acceleration Driven by Mirage Inhomogeneities

A cosmological model based on an inhomogeneous D3-brane moving in an AdS_5 X S_5 bulk is introduced. Although there is no special points in the bulk, the brane Universe has a center and is isotropic around it. The model has an accelerating expansion and its effective cosmological constant is inversely proportional to the distance from the center, giving a possible geometrical origin for the smallness of a present-day cosmological constant. Besides, if our model is considered as an alternative of early time acceleration, it is shown that the early stage accelerating phase ends in a dust dominated FRW homogeneous Universe. Mirage-driven acceleration thus provides a dark matter component for the brane Universe final state. We finally show that the model fulfills the current constraints on inhomogeneities.

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