arXiv subjects

Keith R. Dienes

Publications and source records attributed to Keith R. Dienes.

123 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv1995

String Unification, Higher-Level Gauge Symmetries, and Exotic Hypercharge Normalizations

We explore the extent to which string theories with higher-level gauge symmetries and non-standard hypercharge normalizations can reconcile the discrepancy between the string unification scale and the GUT scale extrapolated from the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). We determine the phenomenologically allowed regions of (k_Y,k_2,k_3) parameter space, and investigate the proposal that there might exist string models with exotic hypercharge normalizations k_Y which are less than their usual value k_Y=5/3. For a broad class of heterotic string models (encompassing most realistic string models which have been constructed), we prove that k_Y >= 5/3. Beyond this class, however, we show that there exist consistent MSSM embeddings which lead to k_Y < 5/3. We also consider the constraints imposed on k_Y by demanding charge integrality of all unconfined string states, and show that only a limited set of hypercolor confining groups and corresponding values of k_Y are possible.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

String Theory, Misaligned Supersymmetry, and the Supertrace Constraints

We demonstrate that string consistency in four spacetime dimensions leads to a spectrum of string states which satisfies the supertrace constraints Str(M^0)=0 and Str(M^2)=Λat tree level, where Λis the one-loop string cosmological constant. This result holds for a large class of string theories, including critical heterotic strings. For strings lacking spacetime supersymmetry, these supertrace constraints will be satisfied as a consequence of a hidden ``misaligned supersymmetry'' in the string spectrum. These results thus severely constrain the possible supersymmetry-breaking scenarios in string theory, and suggest a new intrinsically stringy mechanism whereby such supertrace constraints may be satisfied without phenomenologically unacceptable consequences.

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arXiv1995

Making Ends Meet: String Unification and Low-Energy Data

A long-standing problem in string phenomenology has been the fact that the string unification scale disagrees with the GUT scale obtained by extrapolating low-energy data within the framework of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). In this paper we examine several effects that may modify the minimal string predictions and thereby bring string-scale unification into agreement with low-energy data. These include heavy string threshold corrections, non-standard hypercharge normalizations, light SUSY thresholds, intermediate gauge structure, and thresholds arising from extra matter beyond the MSSM. We explicitly evaluate these contributions within a variety of realistic free-fermionic string models, including the flipped SU(5), SO(6) x SO(4), and various SU(3) x SU(2) x U(1) models, and find that most of these sources do not substantially alter the minimal string predictions. Indeed, we find that the only way to reconcile string unification with low-energy data is through certain types of extra matter. Remarkably, however, many of the realistic string models contain precisely this required matter in their low-energy spectra.

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arXiv1995

SPACETIME PROPERTIES OF (1,0) STRING VACUA

We discuss one of the generic spacetime consequences of having (1,0) worldsheet supersymmetry in tachyon-free string theory, namely the appearance of a ``misaligned supersymmetry'' in the corresponding spacetime spectrum. Misaligned supersymmetry is a universal property of (1,0) string vacua which describes how the arrangement of bosonic and fermionic states at all string energy levels conspires to preserve finite string amplitudes, even in the absence of full spacetime supersymmetry. Misaligned supersymmetry also constrains the degree to which spacetime supersymmetry can be broken without breaking modular invariance, and is responsible for the vanishing of various mass supertraces evaluated over the infinite string spectrum. [Talk delivered at Strings '95, based on material drawn from hep-th/9402006 and hep-th/9409114. To appear in Proceedings.]

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arXiv1995

SUPERTRACES IN STRING THEORY

We demonstrate that the spectrum of any consistent string theory in $D$ dimensions must satisfy a number of supertrace constraints: $ Str~M^{2n}=0 $ for $0 \leq n < D/2-1$, integer $n$. These results hold for a large class of string theories, including critical heterotic strings. For strings lacking spacetime supersymmetry, these supertrace constraints will be satisfied as a consequence of a hidden ``misaligned supersymmetry'' in the string spectrum. [Talk given by R.C.M. at Strings '95; to appear in Proceedings]

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

Modular Invariance, Finiteness, and Misaligned Supersymmetry: New Constraints on the Numbers of Physical String States

We investigate the generic distribution of bosonic and fermionic states at all mass levels in non-supersymmetric string theories, and find that a hidden ``misaligned supersymmetry'' must always appear in the string spectrum. We show that this misaligned supersymmetry is ultimately responsible for the finiteness of string amplitudes in the absence of full spacetime supersymmetry, and therefore the existence of misaligned supersymmetry provides a natural constraint on the degree to which spacetime supersymmetry can be broken in string theory without destroying the finiteness of string amplitudes. Misaligned supersymmetry also explains how the requirements of modular invariance and absence of physical tachyons generically affect the distribution of states throughout the string spectrum, and implicitly furnishes a two-variable generalization of some well-known results in the theory of modular functions.

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arXiv1994

How Strings Make Do without Supersymmetry: An Introduction to Misaligned Supersymmetry

We provide a non-technical introduction to "misaligned supersymmetry", a generic phenomenon in string theory which describes how the arrangement of bosonic and fermionic states at all string energy levels conspires to preserve finite string amplitudes even in the absence of spacetime supersymmetry. Misaligned supersymmetry thus naturally constrains the degree to which spacetime supersymmetry can be broken in string theory while preserving the finiteness of string amplitudes, and explains how the requirements of modular invariance and absence of physical tachyons affect the distribution of states throughout the string spectrum.

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arXiv1994

Conformal Invariance and Degrees of Freedom in the QCD String

We demonstrate that the Hagedorn-like growth of the number of observed meson states can be used to constrain the degrees of freedom of the underlying effective QCD string. We find that the temperature relevant for such string theories is not given by the usual Hagedorn value $T_H\approx 160$ MeV, but is considerably higher. This resolves an apparent conflict with the results from a static quark-potential analysis, and suggests that conformal invariance and modular invariance are indeed reflected in the hadronic spectrum. We also find that the $D_\perp=2$ scalar string is in excellent agreement with data.

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arXiv1993

Recent Developments in Fractional Superstrings

Fractional superstrings experience new types of ``internal projections'' which alter or deform their underlying worldsheet conformal field theories. In this talk I summarize some recent results concerning both the worldsheet theory which remains after the internal projections have acted, and the spacetime statistics properties of its various sectors.

hep-th↗

arXiv1993

The Worldsheet Conformal Field Theory of the Fractional Superstring

Two of the important unresolved issues concerning fractional superstrings have been the appearance of new massive sectors whose spacetime statistics properties are unclear, and the appearance of new types of ``internal projections'' which alter or deform the worldsheet conformal field theory in a highly non-trivial manner. In this paper we provide a systematic analysis of these two connected issues, and explicitly map out the effective post-projection worldsheet theories for each of the fractional-superstring sectors. In this way we determine their central charges, highest weights, fusion rules, and characters, and find that these theories are isomorphic to those of free worldsheet bosons and fermions. We also analyze the recently-discovered parafermionic ``twist current'' which has been shown to play an important role in reorganizing the fractional-superstring Fock space, and find that this current can be expressed directly in terms of the primary fields of the post-projection theory. This thereby enables us to deduce some of the spacetime statistics properties of the surviving states.

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arXiv1993

Central Charge Reduction and Spacetime Statistics in the Fractional Superstring

Fractional superstrings in the tensor-product formulation experience ``internal projections'' which reduce their effective central charges. Simple expressions for the characters of the resulting effective worldsheet theory are found. All states in the effective theory can be consistently assigned definite spacetime statistics. The projection to the effective theory is shown to be described by the action of a dimension-three current in the original tensor-product theory.

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arXiv1992

Fractional Superstrings with Critical Spacetime Dimensions Four and Six: A Status Report

Fractional superstrings are non-trivial generalizations of ordinary superstrings and heterotic strings, and have critical spacetime dimensions which are less than ten by virtue of a worldsheet fractional supersymmetry relating worldsheet bosons to worldsheet parafermions. In this paper, I provide a short non-technical survey of the fundamental issues involved in these recently-proposed theories. After introducing the basic ideas which underlie these new string theories, I review their early successes and outline some related outstanding questions. ( Talk given at the Internal Workshop on String Theory, Quantum Gravity, and the Unification of the Fundamental Interactions, held in Rome, Italy, 21-26 September 1992. )

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arXiv1992

Are There Oscillations in the Baryon/Meson Ratio?

All available data indicate a surplus of baryon states over meson states for energies greater than about 1.5 GeV. Since hadron-scale string theory suggests that their numbers should become equal with increasing energy, it has recently been proposed that there must exist exotic mesons with masses just above 1.7 GeV in order to fill the deficit. We demonstrate that a string-like picture is actually consistent with the present numbers of baryon and meson states, and in fact predicts regular oscillations in their ratio. This suggests a different role for new hadronic states.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1992

New Jacobi-Like Identities for Z_k Parafermion Characters

We state and prove various new identities involving the Z_K parafermion characters (or level-K string functions) for the cases K=4, K=8, and K=16. These identities fall into three classes: identities in the first class are generalizations of the famous Jacobi theta-function identity (which is the K=2 special case), identities in another class relate the level K>2 characters to the Dedekind eta-function, and identities in a third class relate the K>2 characters to the Jacobi theta-functions. These identities play a crucial role in the interpretation of fractional superstring spectra by indicating spacetime supersymmetry and aiding in the identification of the spacetime spin and statistics of fractional superstring states.

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arXiv1991

Model-Building for Fractional Superstrings

Fractional superstrings are recently-proposed generalizations of the traditional superstrings and heterotic strings. They have critical spacetime dimensions which are less than ten, and in this paper we investigate model-building for the heterotic versions of these new theories. We concentrate on the cases with critical spacetime dimensions four and six, and find that a correspondence can be drawn between the new fractional superstring models and a special subset of the traditional heterotic string models. This allows us to generate the partition functions of the new models, and demonstrate that their number is indeed relatively limited. It also appears that these strings have uniquely natural compactifications to lower dimensions. In particular, the fractional superstring with critical dimension six has a natural interpretation in four-dimensional spacetime.

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