arXiv subjects

M. J. Strassler

Publications and source records attributed to M. J. Strassler.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2010

New Physics at the LHC. A Les Houches Report: Physics at TeV Colliders 2009 - New Physics Working Group

We present a collection of signatures for physics beyond the standard model that need to be explored at the LHC. First, are presented various tools developed to measure new particle masses in scenarios where all decays include an unobservable particle. Second, various aspects of supersymmetric models are discussed. Third, some signatures of models of strong electroweak symmetry are discussed. In the fourth part, a special attention is devoted to high mass resonances, as the ones appearing in models with warped extra dimensions. Finally, prospects for models with a hidden sector/valley are presented. Our report, which includes brief experimental and theoretical reviews as well as original results, summarizes the activities of the "New Physics" working group for the "Physics at TeV Colliders" workshop (Les Houches, France, 8-26 June, 2009).

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arXiv2007

Tevatron-for-LHC Report: Top and Electroweak Physics

The top quark and electroweak bosons (W and Z) represent the most massive fundamental particles yet discovered, and as such refer directly to the Standard Model's greatest remaining mystery: the mechanism by which all particles gained mass. This report summarizes the work done within the top-ew group of the Tevatron-for-LHC workshop. It represents a collection of both Tevatron results, and LHC predictions. The hope is that by considering and comparing both machines, the LHC program can be improved and aided by knowledge from the Tevatron, and that particle physics as a whole can be enriched. The report includes measurements of the top quark mass, searches for single top quark production, and physics of the electroweak bosons at hadron colliders.

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arXiv2001

On Methods for Extracting Exact Non-perturbative Results in Non-supersymmetric Gauge Theories

At large N, a field theory and its orbifolds (given by projecting out some of its fields) share the same planar graphs. If the parent-orbifold relation continues even nonperturbatively, then properties such as confinement and chiral symmetry breaking will appear in both parent and orbifold. N=1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills has many nonsupersymmetric orbifolds which resemble QCD. A nonperturbative parent-orbifold relation predicts many surprising effects, exactly valid at large N, and expected to suffer only mild 1/N corrections. These include degeneracies among bosonic hadrons and exact predictions for domain wall tensions. Other predictions are valid even when supersymmetry in the parent is broken. Since these theories are QCD-like, simulation is possible, so these predictions may be numerically tested. The method also relates wide classes of nonsupersymmetric theories.

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arXiv1998

A Reexamination of Proton Decay in Supersymmetric Grand Unified Theories

We reconsider dimension-five proton decay operators, making semi-quantitative remarks which apply to a large class of supersymmetric GUTs in which the short-distance operators are correlated with the fermion Yukawa couplings. In these GUTs, which include minimal SU(5), the operators $(u^cd_i^c)^\dagger(d_jν_τ)$, induced by charged Higgsino dressing, completely dominate for moderate to large $\tanbeta$. The rate for $p \rarr (K^+,π^+) \barν_τ$ grows rapidly, as $\tanbeta^4$, and the K^+ to π^+ branching ratio can often be precisely predicted. At small $\tanbeta$ the operators $(u d_i)(d_j ν)$ are dominant, while the operators $(u d_i)(u \ell^-)$, with left-handed charged leptons, are comparable to the neutrino operators in the generic GUT and suppressed in minimal GUTs. Charged-lepton branching fractions are always small at large $\tanbeta$. The electron to muon ratio is small in minimal GUTs but can be larger, even of order one, in other models. All other operators are very small. At small $\tanbeta$ in non-minimal GUTs, gluino and neutralino dressing effects on neutrino rates are not negligible.

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arXiv1997

Aspects of N=2 Supersymmetric Gauge Theories in Three Dimensions

We consider general aspects of N=2 gauge theories in three dimensions, including their multiplet structure, anomalies and non-renormalization theorems. For U(1) gauge theories, we discuss the quantum corrections to the moduli space, and their relation to ``mirror symmetries'' of 3d N=4 theories. Mirror symmetry is given an interpretation in terms of vortices. For SU(N_c) gauge groups with N_f fundamental flavors, we show that, depending on the number of flavors, there are quantum moduli spaces of vacua with various phenomena near the origin.

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arXiv1996

Duality and Dynamical Supersymmetry Breaking in $Spin(10)$ with a Spinor

We study ${\cal N}=1$ supersymmetric $Spin(10)$ chiral gauge theories with a single spinor representation and $N$ vector representations. We present a dual description in terms of an ${\cal N}=1$ supersymmetric $SU(N-5)$ chiral gauge theory with a symmetric tensor, one fundamental and $N$ antifundamental representations. The $Spin(10)$ theory with $N=0$ breaks supersymmetry at strong coupling; we study how this arises at weak coupling in the dual theory, which is a spontaneously broken gauge theory. Also, we recover various known dualities, find new dual pairs and generate new examples of dynamical supersymmetry breaking.

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arXiv1995

A Chiral $SU(N)$ Gauge Theory and its Non-Chiral $Spin(8)$ Dual

We study supersymmetric $SU(N-4)$ gauge theories with a symmetric tensor and $N$ antifundamental representations. The theory with $W=0$ has a dual description in terms of a non-chiral $Spin(8)$ theory with one spinor and $N$ vectors. This duality flows to the $SO(N)$ duality of Seiberg and to a duality proposed by one of us. It also flows to dualities for a number of $Spin(m)$ theories, $m\le 8$. For $N=6$, when an ${\cal N}=2$ SUSY superpotential is added, the singularities of Seiberg and Witten are recovered. For $N\le 6$, a mass for the spinor generates the branches of $SO(8)$ theories found by Intriligator and Seiberg. Other phenomena include a classical constraint mapped to an anomaly equation under duality and an intricate consistency check on the renormalization group flow.

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arXiv1995

Generating a Fermion Mass Hierarchy in a Composite Supersymmetric Standard Model

A mechanism is suggested by which the dynamics of confinement could be responsible for the fermion mass matrix. In this approach the large top quark Yukawa coupling is generated naturally during confinement, while those of the other quarks and leptons stem from non-renormalizable couplings at the Planck scale and are suppressed. Below the confinement scale(s) the effective theory is minimal supersymmetric $SU(5)$ or the supersymmetric standard model. Particles in the $\bar 5$ representations of $SU(5)$ are fundamental while those in the $10$ and $5$ are composite. The standard model gauge group is weakly coupled and predictions of unification can be preserved. A hierarchy in confinement scales helps generate a hierarchical spectrum of quark and lepton masses and ensures the Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix is nearly diagonal. However, the most natural outcome is that the strange quark is heavier than the charm quark; additional structure is required to evade this conclusion. No attempt has been made to address the issues of $SU(5)$ breaking, SUSY breaking, doublet/triplet splitting or the $μ$ parameter. While the models presented here are neither elegant nor complete, they are remarkable in that they can be analyzed without uncontrollable dynamical assumptions.

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arXiv1995

Black Hole Entropy in the O(N) Model

We consider corrections to the entropy of a black hole from an $O(N)$ invariant linear $\s$-model. We obtain the entropy from a $1/N$ expansion of the partition function on a cone. The entropy arises from diagrams which are analogous to those introduced by Susskind and Uglum to explain black hole entropy in string theory. The interpretation of the \sm entropy depends on scale. At short distances, it has a state counting interpretation, as the entropy of entanglement of the $N$ fields $\pa$. In the infrared, the effective theory has a single composite field $\s \sim \pa \pa$, and the state counting interpretation of the entropy is lost.

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arXiv1995

New Examples of Duality in Chiral and Non-Chiral Supersymmetric Gauge Theories

We present evidence for renormalization group fixed points with dual magnetic descriptions in fourteen new classes of four-dimensional $N=1$ supersymmetric models. Nine of these classes are chiral and many involve two or three gauge groups. These theories are generalizations of models presented earlier by Seiberg, by Kutasov and Schwimmer, and by the present authors. The different classes are interrelated; one can flow from one class to another using confinement or symmetry breaking.

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arXiv1995

Duality of Sp(2N) and SO(N) Supersymmetric Gauge Theories with Adjoint Matter

We discuss electric-magnetic duality in two new classes of supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories. The models have gauge group $Sp(2\nc)$ or $SO(\nc)$ with matter in both the adjoint and defining representations. By perturbing these theories with various superpotentials, we find a variety of new infrared fixed points with dual descriptions. This work is complementary to that of Kutasov and Schwimmer on $SU(\nc)$ and of Intriligator on other models involving $Sp(2\nc)$ and $SO(\nc)$.

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arXiv1994

A Comment on Entropy and Area

For an arbitrary quantum field in flat space with a planar boundary, an entropy of entanglement, associated with correlations across the boundary, is present when the field is in its vacuum state. The vacuum state of the same quantum field appears thermal in Rindler space, with an associated thermal entropy. We show that the density matrices describing the two situations are identical, and therefore that the two entropies are equal. We comment on the generality and significance of this result, and make use of it in analyzing the area and cutoff dependence of the entropy. The equivalence of the density matrices leads us to speculate that a planar boundary in Minkowski space has a classical entropy given by the Bekenstein--Hawking formula.

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