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Tom Banks

Publications and source records attributed to Tom Banks.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2012

Approximate Particle Spectra in the Pyramid Scheme

We construct a minimal model within the general class of Pyramid Schemes, which is consistent with both supersymmetry breaking and electroweak symmetry breaking. In order to do computations, we make unjustified approximations to the low energy Kähler potential. The phenomenological viability of the resultant mass spectrum is then examined and compared with current collider limits. We show that, for certain regimes of parameters, the Pyramid Scheme can accommodate the current collider mass constraints on physics beyond the standard model with a tree-level light Higgs mass near 125 GeV. However, in this regime the model exhibits a little hierarchy problem, and one must permit fine-tunings that are generically 5%.

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arXiv2012

Update on the Pyramid Scheme

We summarize recent work in which we attempt to make a consistent model of LHC physics, from the Pyramid Scheme. The models share much with the NMSSM, in particular, enhanced tree level contributions to the Higgs mass and a preference for small tan β. There are 3 different singlet fields, and a new strongly coupled gauge theory, so the constraints of perturbative unification are quite different. We outline our general approach to the model, which contains a Kahler potential for three of the low energy fields, which is hard to calculate. Detailed calculations, based on approximations to the Kahler potential, will be presented in a future publication.

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arXiv2011

Holographic Theories of Inflation and Fluctuations

The theory of holographic space-time (HST) generalizes both string theory and quantum field theory. It provides a geometric rationale for supersymmetry (SUSY) and a formalism in which super-Poincare invariance follows from Poincare invariance. HST unifies particles and black holes, realizing both as excitations of non-commutative geometrical variables on a holographic screen. Compact extra dimensions are interpreted as finite dimensional unitary representations of super- algebras, and have no moduli. Full field theoretic Fock spaces, and continuous moduli are both emergent phenomena of super-Poincare invariant limits in which the number of holographic degrees of freedom goes to infinity. Finite radius de Sitter (dS) spaces have no moduli, and break SUSY with a gravitino mass scaling like $Λ^{1/4}$. We present a holographic theory of inflation and fluctuations. The inflaton field is an emergent concept, describing the geometry of an underlying HST model, rather than "a field associated with a microscopic string theory". We argue that the phrase in quotes is meaningless in the HST formalism.

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arXiv2011

Fuzzy Geometry via the Spinor Bundle, with Applications to Holographic Space-time and Matrix Theory

We present a new framework for defining fuzzy approximations to geometry in terms of a cutoff on the spectrum of the Dirac operator, and a generalization of it that we call the Dirac-Flux operator. This framework does not require a symplectic form on the manifold, and is completely rotation invariant on an arbitrary n-sphere. The framework is motivated by the formalism of Holographic Space-Time (HST), whose fundamental variables are sections of the spinor bundle over a compact Euclidean manifold. The strong holographic principle (SHP) requires the space of these sections to be finite dimensional. We discuss applications of fuzzy spinor geometry to HST and to Matrix Theory.

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arXiv2011

Symmetries and Strings in Field Theory and Gravity

We discuss aspects of global and gauged symmetries in quantum field theory and quantum gravity, focusing on discrete gauge symmetries. An effective Lagrangian description of $\Z_p$ gauge theories shows that they are associated with an emergent $\Z_p$ one-form (Kalb-Ramond) gauge symmetry. This understanding leads us to uncover new observables and new phenomena in nonlinear $σ$-models. It also allows us to expand on Polchinski's classification of cosmic strings. We argue that in models of quantum gravity, there are no global symmetries, all continuous gauge symmetries are compact, and all charges allowed by Dirac quantization are present in the spectrum. These conjectures are not new, but we present them from a streamlined and unified perspective. Finally, our discussion about string charges and symmetries leads to a more physical and more complete understanding of recently found consistency conditions of supergravity.

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arXiv2010

TASI Lectures on Holographic Space-Time, SUSY and Gravitational Effective Field Theory

I argue that the conventional field theoretic notion of vacuum state is not valid in quantum gravity. The arguments use gravitational effective field theory, as well as results from string theory, particularly the AdS/CFT correspondence. Different solutions of the same low energy gravitational field equations correspond to different quantum systems, rather than different states in the same system. I then introduce {\it holographic space-time} a quasi-local quantum mechanical construction based on the holographic principle. I argue that models of quantum gravity in asymptotically flat space-time will be exactly super-Poincare invariant, because the natural variables of holographic space-time for such a system, are the degrees of freedom of massless superparticles. The formalism leads to a non-singular quantum Big Bang cosmology, in which the asymptotic future is required to be a de Sitter space, with cosmological constant (c.c.) determined by cosmological initial conditions. It is also approximately SUSic in the future, with the gravitino mass $K Λ^{1/4}$.

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arXiv2010

Direct Detection of Dark Matter Electromagnetic Dipole Moments

Dark matter candidates with electromagnetic dipole moments can arise as dark baryons in gauge-mediated or technicolor models. These dark matter candidates interact with nuclei in direct detection experiments mainly through magnetic and/or electric dipole moments. The scattering cross sections depend on the nuclear magnetic moments and nuclear charge and have an infrared enhancement compared with typical WIMP constant contact interactions, leading to distinctive nuclear recoil energy spectra. These characteristics result in an enhanced signal for the DAMA experiment compared with the CDMS or XENON experiments. The positive results of DAMA, along with the null results of CDMS and XENON, are consistent with a dark matter particle with magnetic dipole moment and a mass around ten GeV. Significant direct detection signals can arise from dipolar dark matter with mass up to of order tens of TeV.

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arXiv2010

Pedagogical notes on black holes, de Sitter space, and bifurcated horizons

I discuss black hole evaporation in two different coordinate systems and argue that the results of the two are compatible once one takes the holographic principle into account. de Sitter space is then discussed along similar lines. Finally I make some remarks about smooth initial conditions in GR, which evolve to space-times with bifurcate horizons, and emphasize the care one must take in identifying spaces of solutions of General Relativity which belong to the same quantum theory of gravity. No really new material is presented, but the point of view I take on all 3 subjects is not widely appreciated.

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arXiv2010

The Regge Limit for Green Functions in Conformal Field Theory

We define a Regge limit for off-shell Green functions in quantum field theory, and study it in the particular case of conformal field theories (CFT). Our limit differs from that defined in arXiv:0801.3002, the latter being only a particular corner of the Regge regime. By studying the limit for free CFTs, we are able to reproduce the Low-Nussinov, BFKL approach to the pomeron at weak coupling. The dominance of Feynman graphs where only two high momentum lines are exchanged in the t-channel, follows simply from the free field analysis. We can then define the BFKL kernel in terms of the two point function of a simple light-like bilocal operator. We also include a brief discussion of the gravity dual predictions for the Regge limit at strong coupling.

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arXiv2009

Fixing the Pole in the Pyramid

We revisit the problem of the hidden sector Landau pole in the Pyramid Scheme. There is a fixed line in the plane of hidden sector gauge coupling and a Yukawa coupling between the trianon fields. We postulate that the couplings flow to this line, at a point where the hidden sector gauge coupling is close to the strong coupling edge of its perturbative regime. Below the masses of the heavier trianons, the model quickly flows to a confining N_F=N_C=3 supersymmetric gauge theory, as required by phenomenological considerations. We study possible discrete R-symmetries, which guarantee, among other things, that the basin of attraction of the fixed line has full co-dimension in the space of R-allowed couplings. The Yukawa couplings required to get the fixed line violate the pyrma-baryon symmetries we invoked in previous work to find a dark matter candidate. Omitting one of them, we have a dark matter candidate, and an acceptable RG flow down from the unification scale, if the confinement scale of the hidden sector group is lowered from 5 to 2 TeV.

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arXiv2009

Note on the pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone Boson of Meta-stable SUSY Violation

Many models of meta-stable supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking lead to a very light scalar pseudo-Nambu Goldstone boson (PNGB), P, associated with spontaneous breakdown of a baryon number like symmetry in the hidden sector. Current particle physics data provide no useful constraints on the existence of P. For example, the predicted decay rates for both K --> pi + P, b--> s + P and Upsilon --> photon + P are many orders of magnitude below the present experimental bounds. We also consider astrophysical implications of the PNGB and find a significant constraint from its effect on the evolution of red giants. This constraint either rules out models with a hidden sector gauge group larger than SU(4), or requires a new intermediate scale, of order at most 10^{10} GeV, at which the hidden sector baryon number is explicitly broken.

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arXiv2009

Tunneling Constraints on Effective Theories of Stable de Sitter Space

We argue that effective field theories compatible with the idea of Cosmological SUSY Breaking, can have no supersymmetric vacuum states in the M_P -> infinity limit. We introduce a revised version of the Pyramid Scheme, which satisfies this criterion. Combining the criteria for CSB with results of Nelson and Seiberg, any such Lagrangian is non-generic, but we argue that this is plausible in the context of CSB, where R-violating terms in the Lagrangian come from interactions with the horizon, rather than integrating out short distance degrees of freedom. We also point out a Landau pole in the hidden sector gauge group of the Pyramid Scheme, and propose an unique mechanism for avoiding it.

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arXiv2009

A Pyramid Scheme for Particle Physics

We introduce a new model, the Pyramid Scheme, of direct mediation of SUSY breaking, which is compatible with the idea of Cosmological SUSY Breaking (CSB). It uses the trinification scheme of grand unification and avoids problems with Landau poles in standard model gauge couplings. It also avoids problems, which have recently come to light, associated with rapid stellar cooling due to emission of the pseudo Nambu-Goldstone Boson (PNGB) of spontaneously broken hidden sector baryon number. With a certain pattern of R-symmetry breaking masses, a pattern more or less required by CSB, the Pyramid Scheme leads to a dark matter candidate that decays predominantly into leptons, with cross sections compatible with a variety of recent observations. The dark matter particle is not a thermal WIMP but a particle with new strong interactions, produced in the late decay of some other scalar, perhaps the superpartner of the QCD axion, with a reheat temperature in the TeV range. This is compatible with a variety of scenarios for baryogenesis, including some novel ones which exploit specific features of the Pyramid Scheme.

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arXiv2006

A note on Gauge Theories Coupled to Gravity

We analyze the bound on gauge couplings $e\geq m/m_p$, suggested by Arkani-Hamed et.al. We show this bound can be derived from simple semi-classical considerations and holds in spacetime dimensions greater than or equal to four. Non abelian gauge symmetries seem to satisfy the bound in a trivial manner. We comment on the case of discrete symmetries and close by performing some checks for the bound in higher dimensions in the context of string theory.

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arXiv2003

Is There A String Theory Landscape

We examine recent claims of a large set of flux compactification solutions of string theory. We conclude that the arguments for AdS solutions are plausible. The analysis of meta-stable dS solutions inevitably leads to situations where long distance effective field theory breaks down. We then examine whether these solutions are likely to lead to a description of the real world. We conclude that one must invoke a strong version of the anthropic principle. We explain why it is likely that this leads to a prediction of low energy supersymmetry breaking, but that many features of anthropically selected flux compactifications are likely to disagree with experiment.

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arXiv2003

On the Possibility of Large Axion Decay Constants

The decay constant of the QCD axion is required by observation to be small compared to the Planck scale. In theories of "natural inflation," and certain proposed anthropic solutions of the cosmological constant problem, it would be interesting to obtain a large decay constant for axion-like fields from microscopic physics. String theory is the only context in which one can sensibly address this question. Here we survey a number of periodic fields in string theory in a variety of string vacua. In some examples, the decay constant can be parameterically larger than the Planck scale but the effective action then contains appreciable harmonics of order $f_A/M_p$. As a result, these fields are no better inflaton candidates than Planck scale axions.

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arXiv2001

Comments on Non-Commutative Phenomenology

It is natural to ask whether non-commutative geometry plays a role in four dimensional physics. By performing explicit computations in various toy models, we show that quantum effects lead to violations of Lorentz invariance at the level of operators of dimension three or four. The resulting constraints are very stringent.

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