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Exploring $\boldsymbol{2+2}$ Answers to $\boldsymbol{3+1}$ Questions

High Energy Physics - Theory 2023-01-02 v2 Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

We explore potential uses of physics formulated in Kleinian (i.e., 2+22+2) signature spacetimes as a tool for understanding properties of physics in Lorentzian (i.e., 3+13+1) signature. Much as Euclidean (i.e., 4+04+0) signature quantities can be used to formally construct the ground state wavefunction of a Lorentzian signature quantum field theory, a similar analytic continuation to Kleinian signature constructs a state of low particle flux in the direction of analytic continuation. There is also a natural supersymmetry algebra available in 2+22+2 signature, which serves to constrain the structure of correlation functions. Spontaneous breaking of Lorentz symmetry can produce various N=1/2\mathcal{N} = 1/2 supersymmetry algebras that in 3+13 + 1 signature correspond to non-supersymmetric systems. We speculate on the possible role of these structures in addressing the cosmological constant problem.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2208.02267,
  title  = {Exploring $\boldsymbol{2+2}$ Answers to $\boldsymbol{3+1}$ Questions},
  author = {Jonathan J. Heckman and Austin Joyce and Jeremy Sakstein and Mark Trodden},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2208.02267},
  year   = {2023}
}

Comments

v2: 22 pages, 1 figure, references and clarifications added