Related papers: Non-Universal Anomalies in Heterotic String Constr…
In a supersymmetric theory with global U(1) invariance, the spontaneous breaking of the latter without the breaking of supersymmetry is revisited in the case of the most general superpotential of 3 singlet superfields. The interesting…
The largest global symmetry that can be made local in the Standard Model + 3$\nu_R$ while being compatible with Pati-Salam unification is $SU(3)_H\times U(1)_{B-L}$. The gauge bosons of this theory would induce flavour effects involving…
We investigate the interior of the moduli space of four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ theories of gravity arising from compactifications of the $E_8\times E_8$ heterotic string on Calabi-Yau threefolds. By studying the threshold corrections…
We provide a detailed study of the phenomenology of orbifold compactifications of the heterotic string within the context of supergravity effective theories. Our investigation focuses on those models where the soft Lagrangian is dominated…
We study the origin of non-Abelian discrete flavor symmetries in superstring theory. We classify all possible non-Abelian discrete flavor symmetries which can appear in heterotic orbifold models. These symmetries include D_4 and Delta(54).…
We briefly review attempts to construct string theories that yield the standard model, concentrating on models with a geometric interpretation. Calabi-Yau compactifications are discussed in the context of both the weakly coupled heterotic…
We undertake a detailed study of the gaugings of two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory by its intrinsic charge conjugation 0-form and centre 1-form global symmetries, elucidating their higher algebraic and geometric structures, as well as the…
We analyze the role played by anomaly poles in an anomalous gauge theory by discussing their signature in the corresponding off-shell effective action. The origin of these contributions, in the most general kinematical case, is elucidated…
We study the phenomenological consequences of higher symmetry structures in axion effective field theories. Higher-group and non-invertible symmetries impose parametric constraints on the energy scales at which different symmetries can…
Topological phases in (2+1)-dimensions are frequently equipped with global symmetries, like conjugation, bilayer or electric-magnetic duality, that relabel anyons without affecting the topological structures. Twist defects are static…
We study gaugino condensation in presence of an anomalous $U(1)$ gauge group and find that global supersymmetry is dynamically broken. An example of particular interest is provided by effective string models with 4-dimensional Green-Schwarz…
We review recent work on a new class of topological defects which possess a nonsymmetric core. They arise in scalar field theories with global symmetries, U(1) for domain walls and SU(2) for vortices, which are explicitly broken to $Z_2$…
We examine some novel physical consequences of the general structure of moduli spaces of string vacua. These include (1) finiteness of the volume of the moduli space and (2) chaotic motion of the moduli in the early universe. To fix ideas…
We review in detail the recently discovered phenomenon of partial spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry in the case of a N=2 pure gauge U(1) theory, and recall how the standard lore no-go theorem is evaded. We discuss the extension of this…
The perturbative analysis of models of open and closed superstrings presents a number of surprises. For instance, variable numbers of antisymmetric tensors ensure their consistency via generalized Green-Schwarz cancellations and a novel…
We study L-point couplings between twisted sector fields in heterotic orbifold compactifications, using conformal field theory. Selection rules provide an easy way to identify which couplings are non-vanishing. Those used in the current…
Although axial QED suffers from a gauge anomaly, gauge invariance may be maintained by the addition of a nonlocal counterterm. Such nonlocal conterterms, however, are expected to ruin unitarity of the theory. We explicitly investigate some…
We interpret D-strings at the bottom of the warped deformed conifold as axionic strings in the dual cascading SU(N+M) x SU(N) gauge theory. The axion is a massless pseudo-scalar glueball which we find in the supergravity fluctuation…
We suggest the use of a universality-breaking observable based on lepton asymmetries as derived from the left-right asymmetry and the $\tau$ polarization at the $Z$ peak, which can efficiently constrain the parameter space of unified…
We describe a new kind of transition between topologically distinct $N=2$ type II Calabi--Yau vacua through points with enhanced non-abelian gauge symmetries together with fundamental charged matter hypermultiplets. We connect the…