Related papers: Theta-problem and the String Swampland
We present the simplest, string-derivable, supergravity model and discuss its experimental consequences. This model is a new string-inspired flipped $SU(5)$ which unifies at the string scale $M_U=10^{18}\GeV$ due to the introduction of an…
It is widely believed that consistent theories of quantum gravity satisfy two basic kinematic constraints: they are free from any global symmetry, and they contain a complete spectrum of gauge charges. For compact, abelian gauge groups,…
We show that the effective coupling constants $\tau$ of supersymmetric gauge theories described by hyperelliptic curves do not distinguish between the lattices of the two kinds of heterotic string. In particular, the following relation $$…
The swampland conjectures seek to distinguish effective field theories which can be consistently embedded in a theory of quantum gravity from those which can not (and are hence referred to as being in the swampland). We consider two such…
We point out that pure supergravity theories in $AdS$ with enough supersymmetry lead, upon taking the large radius limit, to flat space quantum gravities with a nonperturbatively exact global symmetry, and are therefore in the Swampland.…
We prove that charged gravitini cannot have parametrically small or vanishing Lagrangian mass in de Sitter vacua of extended supergravity while respecting the magnetic weak gravity conjecture. This places large classes of de Sitter…
The main problem of inflation in string theory is finding the models with a flat potential, consistent with stabilization of the volume of the compactified space. This can be achieved in the theories where the potential has (an approximate)…
We use the S-matrix bootstrap to carve out the space of unitary, crossing symmetric and supersymmetric graviton scattering amplitudes in ten dimensions. We focus on the leading Wilson coefficient $\alpha$ controlling the leading correction…
In recent work Kachru, Kumar and Silverstein introduced a special class of non-supersymmetric type II string theories in which the cosmological constant vanishes at the first two orders of perturbation theory. Heuristic arguments suggest…
Non-supersymmetric string models are plagued with tadpoles for dynamical fields, which signal uncanceled forces sourced by the vacuum. We argue that in certain cases, uncanceled dynamical tadpoles can lead to inconsistencies with quantum…
We conjecture a general upper bound on the strength of gravity relative to gauge forces in quantum gravity. This implies, in particular, that in a four-dimensional theory with gravity and a U(1) gauge field with gauge coupling g, there is a…
Swampland criteria like the Weak Gravity Conjecture should not only apply to particles, but also to other lower-codimension charged objects in 4d EFTs like strings and membranes. However, the description of the latter is in general subtle…
We propose a string-derived model based on the gauge group $SU(5)\times U(1)$ which satisfies the stringent constraints from no-scale supergravity, allows gauge coupling unification at the string scale, and entails previously unexplored…
After reviewing the existing results we give an extensive analysis of the critical points of the potentials of the gauged N=2 Yang-Mills/Einstein Supergravity theories coupled to tensor- and hyper multiplets. Our analysis includes all the…
Type I string theory in the presence of internal magnetic fields provides a concrete realization of split supersymmetry. To lowest order, gauginos are massless while squarks and sleptons are superheavy. For weak magnetic fields, the correct…
One of the main technical obstacles in constructing a consistent theory of quantum gravity is that the metric itself defines the causal structure required for quantization. This motivates implementing quantum aspects of gravity through an…
String representation of the $[U(1)]^{N-1}$ gauge-invariant dual Abelian-Higgs-type theory, which is relevant to the SU(N)-QCD with the $\Theta$-term and provides confinement of quarks, is derived. The N-dependence of the Higgs vacuum…
Imposing CP or P forces the QCD topological angle to be either $\bar\theta=0$ or $\bar\theta=\pi$. However, only the former is phenomenologically viable. This implies that the assumption of CP or P alone cannot provide a framework for…
We present four-dimensional M-theory vacua with N>0 supersymmetry which, from the perspective of perturbative Type IIA string theory, have N=0. Such vacua can appear when the compactifying 7-manifold is a U(1) fibration. The missing…
Two dimensional QCD coupled to fermions in the adjoint representation of the gauge group $SU(N)$, a useful toy model of QCD strings, is supersymmetric for a certain ratio of quark mass and gauge coupling constant. Here we study the theory…