Related papers: Gravity, Superselection Rules and Axions
Assuming that a quantum field theory with a $\theta$-vacuum term in the action shows non-trivial $\theta$-dependence and provided that some reasonable properties of the probability distribution function of the order parameter hold, we argue…
The vacuum energy response of a quantum field theory is studied as a function of complex external fields coupled to the symmetry-breaking observables of the theory. It is found that the energy density is insensitive to spontaneous symmetry…
After leading to a new axiomatic derivation of quantum theory, the new informational paradigm is entering the domain of quantum field theory, suggesting a quantum automata framework that can be regarded as an extension of quantum field…
It is postulated that the UV QFT is enormous and random. The coupling of the Standard Model to such QFT is analyzed. It is argued that massless 4d gravity and axions are general avatars of the postulate. The equivalence principle emerges…
In this paper, we will show that gravity can emerge from an effective field theory, obtained by tracing out the fermionic system from an interacting quantum field theory, when we impose the condition that the field equations must be Cauchy…
We demonstrate that the true QCD axion that solves the strong CP problem can be found in all generality outside the customary standard QCD band, with QCD being the sole source of Peccei-Quinn breaking. The essential reason is that the basis…
Traditional derivations of general relativity from the graviton degrees of freedom assume space-time Lorentz covariance as an axiom. In this essay, we survey recent evidence that general relativity is the unique spatially-covariant…
The four-dimensional superstring solutions define at low energy effective supergravity theories. A class of them extends successfully the validity of the standard model up to the string scale (${\cal O}(10^{17})~TeV$). We stress the…
The highly non-trivial structure of the $\theta$--vacuum encodes many of the fundamental properties of gauge theories. In particular, the response of the vacuum to the $\theta$--term perturbation is sensitive to the existence of…
We calculate deviations in cosmological observables as a function of parameters in a class of connection-based models of quantum gravity. In this theory non-trivial modifications to the background cosmology can occur due to a distortion of…
Each approach to the quantum-gravity problem originates from expertise in one or another area of theoretical physics. The particle-physics perspective encourages one to attempt to reproduce in quantum gravity as much as possible of the…
Most of the approaches to the construction of a theory of quantum gravity share some principles which do not have specific experimental support up to date. Two of these principles are relevant for our discussion: (i) the gravitational field…
False vacuum decay in field theory may be formulated as a boundary value problem in Euclidean space. In a previous work, we studied its solution in single scalar field theories with quadratic gravity and used it to find obstructions to…
The quantum gravity is formulated based on gauge principle. The model discussed in this paper has local gravitational gauge symmetry and gravitational field is represented by gauge potential. A preliminary study on gravitational gauge group…
We show that a possible resolution to the stabilization of an extra spatial dimension (radion) can be obtained solely in the context of gravitational dynamics itself without the necessity of introducing any external stabilizing field. In…
Motivated by the flavored Peccei-Quinn symmetry for unifying the flavor physics and string theory, we construct an explicit model by introducing a $U(1)$ symmetry such that the $U(1)_X$-$[gravity]^2$ anomaly-free condition together with the…
Current upper bounds of the neutron electric dipole moment constrain the physically observable quantum chromodynamic (QCD) vacuum angle $|\bar\theta| \lesssim 10^{-11}$. Since QCD explains vast experimental data from the 100 MeV scale to…
We study a scenario allowing a solution of the strong charge parity problem via the Peccei-Quinn mechanism, implemented in gravity with torsion. In this framework there appears a torsion-related pseudoscalar field known as Kalb-Ramond…
Coupling quantum field theory (QFT) \!-\! even free QFT \!-\! to gravity leads to well-known problems. In particular, the stress tensor $T_{\mu\nu}$ (gravity's source) and its correlators typically diverge in the UV, creating a conflict…
We follow a low-energy effective theory approach to identify the general class of theories that describes a vector field (of unconstrained norm) coupled to gravity. The resulting set may be regarded as a generalization of the conventional…