Related papers: What is the Hierarchy Problem?
The classic brachistrochrone problem is standard material in intermediate mechanics. Many variations exist including some accessible to introductory students. While a quantitative solution isn't feasible in introductory classes, qualitative…
I present a concise review of the major issues and challenges in particle physics at the start of the LHC era. After a brief overview of the Standard Model and of QCD, I will focus on the electroweak symmetry breaking problem which plays a…
Light vector-like quarks with non-renormalizable couplings to the Higgs are a common feature of models trying to address the electroweak (EW) hierarchy problem by treating the Higgs as a pseudo-goldstone boson of a global (approximate)…
These notes present a brief introduction to `naturalness' problems in cosmology, and to the Cosmological Constant Problem in particular. The main focus is the `old' cosmological constant problem, though the more recent variants are also…
Several problems in cosmology and astrophysics are described in which critical phenomena of various types may play a role. These include the organization of the disks of spiral galaxies, various aspects of the problem of structure formation…
The Higgs boson was predicted in 1964 by British physicist Peter Higgs. The Higgs is the key to explain the origin of the mass of other elementary particles of Nature. However, only with the coming into operation of the LHC, in 2008, there…
The Cauchy problem for the von Neumann hierarchy of nonlinear equations is investigated. One describes the evolution of all possible states of quantum many-particle systems by the correlation operators. A solution of such nonlinear…
We explore the landscape of technical naturalness for nonrelativistic systems, finding surprises which challenge and enrich our relativistic intuition already in the simplest case of a single scalar field. While the immediate applications…
Alternative forms of the solutions to the quantum field equations and their implications for physical theory are considered. Incorporation of these alternative solution forms, herein deemed "supplemental solutions", into the development of…
Last couple of decades have been the golden age for cosmology. High quality data confirmed the broad paradigm of standard cosmology but have thrusted upon us a preposterous composition for the universe which defies any simple explanation,…
We argue that the SM in the Higgs phase does not suffer form a "hierarchy problem" and that similarly the "cosmological constant problem" resolves itself if we understand the SM as a low energy effective theory emerging from a cut-off…
In the following, we will review the fundamental problem that prevents a complete understanding of a theory of supersymmetrical field representations and describe its possible relation to a similar problem facing superstring/M-theory.
Hadron physics is that part of QCD dealing with hadron structure and vacuum structure, almost all of which is nonperturbative in nature. Some of the open problems in this field are outlined. We argue that hadron physics is a distinct…
I give a pedagogical explanation of what it is about quantization that makes general relativity go from being a nearly perfect classical theory to a very problematic quantum one. I also explain why some quantization of gravity is…
The Standard Model of fundamental interactions, albeit an incredibly elegant and successful theory, lacks explanations for some experimental and theoretical open questions. Interestingly, many of these problems seem to be related to the…
A two-boson realization of the second hamiltonian structure for the KP hierarchy has recently appeared in the literature. Furthermore, it has been claimed that this is also a realization of the hierarchy itself. This is surprising because…
We introduce a new approach to the Higgs naturalness problem, where the value of the Higgs mass is tied to cosmic stability and the possibility of a large observable Universe. The Higgs mixes with the dilaton of a CFT sector whose true…
Assuming that a Higgs sector is responsible for electroweak symmetry breaking, we attempt to address two important questions: How much better precision are various measurements of Higgs boson properties at a future linear collider than at…
After the heroic epoch of Causality Theory, problems concerning the smoothability of time functions and Cauchy hypersurfaces remained as unanswered folk questions. Just recently solved, our aim is to discuss the state of the art on this…
The Higgs mechanism is the favourite cure for the main problem with electroweak unification, namely how to reconcile a gauge theory with the need for massive gauge bosons. This problem does not exist in preon models for quark and lepton…