Related papers: Leptogenesis and tensor polarisation from a gravit…
We consider a model of an expanding Universe in string theory that yields `environmental' CPT violation for fermions, in the sense of different dispersion relations for fermions and antifermions. These are induced by a cosmological…
Axion fluctuations generated during inflation lead to isocurvature and non-Gaussian temperature fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background radiation. Following a previous analysis for the model independent string axion we consider the…
The standard cosmological model, which includes only Compton scattering photon interactions at energy scales near recombination, results in zero primordial circular polarization of the cosmic microwave background. In this paper we consider…
Low energy string theory predicts the existence of an axion field which can lead to cosmic birefringence. We solve the electromagnetic wave equations in the presence of such an axion and a dilaton field in order to determine their effect on…
The string-inspired technique is used for a first calculation of the one-loop axialvector vacuum polarisation in a general constant electromagnetic field. A compact result is reached for the difference between this tensor and the…
We provide a compact review on recent developments on axion $F(R)$ gravity. The axion field is a string theory originating theoretical particle that is a perfect candidate for low-mass particle dark matter. In this review we present how a…
We discuss unusual $\theta$ terms that can appear in field theories that allow global vortices. These `Cheshire $\theta$ terms' induce Aharonov-Bohm effects for some particles that move around vortices. For example, a Cheshire $\theta$ term…
We present a string-based picture of the cosmological evolution in which (CP-violating) gravitational anomalies acting during the inflationary phase of the universe cause the vacuum energy density to "run" with the effective Hubble…
We present a toy model of an axion gauge field inflation scenario that yields viable density and gravitational wave spectra. The scenario consists of an axionic inflaton in a steep potential that is effectively flattened by a coupling to a…
We discuss a connection between gravitational-wave physics, quantum theory anomalies, right-handed (sterile) neutrinos, (spontaneous) CPT Violation and Leptogenesis, within the framework of string-inspired cosmological models. In…
We derive oscillating gravitational potential caused by an ultralight axion as the cosmic dark matter, assuming the Compton wavelength smaller than the horizon scale. A new oscillatory term is found which dominates the previously known one…
Lorentz- and CPT-violating models of electrodynamics with Chern-Simons terms are typically plagued by various sorts of instabilities. However, when the Chern-Simons term arises from a slow time variation in a pseudoscalar field with an…
We study the vacuum polarization effect in the spacetime generated by a magnetic flux cosmic string in the framework of a scalar-tensor gravity. The vacuum expectation values of the energy-momentum tensor of a conformally coupled scalar…
Building on Weinberg's approach to effective field theory for inflation, we construct an effective Lagrangian for a pseudo scalar (axion) inflaton field with shift symmetry. In this Lagrangian we allow the axion field to couple to…
String theory posesses numerous axion candidates. The recent realization that the compactification radius in string theory might be large means that these states can solve the strong CP problem. This still leaves the question of the…
We consider some questions of naturalness which arise when one considers conventional field theories in the presence of gravitation: the problem of global symmetries, the strong CP problem, and the cosmological constant problem. Using…
Gravitational effective theories are essential for characterizing the space of deviations from General Relativity (GR). Testing these theories against fundamental principles, such as causality and unitarity, can yield constraints on the…
Recent BICEP2 detection of low-multipole B-mode polarization anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background radiation supports the inflationary universe scenario and suggests a large inflaton field range. The latter feature can be achieved…
Axions predicted in string theory may have a scalar potential which has a much shallower potential region than the conventional cosine potential. We first show that axions which were located at such shallow potential regions generically…
In this paper, we examine the viability of inflation models with a spectator axion field coupled to both gravitational and SU(2) gauge fields via Chern-Simons couplings. Requiring phenomenological success of the axion-SU(2) sector…