Threshold and compactification effects in GUTS

Abstract

We review general results on threshold effects and their implications on GUTs in the context of LEP data. Among the blooming grand-desert models, threshold effects are computed in the presence of a single real scalar ζ (3, 0, 8) with Mζ≃1010 GeV leading to experimentally testable predictions on the proton lifetimeτ p in SU (5) and, in addition, small neutrino masses in SO (10) needed for the solar neutrino flux and the dark matter of the universe. The fine structure constant matching at MZ is ensured by including threshold effects on the unification coupling. In the minimal SUSY SU (5) such effects at the GUT scale modify the prediction of the supersymmetric mass threshold near the TeV scale and the precision measurments of the Standard Model couplings at MZ probe into the superheavy mass spectrum. Consequences of theorems proved very useful for threshold, compactification and multiloop effects are discussed. It is noted that in a class of GUTs the highest intermediate scale MI above which G224P becomes a good symmetry is not affected by the GUT threshold or compactification effects or multiloop contributions in the range MI-MU. But spontaneous compatification effects can decrease the intermediate scale drastically in models where parity and SU(2)R breakings are decoupled. Low mass WR-bsosns are permitted in models with decoupled parity and SU (2)R breakings.