Standard Effective Field Theory Research Articles

Perils of towers in the swamp: dark dimensions and the robustness of EFTs

Recently there has been an interesting revival of the idea to use large extra dimensions to address the dark energy problem, exploiting the (true) observation that towers of states with masses split, by MN2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {M}_N^2 $$\\end{document} = f(N)m2, with f an unbounded function of the integer N, sometimes contribute to the vacuum energy only an amount of order mD in D dimensions. It has been argued that this fact is a consequence of swampland conjectures and may require a departure from Effective Field Theory (EFT) reasoning. We test this claim with calculations for Casimir energies in extra dimensions. We show why the domain of validity for EFTs ensures that the tower spacing scale m is always an upper bound on the UV scale for the lower-energy effective theory; use of an EFT with a cutoff part way up a tower is not a controlled approximation. We highlight the role played by the sometimes-suppressed contributions from towers in extra-dimensional approaches to the cosmological constant problem, old and new, and point out difficulties encountered in exploiting it. We compare recent swampland realizations of these arguments with earlier approaches using standard EFT examples, discussing successes and limitations of both.

Electroweak phase transition in the nearly aligned Higgs effective field theory

We investigate the strongly first-order electroweak phase transition using an effective field theoretical approach. The standard effective field theory with finite number truncation of higher dimensional operators fails in the typical parameter space where the strongly first-order phase transition is realized because it cannot describe the non-decoupling quantum effect of new physics beyond the standard model. To parameterize the non-decoupling quantum effect, we employ the nearly aligned Higgs effective theory in which the Higgs potential is parameterized by a Coleman-Weinberg like form. Extending this framework with finite temperature corrections, we study the parameter space for realizing the strongly first-order phase transition, and estimate the gravitational wave produced at the phase transition.

A new Higgs effective field theory and the new no-lose theorem

Non-decoupling effects of heavy new particles cannot be described by the standard effective field theory with finite truncation of higher dimensional operators. We propose a new effective field theory in which non-decoupling quantum effects of new physics are correctly described. We discuss vacuum stability and perturbative unitarity in our effective field theory, and we find that the scale of new physics can be estimated if we will observe the Higgs coupling deviation via non-decoupling effects in future collider experiments.

TwInflation

The general structure of Hybrid Inflation remains a very well-motivated mechanism for lower-scale cosmic inflation in the face of improving constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio. However, as originally modeled, the “waterfall” field in this mechanism gives rise to a hierarchy problem (η−problem) for the inflaton after demanding standard effective field theory (EFT) control. We modify the hybrid mechanism and incorporate a discrete “twin” symmetry, thereby yielding a viable, natural and EFT-controlled model of non-supersymmetric low-scale inflation, “Twinflation”. Analogously to Twin Higgs models, the discrete exchange-symmetry with a “twin” sector reduces quadratic sensitivity in the inflationary potential to ultra-violet physics, at the root of the hierarchy problem. The observed phase of inflation takes place on a hilltop-like potential but without fine-tuning of the initial inflaton position in field-space. We also show that all parameters of the model can take natural values, below any associated EFT-cutoff mass scales and field values, thus ensuring straightforward theoretical control. We discuss the basic phenomenological considerations and constraints, as well as possible future directions.

Regularizing (Away) Vacuum Energy

In this paper I formulate Minimal Requirements for Candidate Predictions in quantum field theories, inspired by viewing the standard model as an effective field theory. I then survey standard effective field theory regularization procedures, to see if the vacuum expectation value of energy density ($\langle\rho\rangle$) is a quantity that meets these requirements. The verdict is negative, leading to the conclusion that $\langle\rho\rangle$ is not a physically significant quantity in the standard model. Rigorous extensions of flat space quantum field theory eliminate $\langle\rho\rangle$ from their conceptual framework, indicating that it lacks physical significance in the framework of quantum field theory more broadly. This result has consequences for problems in cosmology and quantum gravity, as it suggests that the correct solution to the cosmological constant problem involves a revision of the vacuum concept within quantum field theory.

Positivity bounds on reconstructed Horndeski models

Positivity bounds provide conditions that a consistent UV-completion exists for a quantum field theory. We examine their application to Horndeski gravity models reconstructed from the effective field theory (EFT) of dark energy. This enables us to assess whether particular phenomenological parameterizations of the EFT functions reconstruct theories that respect or violate the positivity bounds. We find that commonly adopted EFT parametrizations, cast in terms of the dark energy density or power laws of the scale factor, only satisfy the positivity bounds in non-trivial regions of the parameter space. We then examine parameterizations of the inherently stable EFT basis, constructed to avoid gradient and ghost instabilities by default. In stark contrast, in this basis the positivity bounds either only provide constraints in a-priori unrealistic regions of the parameter space or do not provide any constraints on parameter values at all. The application of positivity bounds to common parametrizations of the standard EFT functions can therefore lead to artificial conclusions that the region of viable Horndeski modifications of gravity is highly constrained. Our results provide a strong motivation, in addition to the default avoidance of theoretical instabilities, for instead adopting parametrizations of the inherently stable EFT basis when testing dark energy and modified gravity models with forthcoming cosmological survey data.

On effective theory of superfluid phonons

It is shown that the standard effective field theory of non-relativistic superfluids, which includes only the leading order action in derivative expansion, is in general inadequate for studying supersonic processes. Namely, for a proper treatment of the latter the phonons with momenta greater than mcs are relevant at times (with m being the mass of the superfluid constituent and cs denoting the sound-speed), which lie beyond the regime of validity of the naive effective theory mentioned above. This is demonstrated on a concrete example by recovering the known expression for the friction force as a process of radiating phonons by a supersonic perturber. In particular, when the impurity is heavier than superfluid constituents, it is indeed necessary to extend the non-relativistic effective theory of superfluids to include high-derivative corrections. For the light perturber, however, there is a window of velocities for which high-derivative corrections are irrelevant.

Speed of gravity

Within the standard effective field theory of General Relativity, we show that the speed of gravitational waves deviates, ever so slightly, from luminality on cosmological and other spontaneously Lorentz-breaking backgrounds. This effect results from loop contributions from massive fields of any spin, including Standard Model fields, or from tree level effects from massive higher spins $s \ge 2$. We show that for the choice of interaction signs implied by S-matrix and spectral density positivity bounds suggested by analyticity and causality, the speed of gravitational waves is in general superluminal at low-energies on NEC preserving backgrounds, meaning gravitational waves travel faster than allowed by the metric to which photons and Standard Model fields are minimally coupled. We show that departure of the speed from unity increases in the IR and argue that the speed inevitably returns to luminal at high energies as required by Lorentz invariance. Performing a special tuning of the EFT so that renormalization sensitive curvature-squared terms are set to zero, we find that finite loop corrections from Standard Model fields still lead to an epoch dependent modification of the speed of gravitational waves which is determined by the precise field content of the lightest particles with masses larger than the Hubble parameter today. Depending on interpretation, such considerations could potentially have far-reaching implications on light scalar models, such as axionic or fuzzy cold dark matter.

Non-derivative axionic couplings to nucleons at large and small N

Among the possible CP-odd couplings of the axion to ordinary matter, the most relevant ones for phenomenology are the Yukawa couplings to nucleons. We analyze such non-derivative couplings within three different approaches: standard effective field theory, the Skyrme model and holographic QCD. In all the cases, the couplings can be related to the CP-odd non-derivative couplings to nucleons of the low-lying mesons and the η′. Using the effective field theory approach we discuss how to derive the expressions for the CP-odd interaction terms as functions of the parameters of the effective Lagrangian at generic number of colors Nc and flavors Nf. Then, we compute the CP-odd couplings to nucleons of the axion, the η′ and the pseudo-Goldstone mesons in both the Skyrme and the holographic QCD model with Nf = 2, 3. We present model-independent expressions for the coefficients of the non-derivative axion-nucleon couplings. This allows us to provide quantitative estimates of these couplings.

Hiding the Cosmological Constant.

Perhaps standard effective field theory arguments are right, and vacuum fluctuations really do generate a huge cosmological constant. I show that if one does not assume homogeneity and an arrow of time at the Planck scale, a very large class of general relativistic initial data exhibit expansions, shears, and curvatures that are enormous at small scales, but quickly average to zero macroscopically. Subsequent evolution is more complex, but I argue that quantum fluctuations may preserve these properties. The resulting picture is a version of Wheeler's "spacetime foam," in which the cosmological constant produces high curvature at the Planck scale but is nearly invisible at observable scales.

Elasticity bounds from effective field theory

Phonons in solid materials can be understood as the Goldstone bosons of the spontaneously broken spacetime symmetries. As such their low energy dynamics are greatly constrained and can be captured by standard effective field theory (EFT) methods. In particular, knowledge of the nonlinear stress-strain curves completely fixes the full effective Lagrangian at leading order in derivatives. We attempt to illustrate the potential of effective methods focusing on the so-called hyperelastic materials, which allow large elastic deformations. We find that the self-consistency of the EFT imposes a number of bounds on physical quantities, mainly on the maximum strain and maximum stress that can be supported by the medium. In particular, for stress-strain relations that at large deformations are characterized by a power-law behaviour $\sigma(\varepsilon)\sim \varepsilon^\nu$, the maximum strain exhibits a sharp correlation with the exponent $\nu$.

A multipole-expanded effective field theory for vortex ring-sound interactions

The low-energy dynamics of a zero temperature superfluid or of the compressional modes of an ordinary fluid can be described by a simple effective theory for a scalar field — the superfluid ‘phase’. However, when vortex lines are present, to describe all interactions in a local fashion one has to switch to a magnetic-type dual two-form description, which comes with six degrees of freedom (in place of one) and an associated gauge redundancy, and is thus considerably more complicated. Here we show that, in the case of vortex rings and for bulk modes that are much longer than the typical ring size, one can perform a systematic multipole expansion of the effective action and recast it into the simpler scalar field language. In a sense, in the presence of vortex rings the non-single valuedness of the scalar can be hidden inside the rings, and thus out of the reach of the multipole expansion. As an application of our techniques, we compute by standard effective field theory methods the sound emitted by an oscillating vortex ring.

Black holes as collapsed polymers

We propose that a large Schwarzschild black hole (BH) is a bound state of highly excited, long, closed strings at the Hagedorn temperature. According to our proposal, the interior of the BH consists, on average, of a uniform distribution of matter with low curvature and large quantum fluctuations about the average. This proposal represents a dramatic departure from any conventional state of matter and from the longstanding expectation that the interior of a BH should look like empty space except for a very small, dense core (the singularity). Standard effective field theory in terms of the metric and other quantum fields is incapable of describing such a state in a meaningful way. However, in polymer physics, such states can be described by a mean field theory in terms of the polymer concentration. We therefore propose that the interior of the BH be described in terms of an effective free‐energy density which is a function of the string concentration or entropy density; this density being a highly non‐perturbative quantity in terms of the metric and other quantum fields. For a macroscopic BH, our proposed free‐energy density contains only linear and quadratic terms, in analogy with that of the theory of collapsed polymers. We calculate the coefficient of the linear term under the accepted assumption that the dominant interaction of the strings at large distances is the gravitational interaction and the coefficient of the quadratic term by relying on explicit string calculations to determine the rate of interaction in terms of the string coupling. Using the effective free energy, we find that the size of the bound state is determined dynamically by the string attractive interactions and derive scaling relations for the entropy, energy and size of the bound state. We show that these agree with the scaling relations of the BH; in particular, with the area law for the BH entropy. The fact that the entropy is not extensive is a result of having strong correlations in the interior state, and the specific form of the entropy‐area law originates from the inverse scaling of the effective temperature with the bound‐state radius. We also find that the energy density of the bound state is equal to its pressure.

Quantifying truncation errors in effective field theory

Bayesian procedures designed to quantify truncation errors in perturbative calculations of quantum chromodynamics observables are adapted to expansions in effective field theory (EFT). In the Bayesian approach, such truncation errors are derived from degree-of-belief (DOB) intervals for EFT predictions. Computation of these intervals requires specification of prior probability distributions ("priors") for the expansion coefficients. By encoding expectations about the naturalness of these coefficients, this framework provides a statistical interpretation of the standard EFT procedure where truncation errors are estimated using the order-by-order convergence of the expansion. It also permits exploration of the ways in which such error bars are, and are not, sensitive to assumptions about EFT-coefficient naturalness. We first demonstrate the calculation of Bayesian probability distributions for the EFT truncation error in some representative examples, and then focus on the application of chiral EFT to neutron-proton scattering. Epelbaum, Krebs, and Mei{\ss}ner recently articulated explicit rules for estimating truncation errors in such EFT calculations of few-nucleon-system properties. We find that their basic procedure emerges generically from one class of naturalness priors considered, and that all such priors result in consistent quantitative predictions for 68% DOB intervals. We then explore several methods by which the convergence properties of the EFT for a set of observables may be used to check the statistical consistency of the EFT expansion parameter.

Solid inflation

We develop a cosmological model where primordial inflation is driven by a `solid', defined as a system of three derivatively coupled scalar fields obeying certain symmetries and spontaneously breaking a certain subgroup of these. The symmetry breaking pattern differs drastically from that of standard inflationary models: time translations are unbroken. This prevents our model from fitting into the standard effective field theory description of adiabatic perturbations, with crucial consequences for the dynamics of cosmological perturbations. Most notably, non-gaussianities in the curvature perturbations are unusually large, with fNL ∼ 1/(ϵcs2), and have a novel shape: peaked in the squeezed limit, with anisotropic dependence on how the limit is approached.Other unusual features include the absence of adiabatic fluctuation modes during inflation — which does not impair their presence and near scale-invariance after inflation — and a slightly blue tilt for the tensor modes.

Effective field theory of weakly coupled inflationary models

The application of Effective Field Theory (EFT) methods to inflation has taken a central role in our current understanding of the very early universe. The EFT perspective has been particularly useful in analyzing the self-interactions determining the evolution of co-moving curvature perturbations (Goldstone boson modes) and their influence on low-energy observables. However, the standard EFT formalism, to lowest order in spacetime differential operators, does not provide the most general parametrization of a theory that remains weakly coupled throughout the entire low-energy regime. Here we study the EFT formulation by including spacetime differential operators implying a scale dependence of the Goldstone boson self-interactions and its dispersion relation. These operators are shown to arise naturally from the low-energy interaction of the Goldstone boson with heavy fields that have been integrated out. We find that the EFT then stays weakly coupled all the way up to the cutoff scale at which ultraviolet degrees of freedom become operative. This opens up a regime of new physics where the dispersion relation is dominated by a quadratic dependence on the momentum ω ∼ p2. In addition, provided that modes crossed the Hubble scale within this energy range, the predictions of inflationary observables — including non-Gaussian signatures — are significantly affected by the new scales characterizing it.

Chirality Change in String Theory

It is known that string theory compactifications leading to low energy effective theories with different chiral matter content ({\it e.g.} different numbers of standard model generations) are connected through phase transitions, described by non-trivial quantum fixed point theories. We point out that such compactifications are also connected on a purely classical level, through transitions that can be described using standard effective field theory. We illustrate this with examples, including some in which the transition proceeds entirely through supersymmetric configurations.