Unbroken Gauge Symmetry Research Articles

Vacua of N = 10 three-dimensional gauged supergravity

We study scalar potentials and the corresponding vacua of N = 10 three-dimensional gauged supergravity. The theory contains 32 scalar fields parametrizing the exceptional coset space . The admissible gauge groups considered in this work involve both compact and non-compact gauge groups which are maximal subgroups of SO(10) × U(1) and E6( − 14), respectively. These gauge groups are given by SO(p) × SO(10 − p) × U(1) for p = 6, …, 10, SO(5) × SO(5), SU(4, 2) × SU(2), G2( − 14) × SU(2, 1) and F4( − 20). We find many AdS3 critical points with various unbroken gauge symmetries. The relevant background isometries associated with the maximally supersymmetric critical points at which all scalars vanish are also given. These correspond to the superconformal symmetries of the dual conformal field theories in two dimensions.

Towards a non-abelian electric-magnetic symmetry: the skeleton group

We propose an electric-magnetic symmetry group in non-abelian gauge theory, which we call the skeleton group. We work in the context of non-abelian unbroken gauge symmetry, and provide evidence for our proposal by relating the representation theory of the skeleton group to the labelling and fusion rules of charge sectors. We show that the labels of electric, magnetic and dyonic sectors in non-abelian Yang-Mills theory can be interpreted in terms of irreducible representations of the skeleton group. Decomposing tensor products of these representations thus gives a set of fusion rules which contain information about the full fusion rules of these charge sectors. We demonstrate consistency of the skeleton’s fusion rules with the known fusion rules of the purely electric and purely magnetic magnetic sectors, and extract new predictions for the fusion rules of dyonic sectors in particular cases. We also implement S-duality and show that the fusion rules obtained from the skeleton group commute with S-duality.

Scattering of massive W bosons into gravitinos and tree unitarity in broken supergravity

The WW scattering into gravitino and gaugino is here investigated in the broken phase, by using both gauge and mass eigenstates. Differently from what is obtained for unbroken gauge symmetry, we find in the scattering amplitudes new structures, which can lead to violation of unitarity above a certain scale. This happens because, in the annihilation diagram, the longitudinal degrees of freedom in the propagator of the gauge bosons disappear from the amplitude, by virtue of the SUGRA vertex. We show that the longitudinal polarizations of the on-shell W become strongly interacting in the high energy limit, and that the inclusion of diagrams with off-shell scalars of the MSSM does not cancel the divergences.

The many vacua of gauged extended supergravities

A novel method is presented which employs advanced numerical techniques used in the engineering sciences to find and study the properties of nontrivial vacua of gauged extended supergravity models. While this method only produces approximate numerical data rather than analytic results, it overcomes the previous limitation of only being able to find vacua with large residual unbroken gauge symmetry groups. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated by applying it to the technically most challenging D>=3 scalar potential -- that of SO(8) X SO(8) gauged N=16 Chern-Simons Supergravity in D=3. Extensive data on the properties of 99 different vacua (92 of them new) of this model are given. Furthermore, techniques are briefly discussed which should allow using this numerical information as an input to the construction of semi-automatic stringent analytic proofs on the locations and properties of vacua. It hence is argued that these combined techniques presumably are powerful enough to systematically map all the nontrivial vacua of every supergravity model.

Chiral asymmetry from a 5D Higgs mechanism

An intriguing feature of the Standard Model is that the representations of the unbroken gauge symmetries are vector-like whereas those of the spontaneously broken gauge symmetries are chiral. Here we provide a toy model which shows that a natural explanation of this property could emerge in higher dimensional field theories and discuss the difficulties that arise in the attempt to construct a realistic theory. An interesting aspect of this type of models is that the 4D low energy effective theory is not generically gauge invariant. However, the non-invariant contributions to the observable quantities are very small, of the order of the square of the ratio between the light particle mass scale and the Kaluza-Klein mass scale. Remarkably, when we take the unbroken limit both the chiral asymmetry and the non-invariant terms disappear. © SISSA 2007.

The noncommutative U(1) Higgs-Kibble model in the enveloping-algebra formalism and its renormalizability

We discuss the renormalizability of the noncommutative U(1)Higgs-Kibble model formulated within the enveloping-algebra approach. We consider both the phase of the model with unbroken gauge symmetry and the phase with spontaneously broken gauge symmetry. We show that against all odds the gauge sector of the model is always one-loop renormalizable at first order in theta^{mu nu}, perhaps, hinting at the existence of a new symmetry of the gauge sector of the model. However, we also show that the matter sector of the model is non-renormalizable whatever the phase.

Review Article

We review the properties of BPS, or supersymmetric, magnetic monopoles, with an emphasis on their low-energy dynamics and their classical and quantum bound states. After an overview of magnetic monopoles, we discuss the BPS limit and its relation to supersymmetry. We then discuss the properties and construction of multimonopole solutions with a single nontrivial Higgs field. The low-energy dynamics of these monopoles is most easily understood in terms of the moduli space and its metric. We describe in detail several known examples of these. This is then extended to cases where the unbroken gauge symmetry include a non-Abelian factor. We next turn to the generic supersymmetric Yang–Mills (SYM) case, in which several adjoint Higgs fields are present. Working first at the classical level, we describe the effects of these additional scalar fields on the monopole dynamics, and then include the contribution of the fermionic zero modes to the low-energy dynamics. The resulting low-energy effective theory is itself supersymmetric. We discuss the quantization of this theory and its quantum BPS states, which are typically composed of several loosely bound compact dyonic cores. We close with a discussion of the D-brane realization of N=4 SYM monopoles and dyons and explain the ADHMN construction of monopoles from the D-brane point of view.

Landscape of supersymmetry breaking vacua in geometrically realized gauge theories

We study vacuum structure of N = 1 supersymmetric quiver gauge theories which can be realized geometrically by D-brane probes wrapping cycles of local Calabi–Yau three-folds. In particular, we show that the A 2 quiver theory with gauge group U ( N 1 ) × U ( N 2 ) with 1 2 N 1 < N 2 < 2 3 N 1 has a regime with an infrared free description that is partially magnetic and partially electric. Using this dual description, we show that the model has a landscape of inequivalent meta-stable vacua where supersymmetry is dynamically broken and all the moduli are stabilized. Each vacuum has distinct unbroken gauge symmetry. The gaugino masses are generated by radiative corrections, and we are left with the bosonic pure Yang–Mills theory in the infrared. We also identify the supersymmetric vacua in this model using their infrared free descriptions and show that the decay rates of the supersymmetry breaking vacua can be made parametrically small.

Massless Gauge Bosons other than the Photon

Gauge bosons associated with unbroken gauge symmetries, under which all standard model fields are singlets, may interact with ordinary matter via higher-dimensional operators. A complete set of dimension-six operators involving a massless U(1) field, gamma('), and standard model fields is presented. The mu-->egamma(') decay, primordial nucleosynthesis, star cooling, and other phenomena set lower limits on the scale of chirality-flip operators in the 1-15 TeV range if the operators have coefficients given by the corresponding Yukawa couplings. Simple renormalizable models induce gamma(') interactions with leptons or quarks at two loops, and may provide a cold dark matter candidate.

Discrete Gauge Symmetries, Baryon Number and Large Extra Dimensions

Krauss and Wilczek have shown that an unbroken discrete gauge symmetry is respected by gravitationally mediated processes. This has led to a search for such a symmetry compatible with the standard model or MSSM that would protect protons from gravitationally mediated decay in a universe with a low scale for quantum gravity (large extra dimensions). The fact that the discrete symmetry must remain unbroken and have a gauge origin puts important restrictions on the space of possible discrete symmetries.

Monopoles Can be Confined by 0, 1 or 2 Vortices

There are three types of monopole in gauge theories with fundamental matter and N=2 supersymmetry broken by a superpotential. There are unconfined 0-monopoles and also 1 and 2-monopoles confined respectively by one or two vortices transforming under distinct components of the unbroken gauge group. If a Fayet-Iliopoulos term is added then there are only 2-monopoles. Monopoles transform in the bifundamental representation of two components of the unbroken gauge symmetry, and if two monopoles share a component they may form a boundstate. Selection rules for this process are found, for example vortex number is preserved modulo 2. We find the tensions of the vortices, which are in general distinct, and also the conditions under which vortices are mutually BPS. Results are derived in field theory and also in MQCD, and in quiver theories a T-dual picture may be used in which monopoles are classified by quiver diagrams with two colors of vertices.

Massless monopole clouds and electric–magnetic duality

We discuss the Montonen–Olive electric–magnetic duality for the BPS massless monopole clouds in N=4 supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory with non-Abelian unbroken gauge symmetries. We argue that these low energy non-Abelian clouds can be identified as the duals of the infrared bremsstrahlung radiation of the non-Abelian massless particles. After we break the N=4 supersymmetry to N=1 by adding a superpotential, or to N=0 by further adding soft breaking terms, these non-Abelian clouds will generally condense and screen the non-Abelian charges of the massive monopole probes. The effective mass of these dual non-Abelian states is likely to persist as we lower the energy to the QCD scale, if all the non-Abelian Higgs particles are massive. This can be regarded as a manifestation of the non-Abelian dual Meissner effect above the QCD scale, and we expect it to continuously connect with the confinement as we lower the supersymmetry breaking scale to the QCD scale.

Phases of bosonic strings and two dimensional gauge theories

We suggest that the extrinsic curvature and torsion of a bosonic string can be employed as variables in a two dimensional Landau-Ginzburg gauge field theory. Their interpretation in terms of the abelian Higgs multiplet leads to two different phases. In the phase with unbroken gauge symmetry the ground state describes open strings while in the phase with broken gauge symmetry the ground state involves closed strings. When we allow for an additional abelian gauge structure along the string, we arrive at an interpretation in terms of the two dimensional SU(2) Yang-Mills theory.

Massless monopoles and the moduli space approximation

We investigate the applicability of the moduli space approximation in theories with unbroken non-Abelian gauge symmetries. Such theories have massless magnetic monopoles that are manifested at the classical level as clouds of non-Abelian field surrounding one or more massive monopoles. Using an SO(5) example with one massive and one massless monopole, we compare the predictions of the moduli space approximation with the results of a numerical solution of the full field equations. We find that the two diverge when the cloud velocity becomes of order unity. After this time the cloud profile approximates a spherical wavefront moving at the speed of light. In the region well behind this wavefront the moduli space approximation continues to give a good approximation to the fields. We therefore expect it to provide a good description of the motion of the massive monopoles and of the transfer of energy between the massive and massless monopoles.

Renormalization constant of the color gauge field as a probe of confinement

The mechanism of color confinement as a consequence of an unbroken non-abelian gauge symmetry and asymptotic freedom is elucidated and compared with that of other models based on an analogy with the type II superconductor. It is demonstrated that a sufficient condition for color confinement is given by $Z_3^{-1}=0$ where $Z_3$ denotes the renormalization constant of the color gauge field. It is shown that this condition is actually satisfied in quantum chromodynamics and that some of the characteristic features of other models follow from it.

Hidden supersymmetry

Inspired by the concept of complementarity, we present a illustrative model for the weak interactions with unbroken gauge symmetry and unbroken supersymmetry. The observable particles are bound states of some more fundamental particles. Supersymmetry is broken at the macroscopic scale of the observable particles by a discrete symmetry but remains exact at the scale of the fundamental particle and is thus hidden. This provides a link between theories at very high energies and the observed particle physics. Supersymmetric particles are confined in usual matter.

Quark potentials in the Higgs phase of large N supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories

We compute, in the large N limit, the quark potential for ${\cal N}=4$ supersymmetric SU(N) Yang-Mills theory broken to $SU(N_1) \times SU(N_2)$. At short distances the quarks see only the unbroken gauge symmetry and have an attractive potential that falls off as 1/L. At longer distances the interquark interaction is sensitive to the symmetry breaking, and other QCD states appear. These states correspond to combinations of the quark-antiquark pair with some number of W-particles. If there is one or more W-particles then this state is unstable because of the coulomb interaction between the W-particles and between the W's and the quarks. As L is decreased the W-particles delocalize and these coulomb branches merge onto a branch with a linear potential. The quarks on this branch see the unbroken gauge group, but the flux tube is unstable to the production of W-particles.

Renormalization Group and Color Confinement

It is shown that color confinement is an inevitable consequence of an unbroken non-Abelian gauge symmetry and the resulting asymptotic freedom of quantum chromodynamics.

On the bound states of p- and (p + 2)-branes

We study bound states of Dp-branes and D(p + 2)-branes. By switching on a large magnetic field F on the (p + 2) brane, the problem is shown to admit a perturbative analysis in an expansion in inverse powers of F. It is found that, to the leading order in 1/F, the quartic potential of the tachyonic state from the open string stretched between the p- and (p + 2)-brane gives a vacuum energy which agrees with the prediction of the BPS mass formula for the bound state. We generalize the discussion to the case of mp-branes plus 1 (p + 2)-brane with magnetic field. The T-dual picture of this, namely several (p + 2)-branes carrying some p-brane charges through magnetic flux is also discussed, where the perturbative treatment is available in the small F limit. We show that once again, in the same approximation, the tachyon condensates give rise to the correct BPS mass formula. The role of 't Hooft's toron configurations in the extension of the above results beyond the quartic approximation as well as the issue of the unbroken gauge symmetries are discussed. We comment on the connection between the present bound state problem and Kondo-like problems in the context of relevant boundary perturbations of boundary conformal field theories.

Low-energy supersymmetry withD-term contributions to scalar masses

We investigate how the predictions of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model are modified by D-term contributions to soft scalar masses, which arise whenever the rank of the gauge group at very high energies is greater than four. We give a parameterization of the most general such contributions that can occur when the unbroken gauge symmetry is an arbitrary subgroup of E_6, and show how the D-term contributions leave their imprint on physics at ordinary energies. We impose experimental constraints on the resulting parameter space and discuss some features of the resulting supersymmetric spectrum which differ from the predictions obtained with universal boundary conditions on scalar masses near the Planck scale. These include relations between squark and slepton masses; the behavior of $\sin^2 (\beta-\alpha)$ (which determines the production cross-section for the lightest Higgs scalar boson at an e+e- collider) and the mass of the pseudoscalar Higgs bosons; R_b [the ratio $\Gamma(Z -> b\overline b)/\Gamma(Z -> hadrons)$; and mass differences between charginos and neutralinos.