We investigate gauge coupling unification for F-theory respectively Type IIB orientifold constructions of SU(5) GUT theories with gauge symmetry breaking via non-trivial hypercharge flux. This flux has the non-trivial effect that it splits the values of the three MSSM gauge couplings at the string scale, thus potentially spoiling the celebrated one-loop gauge coupling unification. It is shown how F-theory can evade this problem in a natural way.
Standard (level one) heterotic string models with standard model gauge group predict the unification of $SU(3)$ and $SU(2)$ gauge couplings whereas the $U(1)$ factor is unified modulo an unknown normalization factor $k_1$. On the other hand the unification mass is known. I argue that this situation is quite analogous (though opposite) to that in SUSY-GUTs in which the $U(1)$ normalization is known ($k_1=5/3$) but the unification mass $M_X$ is unknown. I emphasize that $k_1$ should be taken as a free parameter in the string approach (quite in the same way as $M_X$ is taken as a free parameter i…
We consider the gauge coupling running in a six-dimensional SO(10) orbifold GUT model. The bulk gauge symmetry is broken down to the standard model gauge group with an extra U(1)_X by orbifold boundary conditions and the extra U(1)_X is further broken through the U(1)_{B-L} breaking with bulk hyper multiplets. We obtain the corrections of Kaluza-Klein massive modes to the running of the gauge couplings and discuss their implication to the successful gauge coupling unification.
We explore the gauge coupling relations and the unification scale in F-theory SU(5) GUT broken down to the Standard Model by an internal U(1)Y gauge flux. We consider variants with exotic matter representations which may appear in these constructions and investigate their role in the effective field theory model. We make a detailed investigation on the conditions imposed on the extraneous matter to raise the unification scale and make the color triplets heavy in order to avoid fast proton decay. We also discuss in brief the implications on the gaugino masses.
We undertake a phenomenological study of SU(5) F-theory GUT models with an additional U(1)_{PQ} symmetry. In such models, breaking SU(5) with hypercharge flux leads to the presence of non-GUT multiplets in the spectrum. We study the effect these have on the unification of gauge couplings, including two-loop running as well as low- and high-scale threshold corrections. We use the requirement of unification to constrain the size of thresholds from KK modes of SU(5) gauge and matter fields. Assuming the non-GUT multiplets play the role of messengers of gauge mediation leads to controlled non-univ…
The semi-simple unification model based on SU(5)_GUT \times U(3)_H gauge group is an interesting extension of the minimal SU(5)_GUT grand unification theory (GUT), since it solves the two serious problems in the standard GUT: the triplet-doublet splitting problem and the presence of dangerous dimension five operators for proton decay. Here, the extra U(3)_H gauge interaction plays a crucial role on the GUT breaking. In this paper, we show that the full multiplet structure of the U(3)_H sector required for the desired GUT breaking is reproduced naturally on T^6/Z_12 orientifold in the type IIB …
I discuss the mere 5 % of atoms in the cosmic energy pie. It is basically the chiral matter problem. Then, I review the chiral matter problem from a grand unification (GUT) point of view, and point out that anti-SU(N), easily implementable in string compactification, is a possibility. Here `anti-' means that the GUT group breaking is through the anti-symmetric tensor field(s), e.g. <Φ^{[AB]}>= <Φ_{[AB]}>. We argued for an anti-SU(7) [= SU(7) x U(1)] families-unification model from a Z(12-I) orbifold compactification. The Z(12-I) orbifold is briefly discussed and the multiplicity 2 in the T3 tw…
We discuss Kaluza-Klein (KK) decomposition in 5-dimensional (5D) field theories with orbifold compactification. Kinetic terms localized at orbifold fixed points, which are inevitably present in any realistic model, modify the standard KK mass spectrum and interactions of KK modes. This, in turn, can significantly affect phenomenology of the orbifold models. As an example, we discuss gauge coupling unification in N=1 supersymmetric 5D orbifold SU(5) model. We have found that uncertainties in the predictions of the model related to modification of the KK masses are large and essentially uncontro…
We calculate the proton lifetime and discuss topological defects in a wide class of non-supersymmetric (non-SUSY) $SO(10)$ and $E(6)$ Grand Unified Theories (GUTs), broken via left-right subgroups with one or two intermediate scales (a total of 9 different scenarios with and without D-parity), including the important effect of threshold corrections. By performing a goodness of fit test for unification using the two-loop renormalisation group evolution equations (RGEs), we find that the inclusion of threshold corrections significantly affects the proton lifetime, allowing several scenarios, whi…
We consider gauge coupling unification in E6 F-Theory Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) where E6 is broken to the Standard Model (SM) gauge group using fluxes. In such models there are two types of exotics that can affect gauge coupling unification, namely matter exotics from the matter curves in the 27 dimensional representation of E6 and the bulk exotics from the adjoint 78 dimensional representation of E6. We explore the conditions required for either the complete or partial removal of bulk exotics from the low energy spectrum. In the latter case we shall show that (miraculously) gauge coupling…
We discuss family unification in grand unified theory (GUT) based on an $SU(19)$ GUT gauge group broken to its subgroups including a special subgroup. In the $SU(19)$ GUT on the six-dimensional (6D) orbifold space $M^4\times T^2/\mathbb{Z}_2$, three generations of the 4D SM Weyl fermions can be embedded into a 6D bulk Weyl fermions in an $SU(19)$ second-rank anti-symmetric tensor representation. 6D and 4D gauge anomalies can be canceled out by considering proper matter content without 4D exotic chiral fermions at low energies.
We construct a simple model of an SU(5) GUT with gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking from a metastable vacuum of a hidden sector. All mass parameters and hierarchies of our model are generated dynamically from retrofitting. This includes the mu-parameter and the GUT scale. However, as typical for SU(5) GUTs, proton longevity remains a problem.
We introduce an explicit supersymmetric unification model where grand unified gauge symmetry breaking and supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking are caused by the same field. Besides, the SM-charged particles are also predicted by the symmetry breaking sector, and their loop corrections induce the soft SUSY breaking terms. Especially, nonzero A-term and B-term are generated at one-loop level according to the mediation via the vector superfields, so that the electro-weak symmetry breaking and 125 GeV Higgs mass could be achieved even if the stop mass is around 1 TeV.
We present a class of heterotic compactifications where it is possible to lower the string unification scale down to the GUT scale, while preserving the validity of the perturbative analysis. We illustrate this approach with an explicit example of a four-dimensional chiral heterotic vacuum with N=1 supersymmetry.
We calculate the weak scale MSSM spectrum starting from a heterotic string theory compactified on an anisotropic orbifold. Supersymmetry breaking is mediated by vector-like exotics that arise naturally in heterotic string theories. The messengers that mediate SUSY breaking come in incomplete GUT multiplets and give rise to non-universal gaugino masses at the GUT scale. Models with non-universal gaugino masses at the GUT scale have the attractive feature of allowing for precision gauge coupling unification at the GUT scale with negligible contributions from threshold corrections near the unific…
Gauge coupling unification and doublet-triplet splitting via GUT dynamical breaking
Ferrara University（费拉拉大学）；Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sez. di Ferrara（意大利国家核物理研究所（INFN）费拉拉分部）；Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE)（高能物理研究所 (IFAE)）；The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)（巴塞罗那科学技术研究所 (BIST)）
We build explicit supersymmetric unification models where grand unified gauge symmetry breaking and supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking are caused by the same sector. Besides, the SM-charged particles are also predicted by the symmetry breaking sector, and they give the soft SUSY breaking terms through the so-called gauge mediation. We investigate the mass spectrums in an explicit model with SU(5) and additional gauge groups, and discuss its phenomenological aspects. Especially, nonzero A-term and B-term are generated at one-loop level according to the mediation via the vector superfields, so that t…
We investigate SU(5) and SO(10) GUTs with vanishing scalar masses and trilinear scalar couplings at a scale higher than the unification scale. The parameter space of the models, further constrained by b-τYukawa coupling unification, consists of a common gaugino mass and of \tanβ. We analyze the low energy phenomenology, finding that A-pole annihilations of neutralinos and/or coannihilations with the lightest stau drive the relic density within the cosmologically preferred range in a significant region of the allowed parameter space. Implications for neutralino direct detection and for CERN LHC…
We discuss a grand unified theory (GUT) based on a $USp(32)$ GUT gauge group broken to its subgroups including a special subgroup. A GUT based on an $SO(32)$ GUT gauge group has been discussed on six-dimensional (6D) orbifold space $M^4\times T^2/\mathbb{Z}_2$. It is inspired by the $SO(32)$ string theory behind the $SU(16)$ GUT whose $SU(16)$ is broken to a special subgroup $SO(10)$. Alternative direction is to embed an $SU(16)$ gauge group into a $USp(32)$ GUT gauge group, which is inspired by a non-supersymmetric symplectic-type $USp(32)$ string theory. In a $USp(32)$ GUT, one generation of…
Inspired by the string landscape and the unified gauge coupling relation in the F-theory Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) and GUTs with suitable high-dimensional operators, we study the canonical gauge coupling unification and Higgs boson mass in the Standard Model (SM) with high-scale supersymmetry breaking. In the SM with GUT-scale supersymmetry breaking, we achieve the gauge coupling unification at about 5.3 x 10^{13} GeV, and the Higgs boson mass is predicted to range from 130 GeV to 147 GeV. In the SM with supersymmetry breaking scale from 10^4 GeV to 5.3 x 10^{13} GeV, gauge coupling unific…
We discuss a grand unified theory (GUT) based on an $SO(32)$ GUT gauge group broken to its subgroups including a special subgroup. In the $SO(32)$ GUT on six-dimensional (6D) orbifold space $M^4\times T^2/\mathbb{Z}_2$, one generation of the SM fermions can be embedded into a 6D bulk Weyl fermion in the $SO(32)$ vector representation. We show that for a three generation model, all the 6D and 4D gauge anomalies in the bulk and on the fixed points are canceled out without exotic chiral fermions at low energies.
Within the context of traditional logarithmic grand unification at M_GUT = 10^(16) GeV, we show that it is nevertheless possible to observe certain GUT states such as X and Y gauge bosons at lower scales, perhaps even in the TeV range. We refer to such states as ``GUT precursors.'' Such states offer an interesting alternative possibility for new physics at the TeV scale, even when the scale of gauge coupling unification remains high, and suggest that it may be possible to probe GUT physics directly even within the context of high-scale gauge coupling unification. More generally, our results al…
It is argued that a phenomenologically viable grand unification model from superstring is $SU(3)^3$, the simplest gauge group among the grand unifications of the electroweak hypercharge embedded in semi-simple groups. We construct a realistic 4D $SU(3)^3$ model with the GUT scale $\sin^2θ_W^0= \frac38$ in a $Z_3$ orbifold with Wilson line(s). By two GUT scale vacuum expectation values, we obtain a rank 4 supersymmetric standard model below the GUT scale, and predict three more strange families.
In the standard model matter fields form complete representations of a grand unified group whereas Higgs fields belong to incomplete `split' multiplets. This remarkable fact is naturally explained by `local grand unification' in higher-dimensional extensions of the standard model. Here, the generations of matter fields are localized in regions of compact space which are endowed with a GUT gauge symmetry whereas the Higgs doublets are bulk fields. We realize local grand unification in the framework of orbifold compactifications of the heterotic string, and we present an example with SO(10) as a…
We explore a mechanism to obtain the observational small value for the 4-dimensional vacuum energy through an exponential warp-factor suppression. Intriguingly the required suppression scale relates directly to the GUT scale. We demonstrate the mechanism explicitly in a 5-dimensional brane-world setup with warped geometry. Upon lifting the setup to 10-dimensional IIB string-theory, the relevance of the GUT scale becomes clear as the IIB string-theory description, which is based on D3-brane stacks, gives rise to a spontaneously broken SU(5) supersymmetric GUT theory with low-energy MSSM spectru…
I discuss several issues concerning the use of string models as unified theories of all interactions. After a short review of gauge coupling unification in the string context, I discuss possible motivations for the construction of $SU(5)$ and $SO(10)$ String-GUTs. I describe the construction of such String-GUTs using different orbifold techniques and emphasize those properties which could be general. Although $SO(10)$ and $SU(5)$ String-GUTs are relatively easy to build, the spectrum bellow the GUT scale is in general bigger than that of the MSSM and includes colour octets and $SU(2)$ triplets…
We investigate the impact of extra vector-like GUT multiplets on the predicted value of the strong coupling. We find in particular that Yukawa couplings between such extra multiplets and the MSSM Higgs doublets can resolve the familiar two-loop discrepancy between the SUSY GUT prediction and the measured value of alpha_3. Our analysis highlights the advantages of the holomorphic scheme, where the perturbative running of gauge couplings is saturated at one loop and further corrections are conveniently described in terms of wavefunction renormalization factors. If the gauge couplings as well as …
We compute the one-loop gauge couplings in six-dimensional non-Abelian gauge theories on the T^2/Z_2 orbifold with general GUT breaking boundary conditions. For concreteness, we apply the obtained general formulae to the gauge coupling running in a 6D SO(10) orbifold GUT where the GUT group is broken down to the standard model gauge group up to an extra U(1). We find that the one-loop corrections depend on the parity matrices encoding the orbifold boundary conditions as well as the volume and shape moduli of extra dimensions. When the U(1) is broken by the VEV of bulk singlets, the accompanyin…
We construct a compactification of the heterotic string on an orbifold T^6/Z_6 leading to the standard model spectrum plus vector--like matter. The standard model gauge group is obtained as an intersection of three SO(10) subgroups of E_8. Three families of SO(10) 16-plets are localized at three equivalent fixed points. Gauge coupling unification favours existence of an intermediate GUT which can have any dimension between five and ten. Various GUT gauge groups occur. For example, in six dimensions one can have E_6 \times SU(3), SU(4) \times SU(4) \times U(1)^2 or SO(8) \times SO(8), depending…
In the present paper we demonstrate the possibility of the [SUSY(5)]^3 SUSY unification at the energy scale $μ_{GUT}\approx 10^{18.3} GeV$ with the value of GUT inverse finestructure constant $α_{GUT}^{-1}\approx 34.4$, which is very close to its critical value $α_{5, crit}^{-1}\approx 34.0$, existing at the Planck scale.
Models of particle physics based on manifolds of $G_2$ holonomy are in most respects much more complicated than other string-derived models, but as we show here they do have one simplification: threshold corrections to grand unification are particularly simple. We compute these corrections, getting completely explicit results in some simple cases. We estimate the relation between Newton's constant, the GUT scale, and the value of $α_{GUT}$, and explore the implications for proton decay. In the case of proton decay, there is an interesting mechanism which (relative to four-dimensional SUSY GUT'…
We analyze Yukawa unification in the the context of $E_8\times E_8$ heterotic Calabi-Yau models which rely on breaking to a GUT theory via a non-flat gauge bundle and subsequent Wilson line breaking to the standard model. Our focus is on underlying GUT theories with gauge group $SU(5)$ or $SO(10)$. We provide a detailed analysis of the fact that, in contrast to traditional field theory GUTs, the underlying GUT symmetry of these models does not enforce Yukawa unification. Using this formalism, we present various scenarios where Yukawa unification can occur as a consequence of additional symmetr…
In F-theory GUT constructions Yukawa couplings necessarily take place at the intersection of three matter curves. For generic geometric configurations this gives rise to problematic Yukawa couplings unable to reproduce the observed hierarchies. We point out that if the U(1)_{B-L}/U(1)_Y flux breaking the SO(10)/SU(5) GUT symmetry is allowed to go through pairs of matter curves with the same GUT representation, the quark/lepton content is redistributed in such a way that all quark and leptons are allowed to have hierarchical Yukawas. This reshuffling of fermions is quite unique and is particula…
It is well-known that heterotic string compactifications have, in spite of their conceptual simplicity and aesthetic appeal, a serious problem with precision gauge coupling unification in the perturbative regime of string theory. Using both a duality-based and a field-theoretic definition of the boundary of the perturbative regime, we reevaluate the situation in a quantitative manner. We conclude that the simplest and most promising situations are those where some of the compactification radii are exceptionally large, corresponding to highly anisotropic orbifold models. Thus, one is led to con…
Despite the compelling simplicity of minimal supersymmetric unification, the proton does not decay as predicted. A possible explanation is that real unification takes place in a theory which is an electric dual of the MSSM GUT with messengers, which has Landau poles below the GUT scale. As was recently pointed out, unification predictions would be transmitted across such a duality, but proton decay would be negligible. In this paper we present electric Seiberg-duals for the minimal supersymmetric SU(5) GUT (plus messengers) that realise this idea, one particularly nice example being an asympto…
Various ideas support the notion that the GUT gauge group might be a semi-simple direct-product group such as $SU(5) \times SU(5)$. The doublet-triplet splitting problem can be solved with a direct product group. String theory suggests that the GUT scale is a modulus. Requiring this rules out a single SU(5) gauge group. A model with $SU(5) \times SU(5)$ gauge symmetry and the GUT scale as a modulus has been shown to exist. It is shown that extending these ideas to $SO(10) \times SO(10)$ cannot be done with the above requirement without unwanted massless modes at lower energy scales that spoil …
The possibility of appearance of GUT precursors near the TeV scale (suggested by Dienes-Dudas-Gherghetta) is addressed within 5D GUTs compactified on an $S^{(1)}/Z_2\tm Z_2'$ orbifold. For a low compactification scale (large radius), there is a significant non universal logarithmic contribution in the relative running of gauge couplings. This within 5D SU(5), with the minimal field content, gives wrong prediction for $\al_3(M_Z)$ unless one goes beyond the minimal setting. The realization of the light precursors' idea thus requires some specific extensions. As a scenario alternative to SU(5) w…
We propose to split the sparticle spectrum from the hierarchy between the GUT scale and the Planck scale. A split supersymmetric model, which gives non-universal gaugino masses, is built with proper high dimensional operators in the framework of SO(10) GUT. Based on a calculation of two-loop beta functions for gauge couplings (taking into account all weak scale threshold corrections), we check the gauge coupling unification and dark matter constraints (relic density and direct detections). We find that our scenario can achieve the gauge coupling unification and satisfy the dark matter constrai…
The issue of non-local GUT symmetry breaking is addressed in the context of open string model building. We study ZNxZM' orbifolds with all the GUT-breaking orbifold elements acting freely, as rotations accompanied by translations in the internal space.We consider open strings quantized on these backgrounds, distinguishing whether the translational action is parallel or perpendicular to the D-branes. GUT breaking is impossible in the purely perpendicular case, non-local GUT breaking is instead allowed in the purely parallel case. In the latter, the scale of breaking is set by the compactificati…
In two-step breaking of a class of grand unified theories including SO(10),we prove a theorem showing that the scale $M_I$ where the Pati-Salam gauge symmetry with parity breaks down to the standard gauge group,has vanishing corrections due to all sources emerging from higher scales $ μ>M_I$ such as the one-loop and all higher loop effects,the GUT-threshold,gravitational smearing,and string threshold effects. Implications of such a scale for the unification of gauge couplings with small Majorana neutrino masses are discussed.In string inspired SO(10) we show that $M_I \simeq 5\times 10^{12}$,n…
We investigate supersymmetric SU(5) grand-unified theories (GUTs) realized in 5 space-time dimensions and broken down to the MSSM by SU(5)-violating boundary conditions on a S^1/(Z_2 x Z_2') orbifold with two 3-branes. The doublet-triplet splitting problem is entirely avoided by locating the MSSM Higgs doublets on the brane on which SU(5) is not a good symmetry. An extremely simple model is then described in which the MSSM matter is also located on this SU(5)-violating brane. Although this model does not unify the MSSM matter within SU(5) multiplets, it explains gauge coupling unification. A s…
We construct a realistic theory of grand unification in AdS_5 truncated by branes, in which the unified gauge symmetry is broken by boundary conditions and the electroweak scale is generated by the AdS warp factor. We show that the theory preserves the successful gauge coupling unification of the 4D MSSM at leading-logarithmic level. Kaluza-Klein (KK) towers, including those of XY gauge and colored Higgs multiplets, appear at the TeV scale, while the extra dimension provides natural mechanisms for doublet-triplet splitting and proton decay suppression. In one possible scenario supersymmetry is…
In the context of hybrid inflation at the scale of grand unification, it is shown that, if (some of) the gauge bosons of the unbroken grand unified group obtain a flat superhorizon spectrum of perturbations from inflation they can affect or even generate both the observed curvature perturbation and simultaneously produce a sizable primordial magnetic field capable of explaining galactic magnetism. The mechanism employs the vector curvaton idea for a supermassive grand unified gauge boson after the breaking of grand unification.
The SU(5) grand unified theory (GUT) is derived from the geometrical point of view of gauge theory on three-sheeted space-time, i.e., $M_4 \times Z_3$ manifold without recourse to noncommutative geometry. A derivation of SO(10) GUT is also discussed in the same point of view.
Giving up the solutions to the fine-tuning problems, we propose the non-supersymmetric flipped $SU(5)\times U(1)_X$ model based on the minimal particle content principle, which can be constructed from the four-dimensional $SO(10)$ models, five-dimensional orbifold $SO(10)$ models, and local F-theory $SO(10)$ models. To achieve gauge coupling unification, we introduce one pair of vector-like fermions, which form complete $SU(5)\times U(1)_X$ representation. Proton lifetime is around $5\times 10^{35}$ years, neutrino masses and mixing can be explained via seesaw mechanism, baryon asymmetry can b…
We discuss the variation of gauge couplings in time in the framework of orbifold constructions, due to a change of the extra compact dimension's size. Models with gauge coupling unification allow to estimate the variation of the strong coupling constant $\al_3$ and to relate it to a variation of $α_{em}$. The extra-dimensional construction turns out to be crucial for the model to be compatible with data. Within the presented 5D scenarios, the tower of KK states significantly affects gauge coupling running, leads to low scale unification, and provides a suppression of the $\al_3(M_Z)$ variation…
The problem of families, "Why are there three families of fermions?", is a long awaited question to be answered within a reasonable framework. We propose anti-SU($N$) groups for the unification of families in grand unification (GUT) groups, where the separation of color and weak gauge groups in the GUT is achieved by antisymmetric tensor Brout-Englert-Higgs boson instead of an adjoint representation. Theories of anti-SU($N$)'s are proposed for the unification of families. The minimal model is found as \antiSD \, GUT with the fermion representation [3]+2[2]+8[\bar-1]. We present an example in a…
A recent work [2006.16996] suggests that a 4d nonperturbative global anomaly of mod 16 class hinting a possible new hidden gapped topological sector beyond the Standard Model (SM) and Georgi-Glashow $su(5)$ Grand Unified Theory (GUT) with 15n chiral Weyl fermions and a discrete $\mathbb{Z}_{4,X}$ symmetry of $X=5({\bf B- L})-4Y$. This $\mathbb{Z}_{16}$ class global anomaly is a mixed gauge-gravitational anomaly between the discrete $X$ and spacetime backgrounds. The new topological sector has a GUT scale high energy gap, below its low energy encodes either a 4d noninvertible topological quantu…
We recalculate the two-loop beta functions for three gauge couplings taking into account all low energy threshold corrections in split supersymmetry (split-SUSY) which assumes a very high scalar mass scale M_S. We find that, in split-SUSY with gaugino mass unification assumption and a large M_S, the gauge coupling unification requires a lower bound on gaugino mass. Combined with the constraints from the dark matter relic density and direct detection limits, we find that split-SUSY is very restricted and for dark matter mass below 1 TeV the allowed parameter space can be fully covered by XENON-…
