CMB fluctuations and string compactification scales

We propose a mechanism for the generation of temperature fluctuations of cosmic microwave background. We consider a large number of fields, such as Kaluza-Klein modes and string excitations. Each field contributes to the gravitational potential by a small amount, but an observable level of temperature fluctuations is achieved by summing up the contribution of typically of order 10¹⁴ fields. Tensor fluctuations are hardly affected by these fields. Our mechanism is based on purely quantum effects of the fields which are classically at rest, and is different from the one in slow-roll inflation. Using the observed data, we find constraints on the parameters of this model, such as the size of the extra dimensions and the string scale. Our model predicts a particular pattern of non-gaussianity with a small magnitude.     

Orbifold compactification of heterotic string theories

The internal degrees of freedom of twisted heterotic strings are discussed using the theory of Kac-Moody algebras.     

Yukawa couplings for Calabi-Yau string compactification

Recently, we have described string theories based on N = 2 superconformal theories. It was argued that all such string theories correspond to string propagation on Calabi-Yau manifolds. We compute here the Yukawa couplings for massless particles in the representation 27 of E₆ (generations), in some examples, and show that the quasi-topological result of the field-theory approximation holds exactly. This is a non-trivial quantitative agreement which further supports the geometric interpretation of these string theories, as well as giving an explicit demonstration of the quasi-topological nature of these couplings.     

Flat directions,string compactification and three generation models

We show how identification of absolutely flat directions allows the construction of a new class of compactified string theories with reduced gauge symmetry that may or may not be continuously connected to the original theory. We use this technique to construct a class of three generation models with just the Standard Model gauge group after compactification. We discuss the low-energy symmetries necessary for a phenomenologically viable low-energy model and construct an example in which these symmetries are identified with string symmetries which remain unbroken down to the supersymmetry breaking scale. Remarkably the same symmetry responsible for stabilising the nucleon is also responsible for ensuring one and only one pair of Higgs doublets is kept light. We show how the string symmetries also lead to textures in the quark and lepton mass matrices which can explain the hierarchy of fermion masses and mixing angles.     

Twisted parafermions

A new type of nonlocal currents (quasi-particles), which we call twisted parafermions, and its corresponding twisted Z-algebra are found. The system consists of one spin-1 bosonic field and six nonlocal fields of fractional spins. Jacobi-type identities for the twisted parafermions are derived, and a new conformal field theory is constructed from these currents. As an application, a parafermionic representation of the twisted affine current algebra A⁽²⁾₂ is given.     

Graded parafermions

A graded generalization of the Z_k parafermionic current algebra is constructed. This symmetry is realized in the osp(1|2)/U(1) coset conformal field theory. The structure of the parafermionic highest-weight modules is analyzed and the dimensions of the fields of the theory are determined. A free field realization of the graded parafermionic system is obtained and the structure constants of the current algebra are found. Although the theory is not unitary, it presents good reducibility properties.     

Heterotic string compactification on N = 2 superconformal theories with c = 9

We study (2, 2) compactifications of the heterotic string by tensoring the discrete N = 2 superconformal series. We construct all models with c = 9 that preserve N = 1 spacetime supersymmetry and discuss some of their properties.     

Nonabelian parafermions and their dimensions

We propose a generalization of the Zamolodchikov–Fateev parafermions which are abelian, to nonabelian groups. The fusion rules are given by the tensor product of representations of the group. Using Vafa equations we get the allowed dimensions of the parafermions. We find for simple groups that the dimensions are integers. For cover groups of simple groups, we find, for n.G.m$n.G.m$, that the dimensions are the same as Zn$Z_n$ parafermions. Examples of integral parafermionic systems are studied in detail.     

Graded parafermions: standard and quasiparticle bases

Two bases of states are presented for modules of the graded parafermionic conformal field theory associated to the coset . The first one is formulated in terms of the two fundamental (i.e., lowest-dimensional) parafermionic modes. In that basis, one can identify the completely reducible representations, i.e., those whose modules contain an infinite number of singular vectors; the explicit form of these vectors is also given. The second basis is a quasiparticle basis, determined in terms of a modified version of the exclusion principle. A novel feature of this model is that none of its bases are fully ordered and this reflects a hidden structural exclusion principle.     

On the spectrum of (2,2) compactification of the heterotic string on conformal field theories

We study (2, 2) compactifications of the heterotic string by tensoring the degenerate N = 2 superconformal series. We recently constructed all models with c = 9 that preserve N = 1 spacetime supersymmetry. Here we extend this analysis by investigating the spectrum of our models. The number of generations and anti-generations is calculated and we comment on the conjectured relation between these conformal field theories and Calabi-Yau compactifications.     

Parabosons,parafermions, and explicit representations of infinite-dimensional algebras

The goal of this paper is to give an explicit construction of the Fock spaces of the parafermion and the paraboson algebra, for an infinite set of generators. This is equivalent to constructing certain unitary irreducible lowest weight representations of the (infinite rank) Lie algebra so(∞) and of the Lie superalgebra osp(1|∞). A complete solution to the problem is presented, in which the Fock spaces have basis vectors labeled by certain infinite but stable Gelfand-Zetlin patterns, and the transformation of the basis is given explicitly. Alternatively, the basis vectors can be expressed as semi-standard Young tableaux.     

Hierarchical spontaneous compactification

Dimensional reduction of gravity and Yang-Mills theories imply different length scales for the respective compactified spaces. It is argued that, if spontaneous compactification indeed occurs intwo or more hierarchical steps then this implies either (1) the existence of a superweak Yang-Mills or Yang-Mills-Higgs interaction if gravity couples universally to all matter or (2) a violation of gravitational universality, or a situation intermediate between (1) and (2).     

String-induced space compactification

Motivated by the possibility of a finite theory of gravity provided by superstrings in ten space-time dimensions, we analyze the problem of space compactification in the context of string dynamics. Such an analysis is hampered by conceptual and technical problems, stemming from the existence of the quantum string's own graviton mode on the one hand, and from Witten's observation of anomalies in a not specially chosen curves space-time on the other hand. Still, in the context of a classical local field presentation of string theory à la Nambu and Hosotani, supplemented by gravitational and Kalb-Ramond interactions, we are able to find solutions with space compactification. It is the antisymmetric tensor zero modes that dictate this compactification towards three space-time dimensions for ordinary strings or towards four or five space-time dimensions for superstrings.     

Non-gravitating scalars and spacetime compactification

We discuss role of partially gravitating scalar fields, scalar fields whose energy–momentum tensors vanish for a subset of dimensions, in dynamical compactification of a given set of dimensions. We show that the resulting spacetime exhibits a factorizable geometry consisting of usual four-dimensional spacetime with full Poincaré invariance times a manifold of extra dimensions whose size and shape are determined by the scalar field dynamics. Depending on the strength of its coupling to the curvature scalar, the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the scalar field may or may not vanish. When its VEV is zero the higher-dimensional spacetime is completely flat and there is no compactification effect at all. On the other hand, when its VEV is nonzero the extra dimensions get spontaneously compactified. The compactification process is such that a bulk cosmological constant is utilized for curving the extra dimensions.     

Doubled conformal compactification

We use Weyl transformations between the Minkowski spacetime and dS/AdS spacetime to show that one cannot well define the electrodynamics globally on the ordinary conformal compactification of the Minkowski spacetime (or dS/AdS spacetime), where the electromagnetic field has a sign factor (and thus is discountinuous) at the light cone. This problem is intuitively and clearly shown by the Penrose diagrams, from which one may find the remedy without too much difficulty. We use the Minkowski and dS spacetimes together to cover the compactified space, which in fact leads to the doubled conformal compactification. On this doubled conformal compactification, we obtain the globally well-defined electrodynamics.