Search

We compute the bispectrum of primordial density perturbations in CMB to second order in the slow-roll parameters of single field inflation. We found a large logarithmic contribution which is at least of the same order as the leading order result and can lead to an enhancement by an order of magnitude in a large class of models, including hilltop inflation., Comment: 60 pages. 4 appendices

The proposal of a rapid sign-switching cosmological constant in the late universe, mirroring a transition from anti-de Sitter (AdS) to de Sitter (dS) space, has significantly improved the fit to observational data and provides a compelling framework for ameliorating major cosmological tensions, such as the $H_0$ and $S_8$ tensions. An attractive theoretical realisation that accommodates the AdS $\to$ dS transition relies on the Casimir forces of fields inhabiting the bulk of a 5-dimensional (5-dim) set up. Among the fields characterising the dark sector, there is a real scalar field $\phi$ endowed with a potential holding two local minima with very small difference in vacuum energy and bigger curvature (mass) of the lower one. Shortly after the false vacuum tunnels to its true vacuum state, $\phi$ becomes more massive and its contribution to the Casimir energy becomes exponentially suppressed. The tunneling process then changes the difference between the total number of fermionic and bosonic degrees of freedom contributing to the quantum corrections of the vacuum energy, yielding the AdS $\to$ dS transition. We investigate the properties of this theoretical realisation to validate its main hypothesis and characterise free parameters of the model. We adopt the Coleman-de Luccia formalism for calculating the transition probability within the thin-wall approximation. We show that the Euclidean bounce configuration that drives the transition between $\phi$ vacua has associated at least a sixth order potential. We also show that distinctive features of the required vacuum decay to accommodate the AdS $\to$ dS transition are inconsistent with a 5-dim non-compact description of the instanton, for which the bounce is $O(5)$ symmetric, and instead call for a 5-dim instanton with a compact dimension, for which the bounce is $O(4)\times U(1)$ symmetric., Comment: 25 pages, 2 figures

The precision measurement of the tritium $\beta$-decay spectrum performed by the KATRIN experiment provides a unique way to search for general neutrino interactions (GNI). All theoretical allowed GNI terms involving neutrinos are incorporated into a low-energy effective field theory, and can be identified by specific signatures in the measured tritium $\beta$-spectrum. In this paper an effective description of the impact of GNI on the $\beta$-spectrum is formulated and the first constraints on the effective GNI parameters are derived based on the 4 million electrons collected in the second measurement campaign of KATRIN in 2019. In addition, constraints on selected types of interactions are investigated, thereby exploring the potential of KATRIN to search for more specific new physics cases, including a right-handed W boson, a charged Higgs or leptoquarks.

The projected sensitivity of the effective electron neutrino-mass measurement with the KATRIN experiment is below 0.3 eV (90 % CL) after five years of data acquisition. The sensitivity is affected by the increased rate of the background electrons from KATRIN's main spectrometer. A special shifted-analysing-plane (SAP) configuration was developed to reduce this background by a factor of two. The complex layout of electromagnetic fields in the SAP configuration requires a robust method of estimating these fields. We present in this paper a dedicated calibration measurement of the fields using conversion electrons of gaseous $^\mathrm{83m}$Kr, which enables the neutrino-mass measurements in the SAP configuration., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures

The fact that neutrinos carry a non-vanishing rest mass is evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model of elementary particles. Their absolute mass bears important relevance from particle physics to cosmology. In this work, we report on the search for the effective electron antineutrino mass with the KATRIN experiment. KATRIN performs precision spectroscopy of the tritium $\beta$-decay close to the kinematic endpoint. Based on the first five neutrino-mass measurement campaigns, we derive a best-fit value of $m_\nu^{2} = {-0.14^{+0.13}_{-0.15}}~\mathrm{eV^2}$, resulting in an upper limit of $m_\nu < {0.45}~\mathrm{eV}$ at 90 % confidence level. With six times the statistics of previous data sets, amounting to 36 million electrons collected in 259 measurement days, a substantial reduction of the background level and improved systematic uncertainties, this result tightens KATRIN's previous bound by a factor of almost two., Comment: 61 pages, 20 figures, 2 tables

This paper presents an energy resolution study of the JUNO experiment, incorporating the latest knowledge acquired during the detector construction phase. The determination of neutrino mass ordering in JUNO requires an exceptional energy resolution better than 3\% at 1~MeV. To achieve this ambitious goal, significant efforts have been undertaken in the design and production of the key components of the JUNO detector. Various factors affecting the detection of inverse beta decay signals have an impact on the energy resolution, extending beyond the statistical fluctuations of the detected number of photons, such as the properties of the liquid scintillator, performance of photomultiplier tubes, and the energy reconstruction algorithm. To account for these effects, a full JUNO simulation and reconstruction approach is employed. This enables the modeling of all relevant effects and the evaluation of associated inputs to accurately estimate the energy resolution. The results of study reveal an energy resolution of 2.95\% at 1~MeV. Furthermore, this study assesses the contribution of major effects to the overall energy resolution budget. This analysis serves as a reference for interpreting future measurements of energy resolution during JUNO data collection. Moreover, it provides a guideline for comprehending the energy resolution characteristics of liquid scintillator-based detectors.

We study the problem of false vacuum decay in arbitrary dimensions, in the presence of gravity, and compute the transition probability within the thin-wall approximation, generalising the results of Coleman and de Luccia. In the particular case of one compact dimension, we present explicit formulae for the Euclidean Bounce configuration that drives the transition from a de Sitter to Minkowski or from a Minkowski to anti-de Sitter vacua., Comment: 26 pages, 2 figures. V2: published version, 29 pages, 2 figures

We explore the bound neutrons decay into invisible particles (e.g., $n\rightarrow 3 \nu$ or $nn \rightarrow 2 \nu$) in the JUNO liquid scintillator detector. The invisible decay includes two decay modes: $ n \rightarrow { inv} $ and $ nn \rightarrow { inv} $. The invisible decays of $s$-shell neutrons in $^{12}{\rm C}$ will leave a highly excited residual nucleus. Subsequently, some de-excitation modes of the excited residual nuclei can produce a time- and space-correlated triple coincidence signal in the JUNO detector. Based on a full Monte Carlo simulation informed with the latest available data, we estimate all backgrounds, including inverse beta decay events of the reactor antineutrino $\bar{\nu}_e$, natural radioactivity, cosmogenic isotopes and neutral current interactions of atmospheric neutrinos. Pulse shape discrimination and multivariate analysis techniques are employed to further suppress backgrounds. With two years of exposure, JUNO is expected to give an order of magnitude improvement compared to the current best limits. After 10 years of data taking, the JUNO expected sensitivities at a 90% confidence level are $\tau/B( n \rightarrow { inv} ) > 5.0 \times 10^{31} \, {\rm yr}$ and $\tau/B( nn \rightarrow { inv} ) > 1.4 \times 10^{32} \, {\rm yr}$., Comment: 28 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables

We extend a recently proposed framework, dubbed inflation by supersymmetry breaking, to hybrid inflation by introducing a waterfall field that allows to decouple the supersymmetry breaking scale in the observable sector from the inflation scale, while keeping intact the inflation sector and its successful predictions: naturally small slow-roll parameters, small field initial conditions and absence of the pseudo-scalar companion of the inflaton, in terms of one free parameter which is the first order correction to the inflaton K\"ahler potential. During inflation, supersymmetry is spontaneously broken with the inflaton being the superpartner of the goldstino, together with a massive vector that gauges the R-symmetry. Inflation arises around the maximum of the scalar potential at the origin where R-symmetry is unbroken. Moreover, a nearby minimum with tuneable vacuum energy can be accommodated by introducing a second order correction to the K\"ahler potential. The inflaton sector can also play the role of the supersymmetry breaking 'hidden' sector when coupled to the (supersymmetric) Standard Model, predicting a superheavy superparticle spectrum near the inflation scale. Here we show that the introduction of a waterfall field provides a natural way to end inflation and allows for a scale separation between supersymmetry breaking and inflation. Moreover, the study of the global vacuum describing low energy Standard Model physics can be done in a perturbative way within a region of the parameter space of the model., Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures. V2: revised version; accepted to EPJC

The core-collapse supernova (CCSN) is considered one of the most energetic astrophysical events in the universe. The early and prompt detection of neutrinos before (pre-SN) and during the supernova (SN) burst presents a unique opportunity for multi-messenger observations of CCSN events. In this study, we describe the monitoring concept and present the sensitivity of the system to pre-SN and SN neutrinos at the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), a 20 kton liquid scintillator detector currently under construction in South China. The real-time monitoring system is designed to ensure both prompt alert speed and comprehensive coverage of progenitor stars. It incorporates prompt monitors on the electronic board as well as online monitors at the data acquisition stage. Assuming a false alert rate of 1 per year, this monitoring system exhibits sensitivity to pre-SN neutrinos up to a distance of approximately 1.6 (0.9) kiloparsecs and SN neutrinos up to about 370 (360) kiloparsecs for a progenitor mass of 30 solar masses, considering both normal and inverted mass ordering scenarios. The pointing ability of the CCSN is evaluated by analyzing the accumulated event anisotropy of inverse beta decay interactions from pre-SN or SN neutrinos. This, along with the early alert, can play a crucial role in facilitating follow-up multi-messenger observations of the next galactic or nearby extragalactic CCSN., Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, accepted for the publication at JCAP

We study in more detail the cubic constraints for N=1 chiral superfields proposed in the earlier work Eur. Phys. J. C 81, 523 (2021), which describe low-energy goldstino-axion dynamics in global non-linearly realized supersymmetry. We generalize the constraint (i) by gauging the abelian symmetry that shifts the axion, and (ii) to supergravity. In the former case we show that after adding the abelian gauge multiplet, the construction can be formulated as a cubic nilpotent massive vector superfield. In the latter case we find explicit solution to the constraint including contributions from the supergravity multiplet. We also propose microscopic supergravity models (with linear supersymmetry), including a toy model for the string dilaton, which give rise to the cubic constraints at low energies., Comment: 31 pages, 1 figure

We study gravitational lensing of neutrinos in a Kaluza-Klein black hole spacetime and compare the oscillation probabilities of neutrinos with the case of lensing by black holes in General Relativity. We show that measuring neutrino oscillations in curved spacetimes may allow us to distinguish the two kinds of black holes. This promises to become an useful tool for future measurements of the properties of black hole candidates and possibly help to constrain the validity of alternative theories of gravity., Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, matches published version

We study real fifth-order superfield constraint for ${\cal N}=2$ vector (and tensor) multiplet and derive most general solution describing complete supersymmetry breaking, and preserving a real scalar, two goldstini, and an abelian gauge field as low-energy degrees of freedom on which both supersymmetries are realized non-linearly. The surviving scalar is identified as an axion of a broken global abelian symmetry, while its scalar partner (saxion) is eliminated in terms of the goldstini. We provide an example of a UV model giving rise to the quintic constraint, and discuss the connection of this constraint and its solution to other known superfield constraints in ${\cal N}=2$ and ${\cal N}=1$ cases., Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure. V2: minor corrections, accepted to EPJC

We study reheating after the end of inflation in models where the inflaton is the superpartner of goldstino and is charged under a gauged $U(1)$ R-symmetry. We consider two classes of models -- one is small field characterized by an almost flat K\"ahler space, and the other large field characterized by a hyperbolic K\"ahler space $SU(1,1)/U(1)$, while in both cases the inflaton superpotential is linear due to the R-symmetry. The inflationary observables of our models fit within 2$\sigma$ CMB values. Upon coupling the inflaton sector to the (supersymmetric) Standard Model, we compute the MSSM parameters, mass spectrum, and decay modes of the inflaton, with the resulting reheating temperature around $10^8$ GeV. We also find that both models can accommodate superheavy LSP dark matter, depending on the parameter choice., Comment: 25 pages, 4 figures. V2: revised version; accepted to EPJC

We find new solutions to real cubic constraints on $N=1$ chiral superfields transforming under global abelian symmetries. These solutions describe the low-energy dynamics of a goldstino interacting with an axion (both belonging to the same chiral superfield) with non-linearly realized supersymmetry. We show the relation between our model and the approach of Komargodski and Seiberg for describing goldstino-axion dynamics which uses orthogonal nilpotent superfields., Comment: 18 pages. Version 2: minor corrections. Version 3: some corrections and additions to Conclusion section, accepted to EPJC

We construct new models of inflation and spontaneous supersymmetry breaking in de Sitter vacuum, with a single chiral superfield, where inflaton is the superpartner of the goldstino. Our approach is based on hyperbolic K\"ahler geometry, and a gauged (non-axionic) $U(1)_R$ symmetry rotating the chiral scalar field by a phase. The $U(1)_R$ gauge field combines with the angular component of the chiral scalar to form a massive vector, and single-field inflation is driven by the radial part of the scalar. We find that in a certain parameter range they can be approximated by simplest Starobinsky-like (E-model) $\alpha$-attractors, thus predicting $n_s$ and $r$ within $1\sigma$ CMB constraints. Supersymmetry (and $R$-symmetry) is broken at a high scale with the gravitino mass $m_{3/2}\gtrsim 10^{14}$ GeV, and the fermionic sector also includes a heavy spin-$1/2$ field. In all the considered cases the inflaton is the lightest field of the model., Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables. v2: updated version accepted to EPJC

We show that initial conditions for small-field inflation can be determined quantum mechanically by introducing a suitable flattened region in the scalar potential. The inflaton is then driven towards the slow-roll attractor solution exponentially fast, desensitising inflation from the initial velocity and partially evading the so-called overshoot problem. We give an explicit example in the context of hilltop inflation by introducing an ultra slow-roll plateau around the maximum of the potential and analyse its effect on the phase-space trajectories., Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, v2: comments and references added, typos corrected, published version

In this work, the study of traversable wormholes in $f(R)$-massive gravity with the function $f(R)=R+\alpha_{1} R^{n}$, where $\alpha_{1}$ and $n$ are arbitrary constants, is considered. We choose the modified shape function $b(r)$. We consider a spherically symmetric and static wormhole metric and derive field equations. Moreover, we visualize the wormhole geometry using embedding diagrams. Furthermore, we check the null, weak, dominant and strong energy conditions at the wormhole throat with a radius $r_{0}$ invoking three types of redshift functions, $\Phi={\rm constant},\gamma_{1}/r,\,\log(1+\gamma_{2}/r)$ with $\gamma_{1}$ and $\gamma_{2}$ are arbitrary real constants. We also compute the volume integral quantifier to calculate the amount of the exotic matter near the constructed wormhole throat., Comment: v2: 24 pages, many figures, 3 tables, the title changed reflecting a major revision

In this work, we study the thin-shell wormholes in dRGT massive gravity. In order to joint two bulks of the spacetime geometry, we first derive junction conditions of the dRGT spacetime. This results the dynamics of the spherical thin-shell wormholes in the dRGT theory. We show that the massive graviton correction term of the dRGT theory in the Einstein equation is represented in terms of the effective anisotropic pressure fluid. However, if there is only this correction term, without invoking exotic fluids, we find that the thin-shell wormholes can not be stabilized. We then examine the stability conditions of the wormholes by introducing four existing models of the exotic fluids at the throat. In addition, we analyze the energy conditions for the thin-shell wormholes in the dRGT massive gravity by checking the null, weak, and strong conditions at the wormhole throat. We show that in general the classical energy conditions are violated by introducing all existing models of the exotic fluids. Moreover, we quantify the wormhole geometry by using the embedding diagrams to represent a thin-shell wormhole in the dRGT massive gravity., Comment: v2: 28 pages, typos corrected, references added, many figures

We propose the unified models of cosmological inflation, spontaneous SUSY breaking, and the dark energy (de Sitter vacuum) in $N=1$ supergravity with the dilaton-axion chiral superfield $T$ in the presence of an $N=1$ vector multiplet with the alternative Fayet-Iliopoulos term. By using the K\"ahler potential as $K=-\alpha\log(T+\bar{T})$ and the superpotential as a sum of a constant and a linear term, we find that viable inflation is possible for $3\leq\alpha\leq\alpha_{\rm max}$ where $\alpha_{\rm max}\approx 7.235$. Observations of the amplitude of primordial scalar perturbations fix the SUSY breaking scale in our models as high as $10^{13}$ GeV. In the case of $\alpha>3$ the axion gets the tree-level (non-tachyonic) mass comparable to the inflaton mass., Comment: 18 pages, 8 figure, 2 tables

We have proposed recently a framework for inflation driven by supersymmetry breaking with the inflaton being a superpartner of the goldstino, that avoids the main problems of supergravity inflation, allowing for: naturally small slow-roll parameters, small field initial conditions, absence of a (pseudo)scalar companion of the inflation, and a nearby minimum with tuneable cosmological constant. It contains a chiral multiplet charged under a gauged R-symmetry which is restored at the maximum of the scalar potential with a plateau where inflation takes place. The effective field theory relies on two phenomenological parameters corresponding to corrections to the K\"ahler potential up to second order around the origin. The first guarantees the maximum at the origin and the second allows the tuning of the vacuum energy between the F- and D-term contributions. Here, we provide a microscopic model leading to the required effective theory. It is a Fayet-Iliopoulos model with two charged chiral multiplets under a second U(1) R-symmetry coupled to supergravity. In the Brout-Englert-Higgs phase of this U(1), the gauge field becomes massive and can be integrated out in the limit of small supersymmetry breaking scale. In this work, we perform this integration and we show that there is a region of parameter space where the effective supergravity realises our proposal of small field inflation from supersymmetry breaking consistently with observations and with a minimum of tuneable energy that can describe the present phase of our Universe., Comment: 39 pages, v2: typos corrected, references added, published version

We propose a supersymmetrisation of the cosmological constant in ordinary $N=1$ supergravity that breaks supersymmetry spontaneously by a constant Fayet-Iliopoulos (FI) term associated to a $U(1)$ symmetry. This term is a variation of a new gauge invariant FI term proposed recently, which is invariant under K\"{a}hler transformations and can be written even for a gauged R-symmetry on top of the standard FI contribution. The two terms are the same in the absence of matter but differ in its presence. The proposed term is reduced to a constant FI-term up to fermion interactions that disappear in the unitary gauge in the absence of any F-term supersymmetry breaking. The constant FI term leads to a positive cosmological constant, uplifting the vacuum energy from the usual anti-de Sitter supergravity to any higher value., Comment: 12 pages, v2: published version

We analyse the consequences of a new gauge invariant Fayet-Iliopoulos (FI) term proposed recently to a class of inflation models driven by supersymmetry breaking with the inflaton being the superpartner of the goldstino. We first show that charged matter fields can be consistently added with the new term, as well as the standard FI term in supergravity in a K\"ahler frame where the $U(1)$ is not an R-symmetry. We then show that the slow-roll conditions can be easily satisfied with inflation driven by a D-term depending on the two FI parameters. Inflation starts at initial conditions around the maximum of the potential where the $U(1)$ symmetry is restored and stops when the inflaton rolls down to the minimum describing the present phase of our Universe. The resulting tensor-to-scalar ratio of primordial perturbations can be even at observable values in the presence of higher order terms in the K\"ahler potential., Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures

The recent birth of gravitational wave astronomy invites a new generation of precision tests of general relativity. Signatures of black hole (BH) mergers must be systematically explored in a wide spectrum of modified gravity theories. Here, we turn to one such theory in which the initial value problem for BH mergers is well posed, the Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton system. We present conservative estimates for the merger parameters (final spins, quasinormal modes) based on techniques that have worked well for ordinary gravity mergers and utilize information extracted from test particle motion in the final BH metric. The computation is developed in parallel for the modified gravity BHs (we specifically focus on the Kaluza-Klein value of the dilaton coupling, for which analytic BH solutions are known) and ordinary Kerr-Newman BHs. We comment on the possibility of obtaining final BHs with spins consistent with current observations., Comment: 23 pages, 23 figures, v2: minor improvements, accepted to PRD

We explore the possibility that inflation is driven by supersymmetry breaking with the superpartner of the goldstino (sgoldstino) playing the role of the inflaton. Moreover, we impose an R-symmetry that allows to satisfy easily the slow-roll conditions, avoiding the so-called $\eta$-problem, and leads to two different classes of small field inflation models; they are characterised by an inflationary plateau around the maximum of the scalar potential, where R-symmetry is either restored or spontaneously broken, with the inflaton rolling down to a minimum describing the present phase of our Universe. To avoid the Goldstone boson and remain with a single (real) scalar field (the inflaton), R-symmetry is gauged with the corresponding gauge boson becoming massive. This framework generalises a model studied recently by the present authors, with the inflaton identified by the string dilaton and R-symmetry together with supersymmetry restored at weak coupling, at infinity of the dilaton potential. The presence of the D-term allows a tuning of the vacuum energy at the minimum. The proposed models agree with cosmological observations and predict a tensor-to-scalar ratio of primordial perturbations $10^{-9}\lesssim r\lesssim 10^{-4}$ and an inflation scale $10^{10}$ GeV $\lesssim H_*\lesssim 10^{12}$ GeV. $H_*$ may be lowered up to electroweak energies only at the expense of fine-tuning the scalar potential., Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures

We study the cosmology of a recent model of supersymmetry breaking, in the presence of a tuneable positive cosmological constant, based on a gauged shift symmetry of a string modulus that can be identified with the string dilaton. The minimal spectrum of the `hidden' supersymmetry breaking sector consists then of a vector multiplet that gauges the shift symmetry of the dilaton multiplet and when coupled to the MSSM leads to a distinct low energy phenomenology depending on one parameter. Here we study the question if this model can also lead to inflation by identifying the dilaton with the inflaton. We find that this is possible if the K\"ahler potential is modified by a term that has the form of NS5-brane instantons, leading to an appropriate inflationary plateau around the maximum of the scalar potential, depending on two extra parameters. This model is consistent with present cosmological observations without modifying the low energy particle phenomenology associated to the minimum of the scalar potential., Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, References added

In this paper, we study the Starobinsky model of inflation in the context of gravity's rainbow theory. We propose that gravity rainbow functions can be written in the power-law form of the Hubble parameter. We present a detailed derivation of the spectral index of curvature perturbation and the tensor-to-scalar ratio and compare the predictions of our models with Planck 2015 data. We discover that in order to be consistent with Planck data up to $2\sigma$ C.L., the viable values of $N_{k}$ $e$-folds would satisfy $42\lesssim N_{k}\lesssim 87$ and the rainbow parameter $\lambda$ is nicely constrained to be $\lambda \lesssim6.0$., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures. v2: corrections and improvement, version to appear in PRD

The Myers-Perry black holes are higher-dimensional generalizations of the usual (3+1)-dimensional rotating Kerr black hole. They are of considerable interest in Kaluza-Klein models, specifically within the context of brane-world versions thereof. In the present article we shall consider the greybody factors associated with scalar field excitations of the Myers-Perry spacetimes, and develop some rigorous bounds on these greybody factors. These bounds are of relevance for characterizing both the higher-dimensional Hawking radiation, and the super-radiance, that is expected for these spacetimes., Comment: 21 pages

In this short report, we investigate the mutual information hidden in the Parikh-Wilczek tunneling model of Hawking radiation for Kerr-Newman black holes. By assuming the radiation as an optimization process, we discuss its effect on time evolution of rotating (charged and uncharged) black holes. For uncharged rotating black holes evaporating under the maximum mutual information optimization, their scale invariant rotation parameter $a_*=a/M$ is almost constant at the early stage but rapidly increase at the very last stage of the evaluation process. The value of rotation parameter at the final state of evaporation depends on the initial condition of the black hole. We also found that the presence of electric charge can cause the black holes lose their angular momentum more rapidly than they lose mass. The charged-rotating black holes asymptotically approach a state which is described by $a_*= 0$ and $Q/M = 1$., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures

We study $N=5$ gauged supergravity in three dimensions with compact, non-compact and non-semisimple gauge groups. The theory under consideration is of Chern-Simons type with $USp(4,k)/USp(4)\times USp(k)$ scalar manifold. We classify possible semisimple gauge groups of the $k=2,4$ cases and identify some of their critical points. A number of supersymmetric $AdS_3$ critical points are found, and holographic RG flows interpolating between these critical points are also investigated. As one of our main results, we consider a non-semisimple gauge group $SO(5)\ltimes \mathbf{T}^{10}$ for the theory with $USp(4,4)/USp(4)\times USp(4)$ scalar manifold. The resulting theory describes $N=5$ gauged supergravity in four dimensions reduced on $S^1/\mathbb{Z}_2$ and admits a maximally supersymmetric $AdS_3$ critical point with $Osp(5|2,\mathbb{R})\times Sp(2,\mathbb{R})$ superconformal symmetry. We end the paper with the construction of $SO(6)\ltimes \mathbf{T}^{15}$ gauged supergravity with $N=6$ supersymmetry. The theory admits a half-supersymmetric domain wall as a vacuum solution and may be obtained from an $S^1/\mathbb{Z}_2$ reduction of $N=6$ gauged supergravity in four dimensions., Comment: 35 pages, 1 figure

We study N=6 gauged supergravity in three dimensions with scalar manifolds $\frac{SU(4,k)}{S(U(4)\times U(k))}$ for $k=1,2,3,4$ in great details. We classify some admissible non-compact gauge groups which can be consistently gauged and preserve all supersymmetries. We give the explicit form of the embedding tensors for these gauge groups as well as study their scalar potentials on the full scalar manifold for each value of $k=1,2,3,4$ along with the corresponding vacua. Furthermore, the potentials for the compact gauge groups, $SO(p)\times SO(6-p)\times SU(k)\times U(1)$ for $p=3,4,5,6$, identified previously in the literature are partially studied on a submanifold of the full scalar manifold. This submanifold is invariant under a certain subgroup of the corresponding gauge group. We find a number of supersymmetric AdS vacua in the case of compact gauge groups. We then consider holographic RG flow solutions in the compact gauge groups $SO(6)\times SU(4)\times U(1)$ and $SO(4)\times SO(2)\times SU(4)\times U(1)$ for the k=4 case. The solutions involving one active scalar can be found analytically and describe operator flows driven by a relevant operator of dimension 3/2. For non-compact gauge groups, we find all types of vacua namely AdS, Minkowski and dS, but there is no possibility of RG flows in the AdS/CFT sense for all gauge groups considered here., Comment: 43 pages, no figures references added, typoes corrected and more information added

A Lorentz violating vector "{\ae}ther" field in five dimensional spacetime can give rise to an inflation model in which the eta problem can be avoided. By identifying the inflaton field with the moduli field describing the radius of the extra dimension, we demonstrate that non-vanishing vacuum expectation value of the {\ae}ther field can suppress contributions from operators that usually destroy the flatness of the inflaton potential. We also show that the latest observational data can put the lower bound on the vacuum expectation value of the {\ae}ther field., Comment: This paper has been withdrawn by the author due to a crucial field redefinition problem in equation 16 that significantly impact the accuracy of the analysis

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 $\frac{E_{6(-14)}}{SO(10)\times U(1)}$. The admissible gauge groups considered in this work involve both compact and non-compact gauge groups which are maximal subgroups of $SO(10)\times U(1)$ and $E_{6(-14)}$, respectively. These gauge groups are given by $SO(p)\times SO(10-p)\times U(1)$ for $p=6,...10$, $SO(5)\times SO(5)$, $SU(4,2)\times SU(2)$, $G_{2(-14)}\times SU(2,1)$ and $F_{4(-20)}$. We find many AdS$_3$ critical points with various unbroken gauge symmetries. The relevant background isometries associated to 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., Comment: 37 pages no figures, typos corrected and a little change in the format

We study some vacua of N=9 three dimensional gauged supergravity. The theory contains sixteen scalar fields parametrizing the exceptional coset space ${F_{4(-20)}}{SO(9)}$. Various AdS supersymmetric and some non-supersymmetric vacua are found in both compact and non-compact gaugings with gauge groups $SO(p)\times SO(9-p)$ for $p=0, 1, 2, 3, 4$, $G_{2(-14)}\times SL(2)$ and $Sp(1,2)\times SU(2)$. We also study many RG flow solutions, both analytic and numerical, interpolating between supersymmetric critical points in this theory. All the flows considered here are driven by a relevant operator of dimension $\Delta={3}{2}$. This operator breaks conformal symmetry as well as supersymmetry and drives the CFT in the UV to another CFT in the IR with lower supersymmetries., Comment: 30 pp. 6 figures, references and new information added

In this paper, we consider the charged non-extremal black hole at five dimensional N = 2 supergravity. We study thermodynamics of AdS_{5} black hole with three equal charges (q_{1} = q_{2} = q_{3} = q). We obtain Schrodinger like equation and discuss the effective potential. Then, we consider the case of the perturbed dilaton field background and find presence of odd coefficients of the wave function. Also we find that the higher derivative corrections have no effect on the first and second even coefficients of the wave function., Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures. Published version

In our five-dimensional cosmological model, we investigate the role of a Lorentz violating vector "{\ae}ther" field on the moduli stabilization mechanism. We consider the case of a space-like {\ae}ther field on a compact circle with Maxwell-type kinetic term. The Casimir energy of certain combinations of massless and massive bulk fields generates a stabilizing potential for the radius of the compact direction while driving the accelerated expansion in the non-compact directions. It is shown that the {\ae}ther field can reduce the influence of the Casimir force and slow down the oscillation of the radion field. This property proves crucial to the stability of the extra dimension in the universe where non-relativistic matter is present. We speculate that this scenario might reveal a hidden connection between the dimensionality of spacetime and the spontaneous breaking of Lorentz symmetry., Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, added references and comments from referee

In the deconfined phase of quark-gluon plasma, it seems that most of the quarks, antiquarks and gluons should be effectively free in the absence of the linear confining potential. However, the remaining Coulomb-type potential between quarks in the plasma could still be sufficiently strong that certain bound states, notably of heavy quarks such as $J/\psi$ are stable even in the deconfined plasma up to a certain temperature. Baryons can also exist in the deconfined phase provided that the density is sufficiently large. We study three kinds of exotic multi-quark bound states in the deconfined phase of quark-gluon plasma from gravity dual models in addition to the normal baryon. They are $k$-baryon, $(N+\bar{k})$-baryon and a bound state of $j$ mesons which we call "$j$-mesonance". Binding energies and screening lengths of these exotic states are studied and are found to have similar properties to those of mesons and baryons at the leading order. Phase diagram for the exotic nuclear phases is subsequently studied in the Sakai-Sugimoto model. Even though the exotics are less stable than normal baryons, in the region of high chemical potential and low temperature, they are more stable thermodynamically than the vacuum and chiral-symmetric quark-gluon plasma phases ($\chi$S-QGP)., Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures, minor changes and corrections

Recently, it was found by Greene and Levin that the Casimir energy of certain combinations of massless and massive fields in space with extra dimensions play a crucial role in the accelerated expansion of the late-time universe and therefore it could serve as a candidate for the dark energy. It also provides a mechanism in stabilizing the volume moduli of extra dimensions. However, the shape moduli of the extra dimensions were never taken into account in the previous work. We therefore study the stabilization mechanism for both volume and shape moduli due to the Casimir energy in ${\mathbb M}^{1+3} \times {\mathbb T}^{2}$. The result of our study shows that the previously known local minimum is a saddle point. It is unstable to the perturbations in the direction of the shape moduli. The new stable local minima stabilizes all the moduli and drives the accelerating expansion of the universe. The cosmological dynamics both in the bulk and the radion pictures are derived and simulated. The equations of state for the Casimir energy in a general torus are derived. Shear viscosity in extra dimensions induced by the Casimir density in the late times is identified and calculated, it is found to be proportional to the Hubble constant., Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, references added

We consider the Randall-Sundrum brane-world model with bulk-brane energy transfer where the Einstein-Hilbert action is modified by curvature correction terms: a four-dimensional scalar curvature from induced gravity on the brane, and a five-dimensional Gauss-Bonnet curvature term. It is remarkable that these curvature terms will not change the dynamics of the brane universe at low energy. Parameterizing the energy transfer and taking the dark radiation term into account, we find that the phantom divide of the equation of state of effective dark energy could be crossed, without the need of any new dark energy components. Fitting the two most reliable and robust SNIa datasets, the 182 Gold dataset and the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS), our model indeed has a small tendency of phantom divide crossing for the Gold dataset, but not for the SNLS dataset. Furthermore, combining the recent detection of the SDSS baryon acoustic oscillations peak (BAO) with lower matter density parameter prior, we find that the SNLS dataset also mildly favors phantom divide crossing., Comment: 11 pages,3 figures, revtex4, revised version, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett. B

Motivated by string gas cosmology, we investigate the stability of moduli fields coming from compactifications of string gas on torus with background flux. It was previously claimed that moduli are stabilized only at a single fixed point in moduli space, a self-dual point of T-duality with vanishing flux. Here, we show that there exist other stable fixed points on moduli space with non-vanishing flux. We also discuss the more general target space dualities associated with these fixed points., Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure