We extend the pseudorandomness of random walks on expander graphs using the sticky random walk. Golowich and Vadhan recently showed that expander random walks can fool all symmetric functions in total variation distance (TVD) up to an O(\u03bb pp) error in total variation distance, where lambda is the second largest eigenvalue of the expander and p is the size of the arbitrary alphabet used to label the vertices. It has been conjectured that the dependency on the pp term is not tight.
\r\n\r\nIn this paper, we resolve the conjecture in the affirmative for a family of expanders. We present a generalization of Guruswami and Kumar's sticky random walk for which prior results predicts a TVD upper bound of O(\u03bb pp) using a Fourier analytic approach. For this family of graphs, we use a combinatorial approach involving the Krawtchouk functions to derive a strengthened TVD of O(\u03bb). Furthermore, we present equivalencies between instances of the generalized sticky random walk, and, using linear-algebraic techniques, show that the generalized sticky random walk is an infinite family of expanders.
" }, { "name": "McAneny, Michael Trevor", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2019", "title": "Aspects of Quasi-Single Field Inflation", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05282019-112333132", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "McAneny", "given": "Michael Trevor" }, "id": "McAneny-Michael-Trevor", "orcid": "0000-0003-1259-6676", "display_name": "McAneny, Michael Trevor" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Dor\u00e9", "given": "Olivier P." }, "id": "Dor\u00e9-O", "orcid": "0000-0001-7432-2932", "role": "member", "display_name": "Dor\u00e9, Olivier P." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/4RBP-Q623", "abstract": "A simple extension of single-field slow roll inflation is called quasi-single field inflation (QSFI). In quasi-single field inflation, the inflaton is coupled to one or more scalar fields with masses of order Hubble constant during inflation, H, called isocurvatons. Depending on the interactions between the inflaton and the isocurvatons, the observable consequences of such a theory can vary dramatically. This thesis is primarily concerned with analyzing how these interactions affect cosmological observables.
\r\n\r\nWe begin by discussing QSFI with one isocurvaton. In particular, we study the non-perturbative limit of a kinetic interaction coupling the inflaton to the isocurvaton. In this non-perturbative limit, the kinetic interaction results in isocurvaton mode functions that oscillate yet decay quickly after horizon crossing. This oscillatory, decaying behavior is reflected in the primordial non-Gaussianity and other observables.
\r\n\r\nThen, we study the perturbative limit of the aforementioned kinetic interaction. Instead of quickly decaying, oscillating mode functions as in the non-perturbative limit, the mode functions in the perturbative limit decay slowly and do not oscillate. Due to this slow decay, the primordial bispectrum is enhanced in the squeezed limit. This enhanced squeezed limit can result in large contributions to galactic halo correlations at long wavelengths. We explore these long wavelength enhancements to galactic halo correlations in detail.
\r\n\r\nWe then discuss how quantum loops of isocurvatons in QSFI can significantly contribute to galactic halo correlations at long wavelengths. In fact, we show that loops can give the most important contributions at long wavelengths in certain models.
\r\n\r\nFinally, we consider theories with multiple isocurvatons. Such theories may consist of interactions coupling the isocurvatons to eachother. These interactions can result in slowly decaying yet oscillating late-time behavior for the isocurvaton mode functions. This combines the two characteristic features from the non-perturbative (oscillating) and perturbative (slowly-decaying) single isocurvaton QSFI models discussed above. These features could result in an oscillatory bispectrum that is enhanced in the squeezed limit. Oscillations in the galactic halo power spectrum at long wavelengths may then be indicative of such multi-isocurvaton models.
" }, { "name": "Bartolotta, Anthony Leo", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2018", "title": "The Union of Quantum Field Theory and Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.; Carroll, Sean M.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05312018-124004005", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Bartolotta", "given": "Anthony Leo" }, "id": "Bartolotta-Anthony-Leo", "orcid": "0000-0003-4971-9545", "display_name": "Bartolotta, Anthony Leo" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "co-advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "role": "co-advisor", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwab", "given": "Keith C." }, "id": "Schwab-K-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwab, Keith C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/F7VT-7X41", "abstract": "Quantum field theory is the language used to describe nature at its most fundamental scales; while thermodynamics is a framework to describe the collective behavior of macroscopic systems. Recent advances in non-equilibrium thermodynamics have enabled this framework to be applied to smaller systems operating out of thermal equilibrium. This thesis is concerned with both quantum field theory and non-equilibrium thermodynamics independently and with their intersection.
\r\n\r\nFirst, a purely phenomenological application of quantum field theory is explored in the context of the upcoming Mu2E experiment. This experiment will look for rare decays which would indicate the presence of physics beyond the Standard Model. Using the language of effective field theories, a next-to-leading order analysis of the conversion rate is performed.
\r\n\r\nThe focus then shifts to an apparent paradox in the Bayesian interpretation of statistical mechanics. For a Bayesian observer making measurements of an open system, the Shannon entropy decreases, in apparent violation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. It is shown that rather than utilizing the entropy, which can decrease under Bayesian updates, the Second Law for a Bayesian observer can be rephrased in terms\r\nof a cross-entropy which is always non-negative.
\r\n\r\nFinally, the intersection of quantum field theory and non-equilibrium thermodynamics is examined. Using quantum work fluctuation theorems, an investigation of how these frameworks can be applied to a driven quantum field theory is performed. For a time-dependent variant of \u03bb\u03c64 , analytic expressions for the work distribution functions at one-loop order are derived. These expressions are shown to satisfy the quantum Jarzynski equality and Crooks fluctuation theorem.
" }, { "name": "Herrmann, Enrico", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2017", "title": "Scattering in N=4 Super Yang Mills and N=8 Supergravity", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.; Trnka, Jaroslav", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05222017-201555383", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Herrmann", "given": "Enrico" }, "id": "Herrmann-Enrico", "orcid": "0000-0002-3983-2993", "display_name": "Herrmann, Enrico" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Trnka", "given": "Jaroslav" }, "id": "Trnka-Jaroslav", "role": "co-advisor", "display_name": "Trnka, Jaroslav" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "member", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." }, { "name": { "family": "Trnka", "given": "Jaroslav" }, "id": "Trnka-Jaroslav", "role": "member", "display_name": "Trnka, Jaroslav" }, { "name": { "family": "Spiropulu", "given": "Maria" }, "id": "Spiropulu-M", "orcid": "0000-0001-8172-7081", "role": "member", "display_name": "Spiropulu, Maria" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Z94J0C49", "abstract": "The scattering amplitudes of planar N = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory (sYM) exhibit a number of remarkable analytic structures, including dual conformal symmetry, logarithmic singularities of integrands, and the absence of poles at infinite loop momentum. None of these properties are apparent from our usual formulation of quantum field theory in terms of Lagrangians and Feynman rules. In the past years, the hidden features inspired a dual formulation for scattering amplitudes that is not built on the two pillars of locality and unitarity. Instead, a new geometric formulation in terms of Grassmannians and the amplituhedron emerged, which is based on the key analytic properties of scattering amplitudes in the planar sector of $\\N=4$ super-Yang-Mills theory. Starting from geometric concepts, the amplituhedron geometry derives all properties of scattering amplitudes in said theory, including locality and factorization. From a practical perspective, expanding the amplitude in terms of a local diagrams, the amplituhedron construction implies that scattering amplitudes in planar N=4 super-Yang-Mills are fully specified by a surprisingly simple subset of all unitarity cuts. Concretely, integrands are uniquely (up to an overall constant) fixed by demanding their vanishing on all spurious singularities.
\r\n\r\nExtending an initial proposal by Arkani-Hamed, Bourjaily, Cachazo, and Trnka, we conjecture that the same analytic structures extend beyond the planar limit of N=4 super-Yang-Mills. Furthermore we show that the $\\dlog$ and \\emph{no pole at infinity} constraints give the key integrand level analytic information contained in dual conformal symmetry in the planar sector. While it is presently unclear how to extend either dual conformal symmetry or the amplituhedron picture beyond the planar sector, our results suggest that related concepts might exist and await discovery.
\r\n\r\nIn order to support our conjectures, we have analyzed several nontrivial multi-loop multi-leg amplitudes. For the nonplanar three-loop four-point and two-loop five point $\\N = 4$ super-Yang-Mills amplitudes, we explicitly construct a complete basis of diagram integrands that has only logarithmic singularities and no poles at infinity. We also give examples at three loops showing how to make the logarithmic singularity properties manifest by writing explicit dlog forms. We give additional evidence at four and five loops supporting the nonplanar logarithmic singularity conjecture. Our investigations show that the singularity structures of planar and nonplanar integrands in N = 4 super-Yang-Mills are strikingly similar. Finally, we express the complete amplitude in terms of our special basis diagrams, with the coefficients determined by the vanishing conditions on the amplitude. By successfully carrying out this procedure, we provide nontrivial evidence that the \u201czero conditions\u201d also carry over into the nonplanar sector. Our analysis suggests that the concept of the amplituhedron can be extended to the nonplanar sector of N = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory and one might hope to ultimately reformulate more general quantum field theories in a geometric language.
\r\n\r\nUsing the marvelous squaring relation between Yang-Mills and gravity theories discovered by Bern, Carrasco, and Johansson (BCJ), we relate our newly gained knowledge on the Yang-Mills side to properties of gravity. We conjecture that to all loop orders, while N = 8 supergravity has poles at infinity, at least at four points it has only logarithmic singularities at finite locations. We provide nontrivial evidence for these conjectures. We describe the singularity structure of N = 8 supergravity at three loops and beyond.
\r\n\r\nIn order to approach a geometric formulation for scattering in gravitational theories, we retrace the initial steps taken in planar N=4 super-Yang-Mills in the gravitational setting. In particular, we study on-shell diagrams for gravity theories with any number of supersymmetries and find a compact Grassmannian formula in terms of edge variables of the graphs. Unlike in gauge theory where the analogous form involves only dlog-factors, in gravity we find a non-trivial numerator as well as higher degree poles in the edge variables. Based on the structure of the Grassmannian formula for $\\N=8$ supergravity we conjecture that gravity loop amplitudes also possess similar properties. In particular, we find that there are only logarithmic singularities on cuts with finite loop momentum and that poles at infinity are present.
" }, { "name": "Pollack, Jason Aaron", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2017", "title": "Constraints on Cosmology and Quantum Gravity from Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory", "advisor": "Carroll, Sean M.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05252017-171005406", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Pollack", "given": "Jason Aaron" }, "id": "Pollack-Jason-Aaron", "orcid": "0000-0003-4754-4905", "display_name": "Pollack, Jason Aaron" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "member", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "orcid": "0000-0002-0928-6784", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Z9W093ZG", "abstract": "Typical cosmological states have structure, obey to very good approximation the laws of classical physics on large scales, and are far from equilibrium. Typical quantum-mechanical states have none of these properties. If the universe is described by a state in a Hilbert space, the state and its Hilbert space must therefore obey a number of constraints to describe realistic cosmological spacetimes. In particular, they must admit a quantum-to-classical transition via decoherence that allows for the emergence of classical spacetimes, and such spacetimes must obey gravitational constraints, in particular on the entanglement entropy of subsystems within them. The papers collected in this thesis are concerned with these constraints. We investigate two holographic correspondences inspired by AdS/CFT, the AdS-MERA correspondence, which suggests that anti-de~Sitter space may be given a discretized description as a tensor network, and the ER=EPR duality, which identified entangled qubits with wormholes connecting them. In the former case, we use holographic entropy bounds to severely constrain the properties of any such tensor network; in the latter case we prove a new general-relativistic area theorem which states that an area corresponding to the entanglement entropy in wormhole geometries is exactly conserved. We use information-theoretic constraints to show that under mild assumptions about the black hole interior an observer falling beyond the horizon is unable to verify the claimed cloning of information in the firewall paradox before reaching the singularity. Finally, we analyze the decoherence structures of late-time de~Sitter space and early-time slow-roll eternal inflation. We show that in the former case a universe with an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space and a positive cosmological constant inevitably reaches a maximum-entropy state from which no further branching or decoherence is possible, forbidding the existence of dynamical quantum fluctuations at late time. In the latter case, gravitational-strength interaction among inflaton modes leads to decoherence of sufficiently super-Hubble modes, which we argue backreacts to cause different histories of cosmological evolution on different branches and hence creates the conditions necessary for eternal inflation.
" }, { "name": "Remmen, Grant Newton", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2017", "title": "Defining Gravity: Effective Field Theory, Entanglement, and Cosmology", "advisor": "Cheung, Clifford W.; Carroll, Sean M.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:04072017-131612641", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Remmen", "given": "Grant Newton" }, "id": "Remmen-Grant-Newton", "orcid": "0000-0001-6569-8866", "display_name": "Remmen, Grant Newton" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "co-advisor", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "co-advisor", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "co-chair", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "co-chair", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "orcid": "0000-0002-0928-6784", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Z90R9MD1", "abstract": "Many of the most exciting open problems in high-energy physics are related to the behavior and ultimate nature of gravity and spacetime. In this dissertation, several categories of new results in quantum and classical gravity are presented, with applications to our understanding of both quantum field theory and cosmology.
\r\n\r\nA fundamental open question in quantum field theory is related to ultraviolet completion: Which low-energy effective field theories can be consistently combined with quantum gravity? A celebrated example of the swampland program---the investigation of this question---is the weak gravity conjecture, which mandates, for a U(1) gauge field coupled consistently to gravity, the existence of a state with charge-to-mass ratio greater than unity. In this thesis, we demonstrate the tension between the weak gravity conjecture and the naturalness principle in quantum field theory, generalize the weak gravity conjecture to multiple gauge fields, and exhibit a model in which the weak gravity conjecture solves the standard model hierarchy problem. Next, we demonstrate that gravitational effective field theories can be constrained by infrared physics principles alone, namely, analyticity, unitarity, and causality. In particular, we derive bounds related to the weak gravity conjecture by placing such infrared constraints on higher-dimension operators in a photon-graviton effective theory. We furthermore place bounds on higher-curvature corrections to the Einstein equations, first using analyticity of graviton scattering amplitudes and later using unitarity of an arbitrary tree-level completion, as well as constrain the couplings in models of massive gravity. Completing our treatment of perturbative quantum gravity, outside of the swampland program, we also reformulate graviton perturbation theory itself, finding a field redefinition and gauge-fixing of the Einstein-Hilbert action that drastically simplifies the Feynman diagram expansion. Furthermore, our reformulation also exhibits a hidden symmetry of general relativity that corresponds to the double copy relations equating gravity amplitudes to sums of squares of gluon amplitudes in Yang-Mills theory, a surprising correspondence that yields insights into the structure of quantum field theories.
\r\n\r\nMoving beyond perturbation theory into nonperturbative questions in quantum gravity, we consider the deep relation between spacetime geometry and properties of the quantum state. In the context of holography and the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory correspondence, we test the proposed ER=EPR correspondence equating quantum entanglement with wormholes in spacetime. In particular, we demonstrate that the no-cloning theorem in quantum mechanics and the no-go theorem for topology change of spacetime are dual under the ER=EPR correspondence. Furthermore, we prove that the presence of a wormhole is not an observable in quantum gravity, rescuing ER=EPR from potential violation of linearity of quantum mechanics. Excitingly, we also prove a new area theorem within classical general relativity for arbitrary dynamics of two collections of wormholes and black holes; this area theorem is the ER=EPR analogue of entanglement conservation. We next turn our attention to the emergence of spacetime itself, placing consistency conditions on the proposed correspondence between anti-de Sitter space and the Multiscale Entanglement Renormalization Ansatz, a special tensor network that constitutes a computational tool for finding the ground state of certain quantum systems. Further examining the role of quantum entanglement entropy in the emergence of general relativity, we ask whether there is a consistent microscopic formulation of the entropy in theories of entropic gravity; we find that our results weaken equation-of-state proposals for entropic gravity while strengthening those more akin to holography, guiding future investigation of theories of emergent gravity.
\r\n\r\nFinally, we examine the consequences of the Hamiltonian constraint in classical gravity for the early universe. The Hamiltonian constraint allows for the Liouville measure on the phase space of cosmological parameters for homogeneous, isotropic universes to be converted into a probability distribution on trajectories, or equivalently, on initial conditions. However, this measure diverges on the set of spacetimes that are spatially flat, like the observable universe. In this thesis, we derive the unique, classical, Hamiltonian-conserved measure for the subset of flat universes. This result allows for distinction between different models of cosmic inflation with similar observable predictions; for example, we find that the measure favors models of large-scale inflation, as such potentials more naturally produce the number of e-folds necessary to match cosmological observations.
" }, { "name": "Saberi, Ingmar Akira", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2017", "title": "Knots, Trees, and Fields: Common Ground Between Physics and Mathematics", "advisor": "Gukov, Sergei", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:07282016-144651775", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Saberi", "given": "Ingmar Akira" }, "id": "Saberi-Ingmar-Akira", "display_name": "Saberi, Ingmar Akira" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Marcolli", "given": "Matilde" }, "id": "Marcolli-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-2045-2907", "role": "member", "display_name": "Marcolli, Matilde" }, { "name": { "family": "Spiropulu", "given": "Maria" }, "id": "Spiropulu-M", "orcid": "0000-0001-8172-7081", "role": "member", "display_name": "Spiropulu, Maria" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Z9VX0DHZ", "abstract": "One main theme of this thesis is a connection between mathematical physics (in particular, the three-dimensional topological quantum field theory known as Chern-Simons theory) and three-dimensional topology. This connection arises because the partition function of Chern-Simons theory provides an invariant of three-manifolds, and the Wilson-loop observables in the theory define invariants of knots. In the first chapter, we review this connection, as well as more recent work that studies the classical limit of quantum Chern-Simons theory, leading to relations to another knot invariant known as the -polynomial. (Roughly speaking, this invariant can be thought of as the moduli space of flat connections on the knot complement.) In fact, the connection can be deepened: through an embedding into string theory, categorifications of polynomial knot invariants can be understood as spaces of BPS states.
\r\n\r\nWe go on to study these homological knot invariants, and interpret spectral sequences that relate them to one another in terms of perturbations of supersymmetric theories. Our point is more general than the application to knots; in general, when one perturbs any modulus of a supersymmetric theory and breaks a symmetry, one should expect a spectral sequence to relate the BPS states of the unperturbed and perturbed theories. We consider several diverse instances of this general lesson. In another chapter, we consider connections between supersymmetric quantum mechanics and the de Rham version of homotopy theory developed by Sullivan; this leads to a new interpretation of Sullivan's minimal models, and of Massey products as vacuum states which are entangled between different degrees of freedom in these models.
\r\n\r\nWe then turn to consider a discrete model of holography: a Gaussian lattice model defined on an infinite tree of uniform valence. Despite being discrete, the matching of bulk isometries and boundary conformal symmetries takes place as usual; the relevant group is , and all of the formulas developed for holography in the context of scalar fields on fixed backgrounds have natural analogues in this setting. The key observation underlying this generalization is that the geometry underlying AdS3/CFT2 can be understood algebraically, and the base field can therefore be changed while maintaining much of the structure. Finally, we give some analysis of -polynomials under change of base (to finite fields), bringing things full circle.
" }, { "name": "Shen, Chia-Hsien", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2017", "title": "Aspects of Effective Field Theories from Scattering Amplitudes", "advisor": "Cheung, Clifford W.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06052017-000916838", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Shen", "given": "Chia-Hsien" }, "id": "Shen-Chia-Hsien", "orcid": "0000-0002-5138-9971", "display_name": "Shen, Chia-Hsien" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Trnka", "given": "Jaroslav" }, "id": "Trnka-Jaroslav", "role": "member", "display_name": "Trnka, Jaroslav" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Z9VM49BW", "abstract": "On-shell methods offer an alternative definition of quantum field theory at tree-level. We first determine the space of constructible theories solely from dimensional analysis, Lorentz invariance, and locality. We show that all amplitudes in a renormalizable theory in four dimensions are constructible, but only a subset of amplitudes is constructible in non-renormalizable theories. The obstructions to effective field theories (EFTs) are then lifted for the non-linear sigma model, Dirac-Born-Infeld theory, and the Galileon, using the enhanced soft limits of their amplitudes.
\r\n\r\nWe then systematically explore the space of scalar EFTs based on the soft lim- its and power counting of amplitudes. We prove that EFTs with arbitrarily soft behavior are forbidden by on-shell momentum shifts and recursion relations. The exceptional EFTs like the non-linear sigma model, Dirac-Born-Infeld theory, and the special Galileon lie precisely on the boundary of allowed theory space. Our results suggest that the exceptional theories are the natural EFT analogs of gauge theory and gravity because they are one-parameter theories whose interactions are strictly dictated by properties of the S-matrix.
\r\n\r\nNext, a new representation of the nonlinear sigma model is proposed to manifest the duality between flavor and kinematics. The action consists of only cubic interactions, which define the structure constants of an underlying kinematic algebra. The action is invariant under a combination of internal and spacetime symmetries whose conservation equations imply flavor-kinematics duality, ensuring that all Feynman diagrams satisfy kinematic Jacobi identities. Substituting flavor for kinematics, we derive a new cubic action for the special Galileon. The vanishing soft behavior of amplitudes is shown as a byproduct of the Weinberg soft theorem.
\r\n\r\nFinally, we derive a class of one-loop non-renormalization theorems that strongly constrain the running of higher dimension operators in four-dimensional quantum field theory. Our derivation combines unitarity and helicity selection rules at tree level. These results explain and generalize the surprising cancellations discovered in the renormalization of dimension six operators in the standard model.
" }, { "name": "Pei, Du", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2016", "title": "3d-3d Correspondence for Seifert Manifolds", "advisor": "Gukov, Sergei", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05282016-191214961", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Pei", "given": "Du" }, "id": "Pei-Du", "orcid": "0000-0001-5587-6905", "display_name": "Pei, Du" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Ni", "given": "Yi" }, "id": "Ni-Yi", "orcid": "0000-0002-5287-4258", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ni, Yi" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Z9X34VF9", "abstract": "In this dissertation, we investigate the 3d-3d correspondence for Seifert manifolds. This correspondence, originating from string theory and M-theory, relates the dynamics of three-dimensional quantum field theories with the geometry of three-manifolds.
\r\n\r\nWe first start in Chapter II with the simplest cases and demonstrate the extremely rich interplay between geometry and physics even when the manifold is just a direct product. In this particular case, by examining the problem from various vantage points, we generalize the celebrated relations between 1) the Verlinde algebra, 2) quantum cohomology of the Grassmannian, 3) quantization of Chern-Simons theory and 4) the index theory of the moduli space of flat connections to a completely new set of relations between 1) the \"equivariant Verlinde algebra\" for a complex group, 2) the equivariant quantum K-theory of the vortex moduli space, 3) quantization of complex Chern-Simons theory and 4) the equivariant index theory of the moduli space of Higgs bundles.
\r\n\r\nIn Chapter III we move one step up in complexity by looking at the next simplest three-manifolds---lens spaces. We test the 3d-3d correspondence for theories that are labeled by lens spaces, reaching a full agreement between the index of the 3d N=2 \"lens space theory\" and the partition function of complex Chern-Simons theory on the lens space.
\r\n\r\nThe two different types of manifolds studied in the previous two chapters also have interesting interactions. We show in Chapter IV the equivalence between two seemingly distinct 2d TQFTs: one comes from the \"Coulomb branch index\" of the class S theory on a lens space, the other is the \"equivariant Verlinde formula\". We check this relation explicitly for SU(2) and demonstrate that the SU(N) equivariant Verlinde algebra can be derived using field theory via (generalized) Argyres-Seiberg dualities.
\r\n\r\nIn the last chapter, we directly jump to the most general situation, giving a proposal for the 3d-3d correspondence for an arbitrary Seifert manifold. We remark on the huge class of novel dualities relating different descriptions of the \"Seifert theory\" associated with the same Seifert manifold and suggest ways that our proposal could be tested.
" }, { "name": "Stoica, Bogdan", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2016", "title": "Boundary Relative Entropy as Quasilocal Energy: Positive Energy Theorems and Tomography", "advisor": "Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06072016-152814803", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Stoica", "given": "Bogdan" }, "id": "Stoica-Bogdan", "display_name": "Stoica, Bogdan" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Marcolli", "given": "Matilde" }, "id": "Marcolli-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-2045-2907", "role": "member", "display_name": "Marcolli, Matilde" }, { "name": { "family": "Chen", "given": "Yanbei" }, "id": "Chen-Yanbei", "orcid": "0000-0002-9730-9463", "role": "member", "display_name": "Chen, Yanbei" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Z9ZW1HW3", "abstract": "We argue that for a spherical region R on the boundary, relative entropy between the vacuum and an arbitrary holographic excited state can be computed in the bulk as a quasilocal energy associated to the volume between R and the minimal surface B\u0303 ending on the boundary \u2202R. Since relative entropy is monotonic and positive in any well-defined quantum theory, the associated quasilocal energy must also be positive and monotonic. This gives rise to an infinite number of constraints on the gravitational bulk, which must be satisfied in any theory of quantum gravity with a well-defined UV completion. For small regions $R$, these constraints translate into integrated positivity conditions of the bulk stress-energy tensor. When the bulk is Einstein gravity coupled to scalar fields, the boundary relative entropy can be related to an integral of the bulk action on the minimal surface B\u0303. Near the boundary, this expression can be inverted via the inverse Radon transform, to obtain the bulk stress energy tensor at a point in terms of the boundary relative entropy." }, { "name": "Arnold, Jonathan Mark", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2014", "title": "Baryon and Lepton Numbers in Particle Physics beyond the Standard Model", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05022014-140735377", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Arnold", "given": "Jonathan Mark" }, "id": "Arnold-Jonathan-Mark", "display_name": "Arnold, Jonathan Mark" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Patterson", "given": "Ryan B." }, "id": "Patterson-R-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-5787-9517", "role": "member", "display_name": "Patterson, Ryan B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "member", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/74JV-BN09", "abstract": "The works presented in this thesis explore a variety of extensions of the standard model of particle physics which are motivated by baryon number (B) and lepton number (L), or some combination thereof. In the standard model, both baryon number and lepton number are accidental global symmetries violated only by non-perturbative weak effects, though the combination B-L is exactly conserved. Although there is currently no evidence for considering these symmetries as fundamental, there are strong phenomenological bounds restricting the existence of new physics violating B or L. In particular, there are strict limits on the lifetime of the proton whose decay would violate baryon number by one unit and lepton number by an odd number of units.
\r\n\r\nThe first paper included in this thesis explores some of the simplest possible extensions of the standard model in which baryon number is violated, but the proton does not decay as a result. The second paper extends this analysis to explore models in which baryon number is conserved, but lepton flavor violation is present. Special attention is given to the processes of \u03bc to e conversion and \u03bc \u2192 e\u03b3 which are bound by existing experimental limits and relevant to future experiments.
\r\n\r\nThe final two papers explore extensions of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) in which both baryon number and lepton number, or the combination B-L, are elevated to the status of being spontaneously broken local symmetries. These models have a rich phenomenology including new collider signatures, stable dark matter candidates, and alternatives to the discrete R-parity symmetry usually built into the MSSM in order to protect against baryon and lepton number violating processes.
" }, { "name": "Boddy, Kimberly K.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2014", "title": "Cosmological Consequences of Dark Matter Interactions and Vacuum Fluctuations", "advisor": "Carroll, Sean M.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05302014-163148727", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Boddy", "given": "Kimberly K." }, "id": "Boddy-Kimberly-K", "display_name": "Boddy, Kimberly K." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "member", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "orcid": "0000-0002-0928-6784", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/9YN7-RS46", "abstract": "This thesis is divided into two parts: interacting dark matter and fluctuations in cosmology. There is an incongruence between the properties that dark matter is expected to possess between the early universe and the late universe. Weakly-interacting dark matter yields the observed dark matter relic density and is consistent with large-scale structure formation; however, there is strong astrophysical evidence in favor of the idea that dark matter has large self-interactions. The first part of this thesis presents two models in which the nature of dark matter fundamentally changes as the universe evolves. In the first model, the dark matter mass and couplings depend on the value of a chameleonic scalar field that changes as the universe expands. In the second model, dark matter is charged under a hidden SU(N) gauge group and eventually undergoes confinement. These models introduce very different mechanisms to explain the separation between the physics relevant for freezeout and for small-scale dynamics.
\r\n\r\nAs the universe continues to evolve, it will asymptote to a de Sitter vacuum phase. Since there is a finite temperature associated with de Sitter space, the universe is typically treated as a thermal system, subject to rare thermal fluctuations, such as Boltzmann brains. The second part of this thesis begins by attempting to escape this unacceptable situation within the context of known physics: vacuum instability induced by the Higgs field. The vacuum decay rate competes with the production rate of Boltzmann brains, and the cosmological measures that have a sufficiently low occurrence of Boltzmann brains are given more credence. Upon further investigation, however, there are certain situations in which de Sitter space settles into a quiescent vacuum with no fluctuations. This reasoning not only provides an escape from the Boltzmann brain problem, but it also implies that vacuum states do not uptunnel to higher-energy vacua and that perturbations do not decohere during slow-roll inflation, suggesting that eternal inflation is much less common than often supposed. Instead, decoherence occurs during reheating, so this analysis does not alter the conventional understanding of the origin of density fluctuations from primordial inflation.
" }, { "name": "Chung, Hee Joong", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2014", "title": "Three-Dimensional Superconformal Field Theory, Chern-Simons Theorv, and Their Correspondence", "advisor": "Gukov, Sergei; Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06062014-152022421", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Chung", "given": "Hee Joong" }, "id": "Chung-Hee-Joong", "display_name": "Chung, Hee Joong" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "co-advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "co-chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/7CA7-9C79", "abstract": "In this thesis, we discuss 3d-3d correspondence between Chern-Simons theory and three-dimensional N = 2 superconformal field theory. In the 3d-3d correspondence proposed by Dimofte-Gaiotto-Gukov information of abelian flat connection in Chern-Simons theory was not captured. However, considering M-theory configuration giving the 3d-3d correspondence and also other several developments, the abelian flat connection should be taken into account in 3d-3d correspondence. With help of the homological knot invariants, we construct 3d N = 2 theories on knot complement in 3-sphere for several simple knots. Previous theories obtained by Dimofte-Gaiotto-Gukov can be obtained by Higgsing of the full theories. We also discuss the importance of all flat connections in the 3d-3d correspondence by considering boundary conditions in 3d N = 2 theories and 3-manifold." }, { "name": "Fornal, Bartosz", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2014", "title": "Baryon Number Violation beyond the Standard Model", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:04082014-225653991", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Fornal", "given": "Bartosz" }, "id": "Fornal-Bartosz", "display_name": "Fornal, Bartosz" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Politzer", "given": "Hugh David" }, "id": "Politzer-H-D", "role": "member", "display_name": "Politzer, Hugh David" }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/R0MY-VR06", "abstract": "This thesis describes simple extensions of the standard model with new sources of baryon number violation but no proton decay. The motivation for constructing such theories comes from the shortcomings of the standard model to explain the generation of baryon asymmetry in the universe, and from the absence of experimental evidence for proton decay. However, lack of any direct evidence for baryon number violation in general puts strong bounds on the naturalness of some of those models and favors theories with suppressed baryon number violation below the TeV scale. The initial part of the thesis concentrates on investigating models containing new scalars responsible for baryon number breaking. A model with new color sextet scalars is analyzed in more detail. Apart from generating cosmological baryon number, it gives nontrivial predictions for the neutron-antineutron oscillations, the electric dipole moment of the neutron, and neutral meson mixing. The second model discussed in the thesis contains a new scalar leptoquark. Although this model predicts mainly lepton flavor violation and a nonzero electric dipole moment of the electron, it includes, in its original form, baryon number violating nonrenormalizable dimension-five operators triggering proton decay. Imposing an appropriate discrete symmetry forbids such operators. Finally, a supersymmetric model with gauged baryon and lepton numbers is proposed. It provides a natural explanation for proton stability and predicts lepton number violating processes below the supersymmetry breaking scale, which can be tested at the Large Hadron Collider. The dark matter candidate in this model carries baryon number and can be searched for in direct detection experiments as well. The thesis is completed by constructing and briefly discussing a minimal extension of the standard model with gauged baryon, lepton, and flavor symmetries." }, { "name": "Park, Chan Youn", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2014", "title": "Branes and Supersymmetric Quantum Field Theories", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:01242014-104001899", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Park", "given": "Chan Youn" }, "id": "Park-Chan-Youn", "display_name": "Park, Chan Youn" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "member", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Y1VH-E821", "abstract": "Since the discovery of D-branes as non-perturbative, dynamic objects in string theory, various configurations of branes in type IIA/B string theory and M-theory have been considered to study their low-energy dynamics described by supersymmetric quantum field theories.
\r\n\r\nOne example of such a construction is based on the description of Seiberg-Witten curves of four-dimensional N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories as branes in type IIA string theory and M-theory. This enables us to study the gauge theories in strongly-coupled regimes. Spectral networks are another tool for utilizing branes to study non-perturbative regimes of two- and four-dimensional supersymmetric theories. Using spectral networks of a Seiberg-Witten theory we can find its BPS spectrum, which is protected from quantum corrections by supersymmetry, and also the BPS spectrum of a related two-dimensional N = (2,2) theory whose (twisted) superpotential is determined by the Seiberg-Witten curve. When we don\u2019t know the perturbative description of such a theory, its spectrum obtained via spectral networks is a useful piece of information. In this thesis we illustrate these ideas with examples of the use of Seiberg-Witten curves and spectral networks to understand various two- and four-dimensional supersymmetric theories.
\r\n\r\nFirst, we examine how the geometry of a Seiberg-Witten curve serves as a useful tool for identifying various limits of the parameters of the Seiberg-Witten theory, including Argyres-Seiberg duality and Argyres-Douglas fixed points. Next, we consider the low-energy limit of a two-dimensional N = (2, 2) supersymmetric theory from an M-theory brane configuration whose (twisted) superpotential is determined by the geometry of the branes. We show that, when the two-dimensional theory flows to its infra-red fixed point, particular cases realize Kazama-Suzuki coset models. We also study the BPS spectrum of an Argyres-Douglas type superconformal field theory on the Coulomb branch by using its spectral networks. We provide strong evidence of the equivalence of superconformal field theories from different string-theoretic constructions by comparing their BPS spectra.
" }, { "name": "Engel, Kevin Thomas", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2013", "title": "Charged Pion Contribution to the Anomalous Magnetic Moment of the Muon", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05212013-160540441", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Engel", "given": "Kevin Thomas" }, "id": "Engel-Kevin-Thomas", "display_name": "Engel, Kevin Thomas" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Cheung", "given": "Clifford W." }, "id": "Cheung-Clifford", "orcid": "0000-0002-9983-9425", "role": "member", "display_name": "Cheung, Clifford W." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/M463-8Z93", "abstract": "The model dependence inherent in hadronic calculations is one of the dominant sources of uncertainty in the theoretical prediction of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. In this thesis, we focus on the charged pion contribution and turn a critical eye on the models employed in the few previous calculations of $a_\\mu^{\\pi^+\\pi^-}$. Chiral perturbation theory provides a check on these models at low energies, and we therefore calculate the charged pion contribution to light-by-light (LBL) scattering to $\\mathcal{O}(p^6)$. We show that the dominant corrections to the leading order (LO) result come from two low energy constants which show up in the form factors for the $\\gamma\\pi\\pi$ and $\\gamma\\gamma\\pi\\pi$ vertices. Comparison with the existing models reveal a potentially significant omission - none include the pion polarizability corrections associated with the $\\gamma\\gamma\\pi\\pi$ vertex. We next consider alternative models where the pion polarizability is produced through exchange of the $a_1$ axial vector meson. These have poor UV behavior, however, making them unsuited for the $a_\\mu^{\\pi^+\\pi^-}$ calculation. We turn to a simpler form factor modeling approach, generating two distinct models which reproduce the pion polarizability corrections at low energies, have the correct QCD scaling at high energies, and generate finite contributions to $a_\\mu^{\\pi^+\\pi^-}$. With these two models, we calculate the charged pion contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, finding values larger than those previously reported: $a_\\mu^\\mathrm{I} = -1.779(4)\\times10^{-10}\\,,\\,a_\\mu^\\mathrm{II} = -4.892(3)\\times10^{-10}$." }, { "name": "Setter, Kevin Luke", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2013", "title": "Topological Quantum Field Theory and the Geometric Langlands Correspondence", "advisor": "Kapustin, Anton N.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:09192012-150137728", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Setter", "given": "Kevin Luke" }, "id": "Setter-Kevin-Luke", "display_name": "Setter, Kevin Luke" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "member", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/RK2P-2H81", "abstract": "In the pioneering work of A. Kapustin and E. Witten, the geometric Langlands program of number theory was shown to be intimately related to duality of GL-twisted N=4 super Yang-Mills theory compactified on a Riemann surface. In this thesis, we generalize Kapustin-Witten by investigating compactification of the GL-twisted theory to three dimensions on a circle (for various values of the twisting parameter t). By considering boundary conditions in the three-dimensional description, we classify codimension-two surface operators of the GL-twisted theory, generalizing those surface operators studied by S. Gukov and E. Witten. For t=i, we propose a complete description of the 2-category of surface operators in terms of module categories, and, in addition, we determine the monoidal category of line operators which includes Wilson lines as special objects. For t=1 and t=0, we discuss surface and line operators in the abelian case.
\r\n\r\nWe generalize Kapustin-Witten also by analyzing a separate twisted version of N=4, the Vafa-Witten theory. After introducing a new four-dimensional topological gauge theory, the gauged 4d A-model, we locate the Vafa-Witten theory as a special case. Compactification of the Vafa-Witten theory on a circle and on a Riemann surface is discussed. Several novel two- and three-dimensional topological gauge theories are studied throughout the thesis and in the appendices.
\r\n\r\nIn work unrelated to the main thread of the thesis, we conclude by classifying codimension-one topological defects in two-dimensional sigma models with various amounts of supersymmetry.
" }, { "name": "Bashkirov, Denis", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2012", "title": "Symmetries in Three-Dimensional Superconformal Quantum Field Theories", "advisor": "Kapustin, Anton N.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05112012-122450178", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Bashkirov", "given": "Denis" }, "id": "Bashkirov-Denis", "display_name": "Bashkirov, Denis" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/61EK-5K70", "abstract": "Many examples of gauge-gravity duality and quantum equivalences of different-looking three-dimensional Quantum Field Theories indicate the existence of continuous symmetries whose currents are not built from elementary, or perturbative, elds used to write down the Lagrangian. These symmetries are called hidden or nonperturbative.
\r\n\r\nWe describe a method for studying continuous symmetries in a large class of three-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories which, in particular, enables one to explore nonperturbative global symmetries and supersymmetries. As an application of the method, we prove conjectured supersymmetry enhancement in strongly coupled ABJM theory from N = 6 to N = 8 and nd additional nonperturbative evidence for its duality to the N = 8 U(N) SYM theory for the minimal value of the Chern-Simons coupling. Hidden supersymmetry is also shown to occur in N = 4 d = 3 SQCD with one fundamental and one adjoint hypermultiplets. An innite family of N = 6 d = 3 ABJ theories is proved to have hidden N = 8 superconformal symmetry and hidden parity on the quantum level. We test several conjectural dualities between ABJ theories and theories proposed by Bagger and Lambert, and Gustavsson by comparing superconformal indices of these theories. Comparison of superconformal indices is also used to test dualities between N = 2 d = 3 theories proposed by Aharony, the analysis of whose chiral rings teaches some general lessons about nonperturbative chiral operators of strongly coupled 3d supersymmetric gauge theories.
\r\n\r\nAs another application of our method we consider examples of hidden global symmetries in a class of quiver three-dimensional N = 4 superconformal gauge theories. Finally, we point out to the relations between some basic properties of superconformal N = 6 theories\r\nand their symmetries.
\r\n\r\nThe results presented in this thesis were obtained in a series of papers [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
" }, { "name": "Song, Jaewon", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2012", "title": "4d/2d Correspondence: Instantons and W-Algebras", "advisor": "Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05302012-170816705", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Song", "given": "Jaewon" }, "id": "Song-Jaewon", "orcid": "0000-0002-1238-2435", "display_name": "Song, Jaewon" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Spiropulu", "given": "Maria" }, "id": "Spiropulu-M", "orcid": "0000-0001-8172-7081", "role": "member", "display_name": "Spiropulu, Maria" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/WP20-DX98", "abstract": "In this thesis, we study the 4d/2d correspondence of Alday-Gaiotto-Tachikawa, which relates the class of 4-dimensional N=2 gauge theories (theories of class S) to a 2-dimensional conformal field theory. The 4d gauge theories are obtained by compactifying 6-dimensional N=(2, 0) theory of type A, D, E on a Riemann surface C. On the 2-dimensional side, we have Toda theory on the surface C with W-algebra symmetry, which is an extension of the Virasoro symmetry. In particular, the instanton partition function of the 4d gauge theory is reproduced by a conformal/chiral block of Virasoro/W-algebra. We develop techniques to compute the partition functions on 4d and 2d sides, for various gauge groups and matter fields.
\r\n\r\nWe generalize the Alday-Gaiotto-Tachikawa 4d/2d correspondence to various cases. First, we study N=2 pure Yang-Mills theory with arbitrary gauge groups, including the exceptional groups. We explicitly construct the corresponding W-algebra currents, and confirm the correspondence holds at 1-instanton level. Second, we study the conformal quiver theory with Sp(1)-SO(4) gauge group. Finally, we study Sicilian gauge theories with trifundamental half-hypermultiplets. We also find that the conformal theories with Sp(1) gauge group and SU(2) gauge group have different instanton partition functions in terms of bare gauge couplings. We show this is an artifact of the renormalization scheme, by explicitly constructing a map between the bare couplings and studying its geometrical interpretations. This demonstrates the scheme independence of renormalization at the non-perturbative level.
" }, { "name": "Willett, Brian M.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2012", "title": "Localization and Dualities in Three Dimensional Superconformal Field Theories", "advisor": "Kapustin, Anton N.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05312012-151945114", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Willett", "given": "Brian M." }, "id": "Willett-Brian-M", "display_name": "Willett, Brian M." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/F9V6-HD05", "abstract": "In this thesis we apply the technique of localization to three-dimensional N=2 superconformal field theories. We consider both theories which are exactly superconformal, and those which are believed to flow to nontrivial superconformal fixed points, for which we consider implicitly these fixed points. We find that in such theories, the partition function and certain supersymmetric observables, such as Wilson loops, can be computed exactly by a matrix model. This matrix model consists of an integral over g, the Lie algebra of the gauge group of the theory, of a certain product of 1-loop factors and classical contributions. One can also consider a space of supersymmetric deformations of the partition function corresponding to the set of abelian global symmetries.
\r\n \r\nIn the second part of the thesis we apply these results to test dualities. We start with the case of ABJM theory, which is dual to M-theory on an asymptotically AdS_4xS^7 background. We extract strong coupling results in the field theory, which can be compared to semiclassical, weak coupling results in the gravity theory, and a nontrivial agreement is found. We also consider several classes of dualities between two three-dimensional field theories, namely, 3D mirror symmetry, Aharony duality, and Giveon-Kutasov duality. Here the dualities are typically between the IR limits of two Yang-Mills theories, which are strongly coupled in three dimensions since Yang-Mills theory is asymptotically free here. Thus the comparison is again very nontrivial, and relies on the exactness of the localization computation. We also compare the deformed partition functions, which tests the mapping of global symmetries of the dual theories. Finally, we discuss some recent progress in the understanding of general three-dimensional theories in the form of the F-theorem, a conjectured analogy to the a-theorem in four dimensions and c-theorem in two dimensions, which is closely related to the localization computation.
" }, { "name": "Yaakov, Itamar", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2012", "title": "Localization of Gauge Theories on the Three-Sphere", "advisor": "Kapustin, Anton N.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05312012-204458381", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Yaakov", "given": "Itamar" }, "id": "Yaakov-Itamar", "display_name": "Yaakov, Itamar" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/8AMG-0B70", "abstract": "We describe the application of localization techniques to the path integral for supersymmetric gauge theories in three dimensions. The localization procedure reduces the computation of the expectation value of BPS observables to a calculation in a matrix model. We describe the ingredients of this model for a general quiver gauge theory and the incorporation of supersymmetric deformations and observables.
\r\n\r\nWe use the matrix model expressions to test several duality conjectures for supersymmetric gauge theories. We perform tests of mirror symmetry of three-dimensional quiver gauge theories and of Seiberg-like dualities. Specifically, we explicitly show that the partition functions of the dual pairs, which are highly nontrivial functions of the deformations, agree. We describe extensions of these dualities which can be inferred from the form of the partition functions. We review the application of the matrix model to the study of renormalization group flow and the space of conformal field theories in three dimensions.
" }, { "name": "Bandr\u00e9s Motola, Miguel Angel", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2011", "title": "Superconformal Chern-Simons Theories and Their String Theory Duals", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05242011-235017396", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Bandr\u00e9s Motola", "given": "Miguel Angel" }, "id": "Bandr\u00e9s-Motola-Miguel-Angel", "orcid": "0000-0002-7145-8567", "display_name": "Bandr\u00e9s Motola, Miguel Angel" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/2D9D-1876", "abstract": "In this thesis, we consider two aspects of the conjectured gauge theory/string theory correspondence between three-dimensional maximal supersymmetric conformal field theories, which describe the world-volume theory of multiple M2-branes in flat space, and M-theory on AdS4 x S7.
\r\n\r\nFirst we study three classes of N = 6,8 superconformal Chern-Simons theories that are related to the gauge theory side of the correspondence: the Bagger-Lambert (BL) theories based on 3-algebras, the Lorentzian signature 3-algebra theories, and the Aharony-Bergman-Jafferis-Maldacena (ABJM) theories. We verify the superconformal symmetry of the BL theory, prove that it is parity conserving and conjecture the (by now proven) uniqueness of its SO(4) realization. We then consider the Lorentzian signature 3-algebra theories and show that although the ghosts can be removed to ensure unitarity by gauging certain global symmetries, the resulting theories spontaneously break the conformal symmetry and reduce to maximally supersymmetric three-dimensional Yang-Mills theories. After this, we recast the ABJM theory in a form for which the SU(4) R-symmetry of the action is manifest; then we use this form to verify in complete detail the OSp(6|4) superconformal symmetry of the theory and to express the scalar potential as a sum of squares.
\r\n\r\nNext, we study the one-loop correction to the energy of a point-particle and circular string solutions to type IIA string theory on AdS4 x CP3. We compute the spectrum of fluctuations for each of these solutions using two techniques, known as the algebraic curve approach and the world-sheet approach. We propose a new prescription for computing the one-loop corrections that gives well-defined results and agrees with the predictions of the all-loop Bethe ansatz for our point-particle and circular string solutions as well as for previous folded-spinning string solutions.
" }, { "name": "Dulaney, Timothy Ryan", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2011", "title": "Beyond the Standard Cosmology: Anisotropic Inflation and Baryophilic Dark Matter", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05122011-161711413", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Dulaney", "given": "Timothy Ryan" }, "id": "Dulaney-Timothy-Ryan", "display_name": "Dulaney, Timothy Ryan" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Kamionkowski", "given": "Marc P." }, "id": "Kamionkowski-M-P", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kamionkowski, Marc P." }, { "name": { "family": "Golwala", "given": "Sunil" }, "id": "Golwala-S-R", "role": "member", "display_name": "Golwala, Sunil" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/ZSV6-RF08", "abstract": "This thesis discusses two topics in cosmology that resulted in two independent publications. The first topic concerns persistent anisotropy during inflation and the second topic concerns a model of baryophillic dark matter.
\r\n\r\nThe motivation for the project contained within chapter one came from indications in the cosmic microwave background data that seemed to suggest that there may be a cosmologically preferred direction. Moira Gresham and I derived quantitative predictions about the signals one would observe in Cosmic Microwave Background data if isotropy is not assumed during inflation. We considered a particular example of a dynamical theory of anisotropic inflation that is characterized by a scalar field which is nonminimally coupled to an isotropy breaking abelian gauge field, thereby slowing the decay of the gauge field energy density.
\r\n\r\nThe motivation for the project contained within chapter two came from the observation that the global symmetries B (baryon number) and L (lepton number) of the standard model Lagrangian must be broken by higher-dimensional operators at a very high scale. Pavel F. Perez, Mark B. Wise and I analyzed a model that explained the protection of these accidental global symmetries by promoting B and L to gauge symmetries. This model has a natural dark matter, candidate and we discuss the experimental constraints on the parameters in the theory.
\r\n\r\nUnexpected results are found in each chapter. For example, in chapter two, we find that the anisotropic contribution to the tensor power spectrum is suppressed with respect to that of the scalar power spectrum and, in chapter three, we show that a baryon asymmetry can be generated even within a model that has baryon number as a gauge symmetry.
" }, { "name": "Lipstein, Arthur Elias", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2011", "title": "Integrability of N = 6 Chern-Simons theory", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05122011-105136289", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Lipstein", "given": "Arthur Elias" }, "id": "Lipstein-Arthur-Elias", "display_name": "Lipstein, Arthur Elias" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "role": "member", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/QDSM-8448", "abstract": "In 2008, Aharony, Bergman, Jafferis, and Maldacena (ABJM) discovered a three-dimensional Chern-Simons theory with N = 6 supersymmetry and conjectured that in a certain limit, this theory is dual to type IIA string theory on AdS4xCP3. Since then, a great deal of evidence has been accumulated which suggests that the ABJM theory is integrable in the planar limit. Integrability is a very useful property that allows many physical observables, such as anomalous dimensions and scattering amplitudes, to be computed efficiently. In the first half of this thesis, we will explain how to use integrabilty to compute the anomalous dimensions of long, single-trace operators in the ABJM theory. In particular, we will describe how to compute them at weak coupling using a Bethe Ansatz, and how to compute them at strong coupling using string theory. The latter approach involves using algebraic curve and world-sheet techniques to compute the energies of string states dual to gauge theory operators. In the second half of this thesis, we will discuss integrability from the point of view of on-shell scattering amplitudes in the ABJM theory. In particular, we will describe how to parameterize the amplitudes in terms of supertwistors and how to relate higher-point tree-level amplitudes to lower-point tree-level amplitudes using a recursion relation. We will also explain how this recursion relation can be used to show that all tree-level amplitudes of the ABJM theory are invariant under dual superconformal symmetry. This symmetry is hidden from the point of the action and implies that the theory has Yangian symmetry, which is a key feature of integrability. This thesis is mainly based on the material in [94], [76], and [77]." }, { "name": "Ackerman Mayer, Lotty", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2010", "title": "A Quest for the Physics Beyond the Cosmological Standard Model", "advisor": "Carroll, Sean M.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-08252009-151953", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Ackerman Mayer", "given": "Lotty" }, "id": "Ackerman-Mayer-Lotty", "display_name": "Ackerman Mayer, Lotty" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Kamionkowski", "given": "Marc P." }, "id": "Kamionkowski-M-P", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kamionkowski, Marc P." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Golwala", "given": "Sunil" }, "id": "Golwala-S-R", "role": "member", "display_name": "Golwala, Sunil" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/F0TW-C269", "abstract": "Recent advances in observational cosmology have culminated in the establishment of the cosmological standard model. In spite of this remarkable achievement, the underlying physics remains unknown.
\r\n\r\nIn this thesis we propose models whose predictions can be compared with observations, and can thereby help us discover this as-yet unknown physics of the Universe. We examine (i) the consequences that a preferred direction during the inflationary era would have on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies, (ii) the effect of asymmetric beams in the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), (iii) astrophysical consequences of a dark photon that couples only to dark matter, and (iv) explore a mechanism for producing density perturbations during the period of reheating.
\r\n" }, { "name": "Dimofte, Tudor Dan", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2010", "title": "Refined BPS Invariants, Chern-Simons Theory, and the Quantum Dilogarithm", "advisor": "Gukov, Sergei; Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05142010-131147918", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Dimofte", "given": "Tudor Dan" }, "id": "Dimofte-Tudor-Dan", "display_name": "Dimofte, Tudor Dan" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "co-advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" }, { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "co-chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Calegari", "given": "Danny C." }, "id": "Calegari-D", "orcid": "0009-0007-9304-2822", "role": "member", "display_name": "Calegari, Danny C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/Q6WF-D678", "abstract": "In this thesis, we consider two main subjects: the refined BPS invariants of Calabi-Yau threefolds, and three-dimensional Chern-Simons theory with complex gauge group. We study the wall-crossing behavior of refined BPS invariants using a variety of techniques, including a four-dimensional supergravity analysis, statistical-mechanical melting crystal models, and relations to new mathematical invariants. We conjecture an equivalence between refined invariants and the motivic Donaldson-Thomas invariants of Kontsevich and Soibelman. We then consider perturbative Chern-Simons theory with complex gauge group, combining traditional and novel approaches to the theory (including a new state integral model) to obtain exact results for perturbative partition functions. We thus obtain a new class of topological invariants, which are not of finite type, defined in the background of genuinely nonabelian flat connections. The two main topics, BPS invariants and Chern-Simons theory, are connected at both a formal and (we believe) deeper conceptual level by the striking central role that the quantum dilogarithm function plays in each." }, { "name": "Gresham, Moira I.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2010", "title": "Lorentz Symmetry Breaking in a Cosmological Context", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05252010-135506831", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Gresham", "given": "Moira I." }, "id": "Gresham-Moira-I", "display_name": "Gresham, Moira I." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-4226-5758", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." }, { "name": { "family": "Hirata", "given": "Christopher M." }, "id": "Hirata-C-M", "orcid": "0000-0002-2951-4932", "role": "member", "display_name": "Hirata, Christopher M." }, { "name": { "family": "Golwala", "given": "Sunil" }, "id": "Golwala-S-R", "orcid": "0000-0002-1098-7174", "role": "member", "display_name": "Golwala, Sunil" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/9G69-3Z95", "abstract": "This thesis is comprised primarily of work from three independent papers, written in collaboration with Sean Carroll, Tim Dulaney, and Heywood Tam. The original motivation for the projects undertaken came from revisiting the standard assumption of spatial isotropy during inflation. Each project relates to the spontaneous breaking of Lorentz symmetry---in early Universe cosmology or in the context of effective field theory, in general. Chapter 1 is an introductory chapter that provides context for the thesis. Chapter 2 is an investigation of the stability of theories in which Lorentz invariance is spontaneously broken by fixed-norm vector \"aether\" fields. It is shown that models with generic kinetic terms are plagued either by ghosts or by tachyons, and are therefore physically unacceptable. Chapter 3 is an investigation of the phenomenological properties of the one low-energy effective theory of spontaneous Lorentz symmetry breaking found in the previous chapter to have a globally bounded Hamiltonian and a perturbatively stable vacuum---the theory in which the Lagrangian takes the form of a sigma model. In chapter 4 cosmological perturbations in a dynamical theory of inflation in which an Abelian gauge field couples directly to the inflaton are examined. The dominant effects of a small, persistent anisotropy on the primordial gravitational wave and curvature perturbation power spectra are found using the \"in-in\" formalism of perturbation theory. It is found that the primordial power spectra of cosmological perturbations gain significant direction dependence and that the fractional direction dependence of the tensor power spectrum is suppressed in comparison to that of the scalar power spectrum. " }, { "name": "Park, Chang-Soon", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2010", "title": "Topics in Supersymmetry Breaking and Gauge/Gravity Dualities", "advisor": "Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:05042010-150716614", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Park", "given": "Chang-Soon" }, "id": "Park-Chang-Soon", "display_name": "Park, Chang-Soon" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/9F6Q-ZT22", "abstract": "The thesis covers two topics in string theory and quantum field theory. First, we realize metastable vacua in various supersymmetric gauge theories. Specifically, we consider the Coulomb branch of any N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theory, and perturb it by a superpotential and engineer a metastable vacuum at a point. We also study its relation to Kahler normal coordinates and Fayet-Iliopoulos terms. Having studied the metastable construction, we apply this to general gauge mediation. We show how to compute the current correlators when the hidden sector is strongly coupled in specific examples.
\r\n\r\nNext, we consider gauge/gravity dualities. We apply dualities to the investigation of various strongly coupled field theories. In one example, we construct M-theory supergravity solutions with the nonrelativistic Schroedinger symmetry starting from the warped AdS_5 metric with N = 1 supersymmetry. We impose that the lightlike direction is compact by making it a nontrivial U(1) bundle over the compact space. In another example, we show that, in a gravity theory with a Chern-Simons coupling, the Reissner-Nordstrom black hole in anti-de Sitter space is unstable depending on the value of the Chern-Simons coupling. The analysis suggests that the final configuration is likely to be a spatially modulated phase.
" }, { "name": "Vyas, Ketan D.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2010", "title": "Topics in Topological and Holomorphic Quantum Field Theory", "advisor": "Kapustin, Anton N.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06012010-010858409", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Vyas", "given": "Ketan D." }, "id": "Vyas-Ketan-D", "display_name": "Vyas, Ketan D." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/QPRX-0V43", "abstract": "We investigate topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) in two, three, and four dimensions, as well as holomorphic quantum field theories (HQFTs) in four dimensions. After a brief overview of the two-dimensional (gauged) A and B models and the corresponding the category of branes, we construct analogous three-dimensional (gauged) A and B models and discuss the two-category of boundary conditions. Compactification allows us to identify the category of line operators in the three-dimensional A and B models with the category of branes in the corresponding two-dimensional A and B models. Furthermore, we use compactification to identify the two-category of surface operators in the four-dimensional GL theory at t = 1 and t = i with the two-category of boundary conditions in the corresponding three-dimensional A and B model, respectively.
\r\n\r\nWe construct a four-dimensional HQFT related to N = 1 supersymmetric quantum chromodynamics (SQCD) with gauge group SU(2) and two flavors, as well as a four-dimensional HQFT related to the Seiberg dual chiral model. On closed Kahler surfaces with h(2,0) > 0, we show that the correlation functions of holomorphic SQCD formally compute certain Donaldson invariants. For simply-connected elliptic surfaces (and their blow-ups), we show that the corresponding correlation functions in the holomorphic chiral model explicitly compute these Donaldson invariants.
" }, { "name": "Tulin, Sean Michael", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2009", "title": "Supersymmetry: From Baryogenesis at the Electroweak Phase Transition to Low-Energy Precision Experiments", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06102009-114711", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Tulin", "given": "Sean Michael" }, "id": "Tulin-Sean-Michael", "display_name": "Tulin, Sean Michael" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark" }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark" }, { "name": { "family": "Kamionkowski", "given": "Mark" }, "id": "Kamionkowski-M-P", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kamionkowski, Mark" }, { "name": { "family": "Ramsey-Musolf", "given": "Michael J." }, "id": "Ramsey-Musolf-M-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J." }, { "name": { "family": "McKeown", "given": "Robert D." }, "id": "McKeown-R-D", "role": "member", "display_name": "McKeown, Robert D." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/HYKE-VY04", "abstract": "Electroweak-scale supersymmetry is one of the most popular extensions of the Standard Model and has many important implications for nuclear physics, particle physics, and cosmology. First, supersymmetric electroweak baryogenesis may explain the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. In this scenario, electroweak symmetry is broken in the early universe by a first-order phase transition, when bubbles of broken phase nucleate and expand, eventually consuming the unbroken phase. Charge density is generated within the expanding bubble wall and diffuses into the unbroken phase. Through inelastic collisions in the plasma, this charge is partially converted into left-handed quark and lepton charge, which in turn leads to the production of baryon number through weak sphaleron transitions.\r\nIn this work, we study these charge transport dynamics, from its generation within the bubble wall, to the final baryon asymmetry.
\r\n\r\nWe evaluate which collisions are important for baryogenesis, and what is their impact upon the final baryon asymmetry. Our main result is that bottom and tau Yukawa interactions, previously neglected, can play a crucial role, affecting the magnitude and sign of baryon asymmetry. We investigate how this works in detail in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM); we suggest that these interactions may be even more important in gauge-singlet extensions of the MSSM. Second, low-energy precision measurements of weak decays may provide interesting signals of supersymmetry. We study in detail the supersymmetric radiative corrections to (i) leptonic pion decay branching ratios, and (ii) muon and beta decay coefficients. A deviation from the Standard Model predictions would imply strong departures from the minimal, commonly-assumed, theoretical assumptions about supersymmetry breaking.
" }, { "name": "Cook, Paul Langabi Hogan", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2008", "title": "Aspects of Topological String Theory", "advisor": "Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05272008-225257", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Cook", "given": "Paul Langabi Hogan" }, "id": "Cook-Paul-Langabi-Hogan", "display_name": "Cook, Paul Langabi Hogan" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Filippone", "given": "Bradley W." }, "id": "Filippone-B-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Filippone, Bradley W." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Carroll", "given": "Sean M." }, "id": "Carroll-S-M", "role": "member", "display_name": "Carroll, Sean M." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/X29T-G794", "abstract": "Two aspects of the topological string and its applications are considered in this thesis. Firstly, non-perturbative contributions to the OSV conjecture relating four-dimensional extremal black holes and the closed topological string partition function are studied. A new technique is formulated for encapsulating these contributions for the case of a Calabi-Yau manifold constructed by fibering two line bundle over a torus, with the unexpected property that the resulting non-perturbative completion of the topological string partition function is such that the black hole partition function is equal to a product of a chiral and an anti-chiral function. This new approach is considered both in the context of the requirement of background independence for the topological string, and for more general Calabi-Yau manifolds. Secondly, this thesis provides a microscopic derivation of the open topological string holomorphic anomaly equations proposed by Walcher in arXiv:0705.4098 under the assumption that open string moduli do not contribute. In doing so, however, new anomalies are found for compact Calabi-Yau manifolds when the disk one-point functions (string to boundary amplitudes) are non-zero. These new anomalies introduce coupling to wrong moduli (complex structure moduli in A-model and Kahler moduli in B-model), and spoil the recursive structure of the holomorphic anomaly equations. For vanishing disk one-point functions, the open string holomorphic anomaly equations can be integrated to solve for amplitudes recursively, using a Feynman diagram approach, for which a proof is presented." }, { "name": "Yang, Jie", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2008", "title": "Holomorphic Anomaly Equations in Topological String Theory", "advisor": "Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05302008-111309", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Yang", "given": "Jie" }, "id": "Yang-Jie", "display_name": "Yang, Jie" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/A7K8-8W74", "abstract": "In this thesis we discuss various aspects of topological string theories. In particular we provide a derivation of the holomorphic anomaly equation for open strings and study aspects of the Ooguri, Strominger, and Vafa conjecture.
\r\n\r\nTopological string theory is a computable theory. The amplitudes of the closed topological string satisfy a holomorphic anomaly equation, which is a recursive differential equation. Recently this equation has been extended to the open topological string. We discuss the derivation of this open holomorphic anomaly equation. We find that open topological string amplitudes have new anomalies that spoil the recursive structure of the equation and introduce dependence on wrong moduli (such as complex structure moduli in the A-model), unless the disk one-point functions vanish. We also show that a general solution to the extended holomorphic anomaly equation for the open topological string on D-branes in a Calabi-Yau manifold, is obtained from the general solution to the holomorphic anomaly equations for the closed topological string on the same manifold, by shifting the closed string moduli by amounts proportional to the 't Hooft coupling.
\r\n\r\nAn important application of closed topological string theory is the Ooguri, Strominger, and Vafa conjecture, which states that a certain black hole partition function is a product of topological and anti-topological string partition functions. However when the black hole has finite size, the relation becomes complicated. In a specific example, we find a new factorization rule in terms of a pair of functions which we interpret as the \"non-perturbative' completion of the topological string partition functions.
" }, { "name": "Kile, Jennifer E.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2007", "title": "Constraints on Physics Beyond the Standard Model and its Observable Effects", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.; Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05282007-034337", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Kile", "given": "Jennifer E." }, "id": "Kile-Jennifer-E", "display_name": "Kile, Jennifer E." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Ramsey-Musolf", "given": "Michael J" }, "id": "Ramsey-Musolf-M-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Ramsey-Musolf", "given": "Michael J." }, "id": "Ramsey-Musolf-M-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "McKeown", "given": "Robert D." }, "id": "McKeown-R-D", "role": "member", "display_name": "McKeown, Robert D." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/KSBC-RD46", "abstract": "In this work, we describe three analyses, all of which involve physics beyond the Standard Model. The first two discussed here are closely related; they use effective operator analyses to constrain the contributions of physics beyond the SM to observable processes. The third project involves the investigations of a particular extra-dimensions model which addresses the cosmological constant problem.
\r\n\r\nThe first project which we will discuss uses the scale of neutrino mass to place model-independent constraints on the coefficients of the chirality-changing terms in the muon decay Lagrangian. We list all of the dimension-six effective operators which contribute to muon decay and Dirac mass for the neutrino. We then calculate the one-loop contributions that each of these operators makes to neutrino mass. Taking a generic element of the neutrino mass matrix to be of order ~ 1 eV, we derive limits on the contributions of these operators to the muon Michel parameters which are approximately four orders of magnitude more stringent than the current experimental results, and well below near-future experimental sensitivity. We also find two chirality-changing operators, which, due to their flavor structure, are unconstrained by neutrino mass yet contribute to muon decay. However, as these two operators differ from those constrained by neutrino mass only by their flavor indices, we naively expect their contributions to also be small; if their effects instead turn out to be observable, this may be an indication of beyond-the-Standard-Model physics with an interesting flavor structure.
\r\n\r\nIn the second analysis, we again perform an effective operator analysis, this time applied to Higgs production at a linear collider. Here we include all dimension-six operators containing fermions which contribute to Higgs production. We again include operators that contain right-handed Dirac neutrinos. We obtain limits on these operators from electroweak precision observables, the scale of neutrino mass, and limits on neutrino magnetic moments, and use these limits to constrain the contributions of these operators to the Higgs production cross-section. Although we find that all operators containing right-handed neutrinos contribute negligibly to Higgs production, we do find three operators containing only SM fields which could have observable contributions at an e\u207ae\u207b linear collider.
\r\n\r\nLastly, we discuss the characteristics of a particular extra-dimensions model originally proposed by Carroll and Guica [54]. This model has two extra dimensions compactified into a sphere, a bulk magnetic field, and a bulk cosmological constant. In this model, the cosmological constant seen by a four-dimensional observer can be set to zero by fine-tuning the bulk magnetic field against the bulk cosmological constant. If branes with a tension are added at each of the poles of the two-sphere, solutions with zero four-dimensional cosmological constant are still possible, but the compactified dimensions must acquire a deficit angle which depends on the brane tension. However, the brane tension does not affect the fine-tuning relationship between the bulk cosmological constant and the bulk magnetic field. This feature led to the hope that, after this fine-tuning, the model might self-tune, keeping the four-dimensional cosmological constant zero regardless of what happens to the brane tension by adjusting the deficit angle. We speculated that this self-tuning property would imply a massless scalar mode in the perturbed Einstein's equations; as there exist very stringent limits on scalar-tensor theories of gravity, a massless scalar mode would make this model incompatible with observation. We conducted a search for such modes, and found none which satisfied the boundary conditions. This finding led us to speculate that this model does not, in fact, have a self-tuning property.
" }, { "name": "O'Connell, D\u00f3nal", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2007", "title": "Unusual Signs in Quantum Field Theory", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05242007-141715", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "O'Connell", "given": "D\u00f3nal" }, "id": "O'Connell-D\u00f3nal", "orcid": "0000-0001-8886-6391", "display_name": "O'Connell, D\u00f3nal" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Filippone", "given": "Bradley W." }, "id": "Filippone-B-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Filippone, Bradley W." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Ramsey-Musolf", "given": "Michael J." }, "id": "Ramsey-Musolf-M-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/FEFB-JZ53", "abstract": "Quantum field theory is by now a mature field. Nevertheless, certain physical phenomena remain difficult to understand. This occurs in some cases because well-established quantum field theories are strongly coupled and therefore difficult to solve; in other cases, our current understanding of quantum field theory seems to be inadequate. In this thesis, we will discuss various modifications of quantum field theory which can help to alleviate certain of these problems, either in their own right or as a component of a greater computational scheme. The modified theories we will consider all include unusual signs in some aspect of the theory. We will also discuss limitations on what we might expect to see in experiments, imposed by sign constraints in the customary formulation of quantum field theory." }, { "name": "Salem, Michael Phillip", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2007", "title": "Topics in Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05222007-105100", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Salem", "given": "Michael Phillip" }, "id": "Salem-Michael-Phillip", "display_name": "Salem, Michael Phillip" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Kamionkowski", "given": "Marc P." }, "id": "Kamionkowski-M-P", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kamionkowski, Marc P." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/BQ6Q-DA17", "abstract": "We first delve into particle phenomenology with a study of soft-collinear effective theory (SCET), an effective theory for Quantum Chromodynamics for when all particles are approximately on their light-cones. In particular, we study the matching of SCET(I) involving ultrasoft and collinear particles onto SCET(II) involving soft and collinear particles. We show that the modes in SCET(II) are sufficient to reproduce all of the infrared divergences of SCET(I), a result that was previously in contention.
\r\n\r\nNext we move into early universe cosmology and study alternative mechanisms for generating primordial density perturbations. We study the inhomogeneous reheating mechanism and extend it to describe the scenario where the freeze-out process for a heavy particle is modulated by sub-dominant fields that received fluctuations during inflation. This scenario results in perturbations that are comparable to those generated by the original inhomogeneous reheating scenarios. In addition, we study yet another alternative to single field inflation whereby the curvature perturbation is generated by interactions at the end of inflation, as opposed to when inflaton modes exit the horizon. We clarify the circumstances under which this process can dominate over the standard one and we show that it may result in a spectrum with an observable level of non-Gaussianities.
\r\n\r\nWe then turn to studies of the landscape paradigm, which hypothesizes that the observed universe is just one among a multitude of possibilities that are realized in separate causal regions. Such a landscape has been used to explain the smallness of the cosmological constant, at least when only it scans across the landscape. We study the scenario where both the cosmological constant and the strength of gravity, parameterized by the effective Planck mass, scan across the landscape. We find that selection effects acting on the cosmological constant are significantly weaker in this scenario and we find the measured value of the Planck mass to be exponentially unlikely under certain plausible assumptions about the landscape. Finally, we study some other models of the landscape as part of a possible explanation for quark-sector flavor parameters in the Standard Model. In this picture quark Yukawa couplings result from overlap integrals involving quark and Higgs wavefunctions in compactified extra dimensions, and the values we measure result from random selection from a landscape of possibilities. We find that many of the salient features of the measured flavor parameters are typical of the landscape distribution.
" }, { "name": "Wang, Peng", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2007", "title": "Neutrina Mass Implications for Physics Beyond the Standard Model", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.; Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05312007-144931", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Wang", "given": "Peng" }, "id": "Wang-Peng", "display_name": "Wang, Peng" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Ramsey-Musolf", "given": "Michael J." }, "id": "Ramsey-Musolf-M-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Filippone", "given": "Bradley W." }, "id": "Filippone-B-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Filippone, Bradley W." }, { "name": { "family": "Ramsey-Musolf", "given": "Michael J." }, "id": "Ramsey-Musolf-M-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J." }, { "name": { "family": "Vogel", "given": "Petr" }, "id": "Vogel-P", "role": "member", "display_name": "Vogel, Petr" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/4AGY-DF85", "abstract": "We begin by working out an effective field theory valid below some new physics scale for Dirac neutrinos and Majorana neutrinos, respectively. For Dirac neutrinos, we obtain a complete basis of effective dimension four and dimension six operators that are invariant under the gauge symmetry of the Standard Model. As for Majorana neutrinos, we come up with a complete basis of effective dimension five and dimension seven operators that are invariant under the gauge symmetry of the Standard Model. Using the effective theory, we derive model-independent, \"naturalness\" upper bounds on the magnetic moments of Dirac neutrinos and Majorana neutrinos generated by physics above the scale of electroweak symmetry breaking. In the absence of fine-tuning of effective operator coefficients, for Dirac neutrinos, we find that current information on neutrino mass implies that the bound on neutrino magnetic moments is several orders of magnitude stronger than those obtained from analyses of solar and reactor neutrino data and astrophysical observations. As for Majorana neutrinos, the magnetic moment contribution to the mass is Yukawa suppressed. The bounds we derive for magnetic moments of Majorana neutrinos are weaker than present experimental limits if neutrino magnetic moments are generated by new physics at around 1 TeV, and surpass current experimental sensitivity only for new physics scales >10-100 TeV. The discovery of a neutrino magnetic moment near present limits would thus signify that neutrinos are Majorana particles. Then, we use the scale of neutrino mass to derive model-independent naturalness constraints on possible contributions to muon decay Michel parameters. We show that -- in the absence of fine-tuning -- the most stringent bounds on chirality-changing operators relevant to muon decay arise from one-loop contributions to neutrino mass. The bounds we obtain on their contributions to the Michel parameters are four or more orders of magnitude stronger than bounds previously obtained in the literature. We also show that, if neutrinos are Dirac fermions, there exist chirality-changing operators that contribute to muon decay but whose flavor structure allows them to evade neutrino mass naturalness bounds. We discuss the implications of our analysis for the interpretation of muon decay experiments. Finally, we use the upper limit on the neutrino mass to derive model-independent naturalness constraints on some non-Standard-Model interactions of beta decays. In the absence of fine-tuning of effective operator coefficients, our results yield constraints on scalar and tensor weak interactions one or more orders of magnitude stronger than a recent global fit after combined with the current experimental limits. We also show that, if neutrinos are Majorana fermions, there exist four-fermion operators that contribute to beta decay but whose flavor structure allows them to evade neutrino mass naturalness bounds. Constraints on the beta decay parameters by CKM Unitarity, ratio of positive pion decays, and pion beta decays are discussed as well." }, { "name": "Dorsten, Matthew Paul", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2006", "title": "Topics in Heavy Particle Effective Theories", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05262006-125115", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Dorsten", "given": "Matthew Paul" }, "id": "Dorsten-Matthew Paul", "display_name": "Dorsten, Matthew Paul" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Politzer", "given": "Hugh David" }, "id": "Politzer-H-D", "role": "member", "display_name": "Politzer, Hugh David" }, { "name": { "family": "Hughes", "given": "Emlyn Willard" }, "id": "Hughes-Emlyn-Willard", "role": "member", "display_name": "Hughes, Emlyn Willard" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/2SCF-KR56", "abstract": "This thesis gives several applications of effective field theory to processes involving heavy particles. The first is a standard application of heavy quark effective theory to exclusive B decays. It involves two sum rules giving constraints on the curvature of the B\u2192D Isgur-Wise function. This thesis calculates order alpha corrections to these constraints, increasing the accuracy of the resultant constraints on the physical form factors.
\r\n\r\nThe second application involves matching SCETI onto SCETII at one loop. Keeping the external fermions off their mass shell does not regulate all IR divergences in both theories. The work described here gives a new prescription to regulate infrared divergences in SCET. Using this regulator, we show that soft and collinear modes in SCETII are sufficient to reproduce all the infrared divergences of SCETI. We explain the relationship between IR regulators and an additional mode proposed for SCETII.
\r\n\r\nNext we consider top production at large energies. The production process is characterized by three disparate energy scales: the center-of-mass energy (E), the mass (m), and the decay width (Gamma). At the scale E we match onto massive soft-collinear effective theory (SCET). The SCET current is run from E to m, thereby summing Sudakov logarithms of the form logn(m/E), where n=2,1. At the scale m, the top quark mass is integrated out by matching SCET jet functions onto a boosted version of heavy quark effective theory (bHQET). The jet functions in bHQET are then run from m to Gamma, summing powers of single logarithms of the ratio m/Gamma.
\r\n\r\nUnder certain assumptions factorization formulas can be derived for differential distributions in processes involving highly energetic jets, such as jet energy distributions. As a final topic, we show how to test these assumptions using semileptonic or radiative decays of heavy mesons, by relating the jet P\u207a distribution derived under these assumptions to other differential distributions in these decays, which are better understood.
" }, { "name": "Evnin, Oleg", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2006", "title": "On Quantum Interacting Embedded Geometrical Objects of Various Dimensions", "advisor": "Gubser, Steven Scott; Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06072006-174745", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Evnin", "given": "Oleg" }, "id": "Evnin-Oleg", "orcid": "0000-0001-5999-778X", "display_name": "Evnin, Oleg" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Gubser", "given": "Steven Scott" }, "id": "Gubser-S-S", "orcid": "0000-0001-5214-1786", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Gubser, Steven Scott" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Gukov", "given": "Sergei" }, "id": "Gukov-S", "orcid": "0000-0002-9486-1762", "role": "member", "display_name": "Gukov, Sergei" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/1VN2-VZ71", "abstract": "Modern string theory naturally gives rise to an assortment of dynamical geometrical objects of various dimensions (collectively referred to as \"branes\") embedded into spacetime. The aim of this thesis is to present a series of results (of varying novelty and rigor) pertinent to dynamics of the low-dimensional geometrical objects of this kind. The processes considered are the D0-brane recoil and annihilation, \"local recoil\" of D1-branes (which is a peculiar effect manifested by one-dimensional topological defects in response to an impact, and closely related to soliton recoil), and D- and F-string loop mixing. Apart from the practical relevance within the formalism of string theory, such considerations are worthwhile in that the quantum dynamics of the geometrical objects involved is complex enough to be interesting, yet simple enough to be tractable. Furthermore, some of the results derived here within the string theory formalism may give valuable insights into the dynamics of low-dimensional field-theoretical topological defects." }, { "name": "Jenkins, Alejandro", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2006", "title": "Topics in Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology beyond the Standard Model", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06022006-145211", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Jenkins", "given": "Alejandro" }, "id": "Jenkins-Alejandro", "orcid": "0000-0002-4463-4633", "display_name": "Jenkins, Alejandro" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Hughes", "given": "Emlyn Willard" }, "id": "Hughes-Emlyn-Willard", "role": "member", "display_name": "Hughes, Emlyn Willard" }, { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Kamionkowski", "given": "Marc P." }, "id": "Kamionkowski-M-P", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kamionkowski, Marc P." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/9VSJ-XW82", "abstract": "We review our understanding of spin-1 and spin-2 massless particles as mediators of long-range forces. We discuss how a quantum description of such particles that is compatible with Lorentz covariance leads to gauge invariance, a mathematical redundancy in the description of the physics. We discuss the Weinberg-Witten theorem, which underlines the need for gauge invariance in relativistic theories with massless mediators of higher spin.
\r\n\r\nThis leads us to consider a class of models in which long-range interactions are mediated by the Goldstone bosons of spontaneous Lorentz violation. Since the Lorentz symmetry is realized non-linearly in the Goldstones, these models could evade the Weinberg-Witten theorem and the need for gauge invariance. In the case of gravity, the broken symmetry would protect the theory from having non-zero cosmological constant, while the compositeness of the graviton could provide a solution to the perturbative non-renormalizability of gravity.
\r\n\r\nNext we consider the phenomenology of spontaneous Lorentz violation and the experimental limits thereon. We find the general low-energy effective action of the Goldstones of this kind of symmetry breaking minimally coupled to gravity. We compare this effective theory to the ghost condensate that has been proposed in the literature as a model for gravity in a Higgs phase. We compute the modification to Newton's law from this mechanism and discuss observational limits on this kind of Lorentz violation from solar system tests of gravity and from gravitational Cherenkov radiation of cosmic rays.
\r\n\r\nWe then summarize the cosmological constant problems and show that models in which a scalar field causes super-acceleration of the universe generally exhibit instabilities connected to violation of the null-energy condition. We discuss how the equation of state evolves in a universe where the dark energy is caused by a ghost condensate. We comment on the anthropic argument for a small cosmological constant and how it is weakened if the inflaton self-coupling varies over the landscape of possible universes.
\r\n\r\nFinally, we discuss the reverse sprinkler, a problem in elementary fluid mechanics that had eluded a definitive treatment for decades.
" }, { "name": "Lee, Christopher", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2005", "title": "Probing Physics and the Standard Model and Beyond with Electroweak Baryogenesis and Effective Theories of the Strong Interactions", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.; Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05272005-162229", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Lee", "given": "Christopher" }, "id": "Lee-Christopher", "orcid": "0000-0003-2385-7536", "display_name": "Lee, Christopher" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Ramsey-Musolf", "given": "Michael J." }, "id": "Ramsey-Musolf-M-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Filippone", "given": "Bradley W." }, "id": "Filippone-B-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Filippone, Bradley W." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Ramsey-Musolf", "given": "Michael J." }, "id": "Ramsey-Musolf-M-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/GJPE-HN05", "abstract": "We address in this thesis two primary questions aimed at improving our ability to calculate reliably in the Standard Model of particle physics and probing possible new particles which may exist beyond it.
\r\n\r\nFirst, we embark on an attempt to account for the abundance of matter in the present Universe if earlier in its history matter and antimatter were equally abundant. We explore whether baryogenesis at the electroweak phase transition could successfully account for the observed density of baryons in the Universe, using the closed-time-path (CTP) formalism of quantum field theory to calculate the buildup and relaxation of particle densities during the phase transition. For our model of the new particles and sources of CP violation necessary to account for the baryon asymmetry of the Universe, we adopt the Minimal Supersymmetric Extension of the Standard Model (MSSM). We look for regions of the parameter space in the MSSM that could give rise to sufficiently large baryon asymmetry without violating constraints on these parameters from existing experiments, in particular, constraints on masses of Higgs and supersymmetric particles from accelerator searches and precision electroweak tests, and on CP-violating parameters of the MSSM from searches for electric dipole moments of elementary particles.
\r\n\r\nNext, we explore how to get around our ignorance of the dynamics of strongly interacting particles in the nonperturbative regime of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) by the clever use of effective field theories. Two applications are explored: the decay of Z bosons to hadronic jets using soft-collinear effective theory (SCET) and the radiative decays of quarkonia to light hadrons using SCET and non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD). These tools facilitate the proof of factorization of decay rates into perturbatively-calculable and nonperturbative parts. Universality of the latter among different observables provides predictive power even in our ignorance of the details of the nonperturbative physics.
" }, { "name": "Lee, Hok Kong", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2005", "title": "Gauge Theory and Supergravity Duality in the PP-Wave Background", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05262005-151056", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Lee", "given": "Hok Kong" }, "id": "Lee-Hok-Kong", "display_name": "Lee, Hok Kong" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "orcid": "0000-0002-0928-6784", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/8QS9-Q326", "abstract": "We test the matrix theory conjecture in the pp-wave by studying two-body interactions between gravitons and membranes. We compute the one-loop effective potential of matrix theory and compare it to the light cone Lagrangian of linearized supergravity. We have exact agreement in the absence of M-momentum transfer. We also find the effective potential that smoothly interpolates between the spherical membrane result and the graviton result. We also collect here partial results from our investigation of interactions with M-momentum transfer." }, { "name": "Li, Yi", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2005", "title": "Topological Sigma Models and Generalized Geometries", "advisor": "Kapustin, Anton N.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05262005-154458", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Li", "given": "Yi" }, "id": "Li-Yi", "display_name": "Li, Yi" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/RMHE-4185", "abstract": "We study the relation between topological sigma models and generalized geometries. The existence conditions for the most general type of topological sigma models obtained from twisting the N=(2,2) supersymmetric sigma model are investigated, and are found to be related to twisted generalized Calabi-Yau structures. The properties of these topological sigma models are analyzed in detail. The observables are shown to be described by the cohomology of a Lie algebroid, which is intrinsically associated with the twisted generalized Calabi-Yau structure. The Frobenius structure on the space of states and the effects of instantons are analyzed. We also study D-branes in these topological sigma models, and demonstrate that they also admit descriptions in terms of generalized geometries." }, { "name": "McLoughlin, Tristan", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2005", "title": "The Near-Penrose Limit of AdS/CFT", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05252005-175001", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "McLoughlin", "given": "Tristan" }, "id": "McLoughlin-Tristan", "orcid": "0000-0002-7548-1019", "display_name": "McLoughlin, Tristan" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "orcid": "0000-0002-0928-6784", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/EHS6-QF38", "abstract": "The conjectured duality between type IIB string theory on AdS5 x S5 and N = 4 SU(Nc) super Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions simplifies in the Penrose limit or, in other words, when the string's angular momentum is large. As the string action in this limit is solvable, it is possible to go beyond the supergravity approximation and compare exact string energies with the anomalous dimensions of a sector of large R-charge operators. This equivalence should of course extend to the full AdS5 x S5 space and to operators of finite R-charge. We take some modest steps in this direction by expanding the full string action in inverse powers of the angular momentum and finding the first order perturbative corrections to the energy spectrum. These corrections reproduce the gauge theory anomalous dimensions for a range of different operators to two-loops in the 't Hooft parameter but disagree at three-loops. Furthermore, these near-plane wave results are useful in studying the recently discovered integrability in this AdS/CFT system and can be used to motivate the form of quantum string scattering matrices." }, { "name": "Okuda, Takuya", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2005", "title": "Large N Dualities in Topological String Theory", "advisor": "Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05232005-184326", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Okuda", "given": "Takuya" }, "id": "Okuda-Takuya", "orcid": "0000-0002-0916-5376", "display_name": "Okuda, Takuya" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "orcid": "0000-0002-0928-6784", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/YJVK-6M26", "abstract": "We investigate the phenomenon of large N duality in topological string theory from three different perspectives: worldsheets, matrix models, and melting crystals.
\r\n\r\nIn the first part, we utilize the technique of mirror symmetry to generalize the worldsheet derivation of the duality, originally given by Ooguri and Vafa for the A-model on the conifold, to the A-model on more general geometries. We also explain how the Landau-Ginzburg models can be used to perform the worldsheet derivation of the B-model large N dualities.
\r\n\r\nIn the second part, we consider a class of A-model large N dualities where the open string theory reduces through the Chern-Simons theory on a lens space to a matrix model. We compute and compare the matrix model spectral curve and the Calabi-Yau geometry mirror to the closed string geometry, confirming the predictions of the duality.
\r\n\r\nFinally in the third part, we propose a crystal model that describes the A-model on the resolved conifold. This is a generalization of the crystal for C\u00b3. We also consider a novel unitary matrix model for the Chern-Simons theory on the three-sphere and show how the crystal model for the resolved conifold is derived from the matrix model. Certain non-compact D-branes are naturally incorporated into the crystal and the matrix model.
" }, { "name": "Swanson, Ian Jakov", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2005", "title": "Superstring Holography and Integrability in AdS\u2085 x S\u2075", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05042005-144547", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Swanson", "given": "Ian Jakov" }, "id": "Swanson-Ian-Jakov", "orcid": "0000-0001-5008-3041", "display_name": "Swanson, Ian Jakov" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "orcid": "0000-0002-0928-6784", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "member", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/QD85-9603", "abstract": "The AdS/CFT correspondence provides a rich testing ground for many important topics in theoretical physics. The earliest and most striking example of the correspondence is the conjectured duality between the energy spectrum of type IIB superstring theory on AdS\u2085 x S\u2075 and the operator anomalous dimensions of N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions. While there is a substantial amount of evidence in support of this conjecture, direct tests have been elusive. The difficulty of quantizing superstring theory in a curved Ramond-Ramond background is compounded by the problem of computing anomalous dimensions for non-BPS operators in the strongly coupled regime of the gauge theory. The former problem can be circumvented to some extent by taking a Penrose limit of AdS\u2085 x S\u2075, reducing the background to that of a pp-wave (where the string theory is soluble). A corresponding limit of the gauge theory was discovered by Berenstein, Maldacena and Nastase, who obtained successful agreement between a class of operator dimensions in this limit and corresponding string energies in the Penrose limit. In this dissertation we present a body of work based largely on the introduction of worldsheet interaction corrections to the free pp-wave string theory by lifting the Penrose limit of AdS\u2085 x S\u2075. This provides a new class of rigorous tests of AdS/CFT that probe a truly quantum realm of the string theory. By studying the correspondence in greater detail, we stand to learn not only about how the duality is realized on a more microscopic level, but how Yang-Mills theories behave at strong coupling. The methods presented here will hopefully contribute to the realization of these important goals." }, { "name": "Wessling, Margaret Ellen", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2005", "title": "Heavy Pentaquarks in the Diquark Model and the Large Nc Expansion", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05232005-174621", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Wessling", "given": "Margaret Ellen" }, "id": "Wessling-Margaret-Ellen", "display_name": "Wessling, Margaret Ellen" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Frautschi", "given": "Steven C." }, "id": "Frautschi-S-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Frautschi, Steven C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/6812-4G64", "abstract": "Recent experimental evidence for the \u0398\u207a(1540) has given rise to much theoretical interest in exotic baryons. The \u0398\u207a is a baryon that has strangeness S=+1, meaning that it contains an anti-strange quark. Thus it cannot be constructed from three quarks, unlike all other known baryons; it needs at least an extra quark-antiquark pair. It is usually modeled as a pentaquark state in the 10 bar representation of flavor SU(3), with flavor content s\u0305uudd.
\r\n \r\nThis thesis considers possible heavy pentaquarks, in which the antiquark is charmed or bottom rather than strange. In the context of the diquark model of Jaffe and Wilczek, it is argued that negative-parity pentaquarks of this type may be lighter than their positive-parity counterparts, and hence are likely to be stable against strong decay. Estimates are made for their masses, and their weak decays are discussed. Isospin relations are found between the decay rates for different possible decay channels.
\r\n\r\nNegative-parity heavy pentaquarks are also considered in a less model-dependent way, in the context of a 1/Nc expansion, where Nc is the number of colors. Heavy quark effective theory is also employed. Mass relations are found between the mass splittings of heavy pentaquarks and those of nonexotic baryons, and SU(3)-breaking corrections to these relations are computed. The results could be helpful in interpreting experimental data if heavy pentaquarks are observed.
" }, { "name": "Borokhov, Vadim Aleksandrovich", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2004", "title": "Monopole Operators and Mirror Symmetry in Three-Dimensional Gauge Theories", "advisor": "Kapustin, Anton N.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-04062004-015855", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Borokhov", "given": "Vadim Aleksandrovich" }, "id": "Borokhov-Vadim-Aleksandrovich", "orcid": "0000-0001-6230-0672", "display_name": "Borokhov, Vadim Aleksandrovich" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/5AP4-X614", "abstract": "Many gauge theories in three dimensions flow to interacting conformal field theories in the infrared. We define a new class of local operators in these conformal field theories that are not polynomial in the fundamental fields and create topological disorder. They can be regarded as higher-dimensional analogs of twist and winding-state operators in free 2-D CFTs. We call them monopole operators for reasons explained in the text. The importance of monopole operators is that in the Higgs phase, they create Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen vortices. We study properties of these operators in three-dimensional gauge theories using large N_f expansion. For non-supersymmetric gauge theories we show that monopole operators belong to representations of the conformal group whose primaries have dimension of order N_f. We demonstrate that these monopole operators transform non-trivially under the flavor symmetry group.
\r\n\r\nWe also consider topology-changing operators in the infrared limits of N=2 and N=4 supersymmetric QED as well as N=4 SU(2) gauge theory in three dimensions. Using large N_f expansion and operator-state isomorphism of the resulting superconformal field theories, we construct monopole operators that are primaries of short representation of the superconformal algebra and compute their charges under the global symmetries. Predictions of three-dimensional mirror symmetry for the quantum numbers of these monopole operators are verified. Furthermore, we argue that some of our large-N_f results are exact. This implies, in particular, that certain monopole operators in N=4 3-D SQED with N_f=1 are free fields. This amounts to a proof of 3-D mirror symmetry in these special cases.
" }, { "name": "Ciocarlie, Calin A.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2004", "title": "D-Brane Actions and N=2 Supergravity Solutions", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06022004-125935", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Ciocarlie", "given": "Calin A." }, "id": "Ciocarlie-Calin-A", "display_name": "Ciocarlie, Calin A." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Frautschi", "given": "Steven C." }, "id": "Frautschi-S-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Frautschi, Steven C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/WSR1-2S04", "abstract": "Among the most remarkable recent developments in string theory are the AdS/CFT duality, as proposed by Maldacena, and the emergence of noncommutative geometry. It has been known for some time that for a system of almost coincident D-branes the transverse displacements that represent the collective coordinates of the system become matrix-valued transforming in the adjoint representation of U(N). From a geometrical point of view this is rather surprising but, as we will see in Chapter 2, it is closely related to the noncommutative descriptions of D-branes.
\r\n\r\nA consequence of the collective coordinates becoming matrix-valued is the appearance of a dielectric effect in which D-branes can become polarized into higher-dimensional fuzzy D-branes. This last aspect has inspired Polchinski and Strassler to find a nonsingular string dual of a confining four-dimensional gauge theory. The nonsingular geometry is sourced by an extended brane arising from Myers' dielectric effect. Following the spirit of the Polchinski-Strassler paper, we find N = 2 supergravity solutions with polarized branes and a field-theory dual. In our case we are able to present exact supergravity solutions by using M-theory reductions to type IIA supergravity.
" }, { "name": "Ozakin, Arkadas Inan", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2004", "title": "RG-Flows, AdS/CFT Correspondence and Stability of Non-Dilatonic Branes", "advisor": "Gubser, Steven Scott", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-04272005-130936", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Ozakin", "given": "Arkadas Inan" }, "id": "Ozakin-Arkadas-Inan", "display_name": "Ozakin, Arkadas Inan" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Gubser", "given": "Steven Scott" }, "id": "Gubser-S-S", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Gubser, Steven Scott" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Gubser", "given": "Steven Scott" }, "id": "Gubser-S-S", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Gubser, Steven Scott" }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/DQKG-HY63", "abstract": "The possibility of having multiple renormalization group (RG) flows (one of which is supersymmetric) between two fixed points is investigated in the context of anti de Sitter / conformal field theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence. An analysis of a toy-model potential suggests that such flows are likely to exist. Superpotential methods are used in the context of finite temperature AdS/CFT to derive a black brane solution which approximates various finite temperature RG-flows in AdS/CFT near the horizon. This solution is also used in formulating a notion of univerality classes of instabilities of black braves. Instabilities of D3, M2 and M5-branes are investigated numerically, and the results confirm the predictions of the proposal of universality classes." }, { "name": "Wu, Xinkai", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2004", "title": "Testing Gauge/Gravity Duality: The Eleven-Dimensional PP-Wave", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05252004-230238", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Wu", "given": "Xinkai" }, "id": "Wu-Xinkai", "display_name": "Wu, Xinkai" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Weinstein", "given": "Alan Jay" }, "id": "Weinstein-Alan-J-Physics", "orcid": "0000-0002-0928-6784", "role": "member", "display_name": "Weinstein, Alan Jay" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/0JV2-RT78", "abstract": "The gauge/gravity duality in the interaction between M theory objects has taught us a lot about quantum gravity. The eleven-dimensional PP-wave background provides a new arena for exploring this duality beyond flat and almost flat, i.e., weakly curved, backgrounds. In this thesis we discuss the gauge theories that describe the dynamics of interacting M theory objects, the supergravity calculations that capture these dynamics, the comparison of the two sides, and various objects (such as gravitons and membranes) in the eleven-dimensional PP-wave background. We only consider the one-loop gauge theory and linearized supergravity approximations.\r\n" }, { "name": "Lee, Peter Byungho", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2003", "title": "D-Branes in Anti-de-Sitter Space", "advisor": "Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06022003-200011", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Lee", "given": "Peter Byungho" }, "id": "Lee-Peter-Byungho", "display_name": "Lee, Peter Byungho" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Kamionkowski", "given": "Marc P." }, "id": "Kamionkowski-M-P", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kamionkowski, Marc P." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/ZE9Y-RP78", "abstract": "We investigate the role of Dp-branes, which are p+1 dimensional membranes where open strings end, in two different types of anti-de-Sitter backgrounds: AdS\u2083 x S\u2083 x M\u2074 and AdS\u2085 x S\u2075, where M\u2074 is a compact four-dimensional manifold such as the four-torus T4 or the K3 surface.
\r\n\r\nIn the spirit of the AdS/CFT correspondence, D-brane physics on an anti-de-Sitter space should be captured by a dual conformal field theory defined on the boundary of AdS. Recently, Karch and Randall and DeWolfe, Freedman and Ooguri proposed in that the presence of a single D5-brane in AdS\u2085 x S\u2075 is dual to a defect conformal field theory in which the usual N=4 bulk SYM theory is coupled to a 2+1 dimensional conformal defect field theory. Extending their result, we take the Penrose limit of a single D5-brane embedded in AdS\u2085 x S\u2075 and propose a correspondence between open string states ending on the D5-brane and gauge-invariant operators living on the dual defect conformal field theory. Furthermore, we check this proposal by verifying that the anomalous dimension of the gauge theory operators matches the light-cone Hamiltonian of open strings ending on the D5-brane.
\r\n\r\nMaldacena has proposed that type IIB string theory compactified on AdS\u2083 x S\u2083 x M\u2074 is dual to a 1+1 conformal field theory defined on the conformal boundary of AdS\u2083. In this thesis, we restrict our attention to the study of a D-brane embedded in AdS\u2083 x S\u2083 x M\u2074 backgrounds and leave the explicit construction of the AdS/CFT correspondence of this setup for future work by others. First, we investigate the spectrum of open strings on AdS\u2082 branes in AdS\u2083 in an NS-NS background using the SL(2,R) WZW model. Then, we construct boundary states for the AdS\u2082 branes in the Euclideanized AdS\u2083 background and compute the one-loop free energy of open strings stretched between the branes.
" }, { "name": "Park, Jongwon", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2003", "title": "String/Gauge Duality and Penrose Limit", "advisor": "Ooguri, Hirosi", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-05152003-134850", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Park", "given": "Jongwon" }, "id": "Park-Jongwon", "display_name": "Park, Jongwon" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Ooguri", "given": "Hirosi" }, "id": "Ooguri-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-6021-3778", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Ooguri, Hirosi" }, { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3903-5158", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." }, { "name": { "family": "Mabuchi", "given": "Hideo" }, "id": "Mabuchi-H", "orcid": "0000-0002-5156-7678", "role": "member", "display_name": "Mabuchi, Hideo" }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/4S7W-2F30", "abstract": "Berenstein, Maldacena, and Nastase have recently discovered a particular limit of AdS/CFT correspondence where string theory in a plane wave background is dual to a sector of $mathcal N =4 SYM in a double scaling limit. It is based on the observation that a plane wave background can be obtained by taking Penrose limit of Anti de Sitter background. The corresponding gauge theory limit is identified via AdS/CFT dictionary. This proposal is especially exciting because string worldsheet theory in a plane wave background is exactly solvable, thereby opening a possibility that one can go beyond supergravity approximation. In the absence of string interactions, the duality made a remarkable prediction for anomalous dimension of gauge theory operators from exact free string spectrum, which was soon verified.
\r\n\r\nIn this thesis, we attempt to extend the duality to the interacting theory level. We propose that the correct holographic recipe is to identify the full string field theory Hamiltonian with the dilatation operator of gauge theory. In practice, we must find an identification map between string theory and gauge theory Hilbert spaces and evaluate matrix elements of the two operators accordingly. The requirement that the inner product should be preserved determines a unique identification map assuming that it is hermitian. We show that transition amplitudes of string field theory agree with matrix elements of dilatation operator under this preferred identification for states with two different impurities. We later extend it to states with arbitrary impurities. In doing so, we find a diagrammatic correspondence between string field theory and gauge theory Feynman diagrams thereby providing direct handles on the duality. Our proposal is universal in the sense that it is applicable to any interaction type such as the open-closed interaction, and to all orders in g\u2082 and \u03bb'. Hopefully, this thesis will be a key step towards proving the novel duality and a beginning of an exciting journey to the stringy regime of string/gauge duality.
" }, { "name": "Goldberger, Walter D.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2001", "title": "Brane Models and the Hierarchy Problem", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06242010-150733171", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Goldberger", "given": "Walter D." }, "id": "Goldberger-Walter-D", "display_name": "Goldberger, Walter D." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/zmfm-yd07", "abstract": "It has been recently proposed that higher-dimensional field theory models in the presence of extended defects (\"branes\") may play a role in addressing the gauge hierarchy problem. In this thesis we consider several aspects of such field theories. First we perform the Kaluza-Klein reduction of a bulk scalar field propagating in the scenario of Randall and Sundrum, which consists of a region of five-dimensional anti-deSitter space bounded by two three-branes. We then propose a simple mechanism, based on the dynamics of a bulk scalar field, for stabilizing the modulus field (the \"radion\") corresponding to the size of the compact dimension in the Randall-Sundrum scenario. Some implications of this stabilization mechanism for low-energy phenomenology are described. Next, we investigate the one-loop quantum corrections to the radion effective potential. We show that for large brane separation, the quantum effects are power suppressed and therefore have a negligible effect on the bulk dynamics once a classical stabilization mechanism is in place. Finally, we study the ultraviolet divergence structure of field theory in the presence of branes and find that brane-localized divergences arise both at the classical and quantum level. We show how to interpret the classical divergences by the usual regularization and renormalization procedure of quantum field theory." }, { "name": "Ouellette, Stephen Michael", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2001", "title": "SU(3) Chiral Symmetry in Non-Relativistic Field Theory", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-08172001-054126", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Ouellette", "given": "Stephen Michael" }, "id": "Ouellette-Stephen-Michael", "display_name": "Ouellette, Stephen Michael" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Politzer", "given": "Hugh David" }, "id": "Politzer-H-D", "orcid": "0000-0002-4983-6621", "role": "member", "display_name": "Politzer, Hugh David" }, { "name": { "family": "Frautschi", "given": "Steven C." }, "id": "Frautschi-S-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Frautschi, Steven C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/JN2B-5X12", "abstract": "Applications imposing SU(3) chiral symmetry on non-relativistic field theories are considered. The first example is a calculation of the self-energy shifts of the spin-3/2 decuplet baryons in nuclear matter, from the chiral effective Lagrangian coupling octet and decuplet baryon fields. Special attention is paid to the self-energy of the Delta baryon near the saturation density of nuclear matter. We find contributions to the mass shifts from contact terms in the effective Lagrangian with coefficients of unknown value. As a second application, we formulate an effective field theory with manifest SU(2) chiral symmetry for the interactions of K and eta mesons with pions at low energy. SU(3) chiral symmetry is imposed on the effective field theory by a matching calculation onto three-flavor chiral perturbation theory. The effective Lagrangian for the pi-K and pi-eta sectors is worked out to order Q^4; the effective Lagrangian for the K-K sector is worked out to order Q^2 with contact interactions to order Q^4. As an application of the method, we calculate the K-K s-wave scattering phase shift at leading order and compare with chiral perturbation theory. We conclude with a discussion of the limitations of the approach and propose new directions for work where the matching calculation may be useful" }, { "name": "Popescu, Costin Radu", "degree": "PhD", "year": "2001", "title": "Branes, Brane Actions and Applications to Field Theory", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-12082006-104418", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Popescu", "given": "Costin Radu" }, "id": "Popescu-Costin-Radu", "display_name": "Popescu, Costin Radu" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Politzer", "given": "Hugh David" }, "id": "Politzer-H-D", "orcid": "0000-0002-4983-6621", "role": "member", "display_name": "Politzer, Hugh David" }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "orcid": "0000-0003-1948-8889", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/qr6g-tp18", "abstract": "This thesis describes the construction of supersymmetric world-volume actions for various kinds of extended objects that appear in string theory, the so-called p-branes, D-branes and M-branes. We also present an application of branes to computing the spectrum of a conformal field theory in the context of the AdS-CFT correspondence.\r\n" }, { "name": "Aganagic, Mina", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1999", "title": "String Theory on Calabi-Yau Manifolds: Topics in Geometry and Physics", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08072017-110249276", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Aganagic", "given": "Mina" }, "id": "Aganagic-Mina", "display_name": "Aganagic, Mina" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/jtpn-rn07", "abstract": "We study aspects of the geometry and physics of type II string theory compactification\r\non Calabi-Yau manifolds. The emphasis is on non-perturbative phenomena which arise when the compactification manifold develops singularities, and the implications\r\non quantum geometry of the the Calabi-Yau spaces. We use both the methods of low energy\r\nsupergravity and the complementary approach via D brane probes. Applications to the study of four-dimensional N = 1 and N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories are considered as well." }, { "name": "Stewart, Iain W.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1999", "title": "Applications of Chiral Perturbation Theory in Reactions with Heavy Particles", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08082017-105330690", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Stewart", "given": "Iain W." }, "id": "Stewart-Iain-W", "display_name": "Stewart, Iain W." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/w8fe-ww63", "abstract": "Effective field theory techniques are used to describe the interaction of heavy hadrons\r\nin a model independent way. Predictability is obtained by exploiting the symmetries\r\nof QCD. Heavy hadron chiral perturbation theory is reviewed and used to describe\r\nD* decays. The phenomenologically important D*D\u03c0 coupling is extracted from data\r\nworking to first order in the chiral and heavy quark symmetry breaking parameters.\r\nA method is described for determining |Vub| from exclusive semileptonic B and D\r\ndecays with 10% uncertainty. An effective field theory for two-nucleon systems is\r\nthen discussed. The large S-wave scattering lengths necessitate expanding around a\r\nnon-trivial fixed point. A detailed discussion of the interplay between renormalization\r\nand the power of counting is given. In power counting pion interactions with nucleons\r\nit is useful to consider three classes of pion: potential, radiation, and soft. A power\r\ncounting for massive radiation is developed. Finally, it is shown that the leading terms\r\nin the effective theory for nucleon-nucleon interactions are invariant under Wigner's\r\nSU(4) spin-isospin symmetry in the infinite scattering length limit." }, { "name": "Cherkis, Sergey A.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1998", "title": "Three-Dimensional Gauge Theories and Gravitational Instantons from String Theory", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08072017-161302326", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Cherkis", "given": "Sergey A." }, "id": "Cherkis-Sergey-A.", "display_name": "Cherkis, Sergey A." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/1c59-jj22", "abstract": "Various realizations of gauge theories in string theory allow an identification of their\r\nspaces of vacua with gravitational instantons. Also, they provide a correspondence of\r\nvacua of gauge theories with nonabelian monopole configurations and solutions of a \r\nsystem of integrable equations called Nahm equations. These identifications make it\r\npossible to apply powerful techniques of differential and algebraic geometry to solve\r\nthe gauge theories in question. In other words, it becomes possible to find the exact\r\nmetrics on their moduli spaces of vacua with all quantum corrections included. As\r\nanother outcome we obtain for the first time the description of a series of all Dk-type\r\ngravitational instantons." }, { "name": "Davoudiasl, Hooman", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1998", "title": "Applications of Chiral Symmetry", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08022017-141551703", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Davoudiasl", "given": "Hooman" }, "id": "Davoudiasl-Hooman", "display_name": "Davoudiasl, Hooman" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/dv4e-6748", "abstract": "We study some applications of the chiral symmetry of quantum chromodynamics in\r\ntreating phenomena involving hadrons at low energies, where perturbative methods\r\nare not valid. We begin by introducing the concepts of global symmetry breaking\r\nand the consequent generation of Goldstone bosons. It is shown how these concepts\r\nare realized through chiral symmetry breaking and provide an understanding of some\r\nof the features of strong interactions at low energies. This leads us to the chiral\r\nperturbation theory effective Lagrangian for the low energy interactions of the light\r\npseudo-scalars. We use this effective Lagrangian, and the considerations that led to\r\nit, as the basis of our approach in studying three different problems. First, we find\r\nthe rates for the \u03c4 lepton decays \u03c4 \u2192 V\u03c0v\u03c4, where V stands for \u03c1, K* or w, and\r\nextract the magnitude of the \u03c1w\u03c0 coupling, |g2(\u03c1)| = 0.6. Next, we use this coupling\r\nto find the decay rate for D0 \u2192 K*0\u03c0-e+Ve in a certain kinematic regime. This rate depends on the DD*\u03c0 coupling and our results can provide and extraction of this coupling, given data on this decay. The third problem we address is that of finding\r\nsolutions that represent the qualitative behavior of the disoriented chiral condensate\r\nin the non-linear sigma model O(p4). We show that these solutions do not become \r\nsingular at short distances where the O(p2) solutions begin to diverge." }, { "name": "Gremm, Martin", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1998", "title": "Aspects of Heavy Quark Physics", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:07242017-112524631", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Gremm", "given": "Martin" }, "id": "Gremm-Martin", "display_name": "Gremm, Martin" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/yfze-b589", "abstract": "We discuss the use of two QCD based effective field theories in determining parameters\r\nof the standard model. Heavy Quark Effective theory provides a framework for\r\nstudying the weak decays of the B meson. We calculate the B \u2192 Xclv decay rate\r\nto second nonvanishing order in the HQET expansion and compare the theoretical\r\nprediction to experimental data. This allows us to determine the b and c pole quark\r\nmasses and the weak mixing angle Vcb.
\r\n\r\nNonrelativistic QCD is an effective field theory in which bound states of two heavy\r\nquarks can be analyzed conveniently. We use this approach to compute the leading\r\nrelativistic corrections to the decay of S-wave quarkonia. These corrections can be\r\nexpressed in terms of the leading order result and the quark pole mass. Including\r\ncolor octet contributions and the first relativistic corrections, we extract the value\r\nof \u03b1s from low energy data. We also show that the color octet contributions to the\r\ndecay rates are not negligible.
" }, { "name": "Leibovich, Adam Keith", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1998", "title": "Quarkonia Production in Nonrelativistic Quantum Chromodynamics", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08072017-152935193", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Leibovich", "given": "Adam Keith" }, "id": "Leibovich-Adam-Keith", "display_name": "Leibovich, Adam Keith" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/ezh4-nr37", "abstract": "Color-singlet production of quarkonia has failed to correctly predict the cross sections\r\nof \u03c8's produced at the Tevatron. Gluon fragmentation has been identified the dominant\r\nsource of high energy prompt quarkonia at hadron colliders. Fragmentation\r\napproximations break down, however, when a quarkonium's transverse momentum\r\nbecomes comparable to its mass. We review the NRQCD formalism, which is an\r\neffective field that improves upon the color-singlet calculations. As an example of\r\ncolor-singlet calculation, we calculate in closed form the complete O(\u03b12s) color-singlet\r\ndifferential cross section for e+e- \u2192 \u03b3* \u2192 \u03c8q + X scattering. The cross section\r\nreduces at high energies to a heavy quark fragmentation form. We find that the energy\r\nscale at which the approximate fragmentation result becomes reliable exceeds the \u03c8q\r\nmass by more than an order of magnitude. We also discuss the color-singlet model's\r\npredictions for direct J/\u03c8 angular and energy distributions at CLEO. For production\r\nat a pp collider, we identify a large class of color-octet diagrams that mediate quarkonia\r\nproduction at all energies and reduce to the dominant set of gluon fragmentation\r\ngraphs in the high p\u22a5 limit. They contribute to quarkonia differential cross sections at\r\nthe same order as color-singlet diagrams and bring theoretical predictions for \u03b3 and \u03c8\r\nproduction at the Tevatron into agreement with experimental measurements. Using\r\nrecent CDF data, we extract numerical values for bottomonia and charmonia color-octet\r\nmatrix elements which are consistent with NRQCD scaling rules. We calculated the polarization of \u03c8'\r\ndue to pp \u2192 QQ[2S+1LJ(8)]X \u2192 \u03c8(\u03bb)X color-octet quarkonia\r\nproduction at order \u03b13s which could be used as a test of NRQCD. We find that at\r\nlow transverse momenta the \u03c8' is unpolarized due to the contributions proportional\r\nto the L = S = 0 and L = s = 1 color-octet matrix elements. As p\u22a5 increases, \r\nthe \u03c8' mesons become 100% polarized, as predicted by fragmentation calculations.\r\nPolarization due to lowest order color-singlet production is also considered, which\r\nqualitatively has a similar shape to the color-octet production. " }, { "name": "Westphal, Eric Rodney", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1998", "title": "Electroweak Baryogenesis via Scalar Baryon Number Transport", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08022017-140445031", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Westphal", "given": "Eric Rodney" }, "id": "Westphal-Eric-Rodney", "display_name": "Westphal, Eric Rodney" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/2fzh-e229", "abstract": "The study of baryogenesis introduces a new datum in the study of physics beyond\r\nthe Standard Model. Some physics relevant to baryogenesis is reviewed. Electroweak\r\nbaryogenesis due to scalar particles (such as squarks) possessing baryon number is\r\nestimated and found to be considerable within a broad and plausible range of parameter\r\nvalues. Transport properties of squarks in the electroweak plasma are found to\r\nsupport this conclusion. If baryonic scalars are discovered in physics beyond the\r\nStandard Model, these results will be useful in determining whether they are consistent\r\nwith cosmological observations." }, { "name": "Elwood, John Kenneth", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1997", "title": "Effective Field Theories in the Study of K_L \u2192 \u03c0^+\u03c0^-e^+e^- and Heavy Quark Fragmentation", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08072017-112244341", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Elwood", "given": "John Kenneth" }, "id": "Elwood-John-Kenneth", "display_name": "Elwood, John Kenneth" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/vzrw-t659", "abstract": "This thesis examines several situations in which effective field theories may be\r\nused to generate perturbative predictions for nonperturbative phenomena. The\r\ndecay mode KL \u2192 \u03c0+\u03c0-e+e- is analyzed in great detail using chiral perturbation theory, and the form factors for the decay are determined, along with the sizes of \r\nvarious CP violating observables. One of these variables turns out to be quite sizeable, \r\napproaching 20% for appropriate cuts on the lepton pair invariant mass. Fragmentation\r\nof a c quark to the excited charmed baryon doublet \u039b*c is also studied within the\r\nframework of a chiral theory, and various decay distributions are expressed in terms\r\nof nonperturbative fragementation parameters. A perturbative calculation of related fragmentation\r\nparameters is also briefly discussed." }, { "name": "Gottesman, Daniel Eric", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1997", "title": "Stabilizer Codes and Quantum Error Correction", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-07162004-113028", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Gottesman", "given": "Daniel Eric" }, "id": "Gottesman-Daniel-Eric", "display_name": "Gottesman, Daniel Eric" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Kimble", "given": "H. Jeff" }, "id": "Kimble-H-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Kimble, H. Jeff" }, { "name": { "family": "Koonin", "given": "Steven E." }, "id": "Koonin-S-E", "orcid": "0000-0001-5897-5319", "role": "member", "display_name": "Koonin, Steven E." }, { "name": { "family": "Prince", "given": "Thomas A." }, "id": "Prince-T-A", "orcid": "0000-0002-8850-3627", "role": "member", "display_name": "Prince, Thomas A." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/rzr7-dt72", "abstract": "Controlling operational errors and decoherence is one of the major challenges facing the field of quantum computation and other attempts to create specified many-particle entangled states. The field of quantum error correction has developed to meet this challenge. A group-theoretical structure and associated subclass of quantum codes, the stabilizer codes, has proved particularly fruitful in producing codes and in understanding the structure of both specific codes and classes of codes. I will give an overview of the field of quantum error correction and the formalism of stabilizer codes. In the context of stabilizer codes, I will discuss a number of known codes, the capacity of a quantum channel, bounds on quantum codes, and fault-tolerant quantum computation" }, { "name": "Kapustin, Anton N.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1997", "title": "Topics in Heavy Quark Physics", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:07312017-085453845", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Kapustin", "given": "Anton N." }, "id": "Kapustin-Anton-N", "display_name": "Kapustin, Anton N." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/VMR2-BC71", "abstract": "Heavy Quark Effective Theory (HQET) is reviewed and applied to extracting the \r\nfundamental parameters of the Standard Model from experimental data. The main\r\nfocus is on precision measurements of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix\r\nelement |Vcb|, and the charm and bottom quark masses mc and mb. We discuss the\r\nmodel-independent extraction of |Vcb| from the B \u2192 D*lv decay rate and show that\r\nthe corresponding theoretical uncertainties, although small, cannot be further\r\nreduced. The theory of the inclusive B \u2192 Xclv decay is described and then used to\r\nextract |Vcb|, mc, and mb from the available data. We also determine the HQET \r\nparameters \u039b and \u03bb1 which appear in the expressions for the heavy meson decay rates\r\nand the relations between the meson and quark masses. At present, the accuracy of \r\nthe inclusive measurement of |Vcb| is comparable to that from the exclusive B \u2192 D*lv\r\ndecay, but could be improved if the bottom quark mass mb were known better. We\r\nshow how this could be accomplished by measuring the photon spectrum in the rare \r\ninclusive B \u2192 Xs\u03b3 decay." }, { "name": "Park, Jaemo", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1997", "title": "Aspects of String Dualities--Orientifolds, F-Theory and Super D-Branes & the M5-Brane", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08082017-142128708", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Park", "given": "Jaemo" }, "id": "Park-Jaemo", "display_name": "Park, Jaemo" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/qk53-dg31", "abstract": "We probe string dualities by using the orientifold and F-theory, and by investigating\r\nworld volume actions of super D-branes and super M-branes.
\r\n\r\nWe first study orientifolds in various dimensions. We construct orientifolds dual\r\nto M-theory compactified on the Klein bottle and on the M\u00f6bius band, respectively.\r\nSix-dimensional orientifolds with N=1 supersymmetry are constructed. They have\r\nmultiple tensor multiplets, which cannot be obtained by the conventional Calabi-Yau\r\ncompactifications. We find F-theory duals for some of these models, thereby making\r\nmanifest the phase transitions involving the tensionless strings these models can have.
\r\n\r\nWe construct orientifold and F-theory duals of the heterotic string models constructed\r\nby Chaudhuri, Hockney and Lykken (CHL) and study N=2 supersymmetric\r\nF-theory vacua in six dimensions.
\r\n\r\nNext, we construct the supersymmetric world volume action of the M-theory 5-brane\r\nin a flat eleven-dimensional background. Finally, dual D-brane actions are\r\nobtained by carrying out a duality transformation of the world volume gauge field of\r\nthe D-brane and their properties are studied.
" }, { "name": "McGraw, Patrick Neal", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1996", "title": "Dynamics of non-Abelian Aharonov-Bohm systems", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:02182016-092822106", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "McGraw", "given": "Patrick Neal" }, "id": "McGraw-Patrick-Neal", "display_name": "McGraw, Patrick Neal" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/CGWP-HF33", "abstract": "This thesis examines several examples of systems in which non-Abelian magnetic\r\nflux and non-Abelian forms of the Aharonov-Bohm effect play a role. We consider\r\nthe dynamical consequences in these systems of some of the exotic phenomena associated\r\nwith non-Abelian flux, such as Cheshire charge holonomy interactions and\r\nnon-Abelian braid statistics. First, we use a mean-field approximation to study a\r\nmodel of U(2) non-Abelian anyons near its free-fermion limit. Some self-consistent\r\nstates are constructed which show a small SU(2)-breaking charge density that vanishes\r\nin the fermionic limit. This is contrasted with the bosonic limit where the SU(2)\r\nasymmetry of the ground state can be maximal. Second, a global analogue of Chesire\r\ncharge is described, raising the possibility of observing Cheshire charge in condensedmatter\r\nsystems. A potential realization in superfluid He-3 is discussed. Finally, we\r\ndescribe in some detail a method for numerically simulating the evolution of a network\r\nof non-Abelian (S3) cosmic strings, keeping careful track of all magnetic fluxes\r\nand taking full account of their non-commutative nature. I present some preliminary\r\nresults from this simulation, which is still in progress. The early results are suggestive\r\nof a qualitatively new, non-scaling behavior." }, { "name": "Chow, Chi-Keung", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1995", "title": "Heavy hadrons in the large Nc limit", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-09172007-144702", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Chow", "given": "Chi-Keung" }, "id": "Chow-C", "display_name": "Chow, Chi-Keung" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Politzer", "given": "Hugh David" }, "id": "Politzer-H-D", "role": "member", "display_name": "Politzer, Hugh David" }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Frautschi", "given": "Steven C." }, "id": "Frautschi-S-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Frautschi, Steven C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/7qz6-sg17", "abstract": "NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document.\r\n\r\nIn the heavy quark and large [...] limit, heavy baryons can be identified as bound states of heavy mesons and light baryons. The binding potential can be calculated under chiral perturbation theory, and is simple harmonic when [...]. The spectra and properties of these bound states agree reasonably well with the observed heavy baryons. In this framework, some non-perturbative quantities, like the orbital excitation energy and the slope of the Isgur-Wise form factor, can be evaluated. Moreover, the same universal Isgur-Wise form factor describes the semileptonic decays [...] and [...]. The formalism can also be used to study the spectra, stabilities and decay modes of exotic multiquark states." }, { "name": "Lu, Ming", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1995", "title": "Applications of heavy quark symmetry and long distance contributions to weak decays", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-10152007-125922", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Lu", "given": "Ming" }, "id": "Lu-M", "display_name": "Lu, Ming" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/6DV4-ZZ66", "abstract": "NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document.\r\n\r\nHeavy quark chiral perturbation theory is used to predict the form factors for [...] and [...] decays. We also look at the long distance contributions to some hyperon and kaon weak decays which are important for CP violation or extracting information of CKM matrix.\r\n" }, { "name": "Brun, Todd Andrew", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1994", "title": "Applications of the Decoherence Formalism", "advisor": "Gell-Mann, Murray", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-03132009-091544", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Brun", "given": "Todd Andrew" }, "id": "Brun-Todd-Andrew", "display_name": "Brun, Todd Andrew" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Gell-Mann", "given": "Murray" }, "id": "Gell-Mann-M", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Gell-Mann, Murray" } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/zc4x-7346", "abstract": "In this work the decoherence formalism of quantum mechanics is explored and applied to a number of interesting problems in quantum physics. The boundary between quantum and classical physics is examined, and demonstration made that quantum histories corresponding to classical equations of motion become more probable for a broad class of models, including linear and nonlinear models of Brownian motion. The link between noise, dissipation, and decoherence is studied. This work is then applied to systems which classically exhibit dissipative chaotic dynamics. A theory is explicated for treating these systems, and the ideas are applied to a particular model of the forced, damped Duffing oscillator, which is chaotic for certain parameter values. Differences between classical and quantum chaos are examined, particularly differences arising in the structure of fractal strange attractors, and the conceptual difficulties in framing standard notions of chaos in a quantum system. A brief discussion of previous work on quantum chaos is included, and the differences between Hamiltonian and dissipative chaos pointed out; a somewhat different interpretation of quantum chaos from the standard one is suggested. A class of histories for quantum systems, in phase space rather than configuration space, is studied. Different ways of representing projections in phase space are discussed, and expressions for the probability of phase space histories are derived; conditions for such histories to decohere are also estimated in the semiclassical limit.\r\n" }, { "name": "Lee, Clarence L. Y.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1994", "title": "Quantum effective field theories in heavy quark physics and phase transitions in cosmology", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:04182012-104107815", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Lee", "given": "Clarence L. Y." }, "id": "Lee-C-L-Y", "display_name": "Lee, Clarence L. Y." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/tr7n-vw39", "abstract": "This thesis is concerned with aspects of quantum effective field theories, effective\r\nactions, and their applications. New spin-flavor symmetries of the strong interactions,\r\nwhich arise in the limit of very large quark masses, can be incorporated into a heavy\r\nquark effective field theory (HQEFT). A general method for deriving the effective\r\nLagrangian of this theory to any order in 1/m_Q (where m_Q is the heavy quark mass)\r\nis developed; it is used to calculate terms up to order 1/m^3_Q. The renormalization of\r\nterms in the Lagrangian to order 1/m^2_Q is performed. Such operators break these new\r\nsymmetries and consequently are important corrections to the leading-order predictions.\r\nHQEFT can be combined with chiral perturbation theory into a heavy meson\r\nchiral perturbation theory (HMChPT) which describes the low-momentum interactions\r\nof hadrons containing a heavy quark with pseudo-Goldstone bosons. HMChPT\r\nis used to investigate the semi-leptonic four-body decay of B and D mesons into final\r\nstates with at least one Goldstone boson. Such processes may be utilized to test\r\nthe above heavy quark symmetries. The remainder of this dissertation deals with the\r\nevaluation of effective actions and their implications. A method to efficiently compute\r\nthe one-loop effective action at zero and finite temperatures is elucidated. In a first\r\norder cosmological phase transition, the decay rate and the temperature at which it\r\noccurs depends on the free energy of a critical bubble configuration. Since this free\r\nenergy is related to the effective action but is usually approximated with an effective\r\npotential, the calculational method developed above is used to study the validity of\r\nof this approximation. The corrections are found to be important for quantitative\r\nwork.
\r\n" }, { "name": "Lee, Kai-Ming", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1994", "title": "Non-Abelian discrete gauge theory", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-12082008-094212", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Lee", "given": "Kai-Ming" }, "id": "Lee-K", "display_name": "Lee, Kai-Ming" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/KCB0-S712", "abstract": "Gauge theory with a finite gauge group (or with a gauge group that has disconnected components) is systematically studied, with emphasis on the case of a non-Abelian gauge group. An operator formalism is developed, and an order parameter is constructed that can distinguish the various phases of a gauge theory. The non-Abelian Aharonov-Bohm interactions and holonomy interactions among cosmic string loops, vortices, and charged particles are analyzed; the detection of Cheshire charge and the transfer of charge between particles and string loops (or vortex pairs) are described. Non-Abelian gauge theory on a surface with non-trivial topology is also discussed. Interactions of vortices with \"handles\" on the surface are discussed in detail. The electric charge of the mouth of a \"wormhole\" and the magnetic flux \"linked\" by the wormhole are shown to be non-commuting observables. This observation is used to analyze the color electric field that results when a colored object traverses a wormhole.\r\n" }, { "name": "Yi, Piljin", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1994", "title": "On quantum fluctuations and black holes", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-09112008-135620", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Yi", "given": "Piljin" }, "id": "Yi-P", "display_name": "Yi, Piljin" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Trivedi", "given": "Sandip P." }, "id": "Trivedi-S-P", "role": "member", "display_name": "Trivedi, Sandip P." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/8jtc-0d19", "abstract": "We explore some exotic phenomena in charged black holes, arising from the second quantization of matter fields or from the first quantization of fundamental strings. Spherically symmetric magnetic black holes admit special modes of electrically charged fermions, known as Callan-Rubakov modes, which can be quantized efficiently. We find that the chargeless sector generates non-thermal quantum radiations from extremal Reissner-NordstrOm black holes, thereby reducing the black hole masses below the familiar classical bound in spite of the vanishing Hawking temperature. On the other hand, the charged sector induces a vacuum energy distribution and the gravitational backreaction thereof, which are particularly pronounced for extremal dilatonic black holes. Implications of these quantum effects are studied in great detail. Also considered is a string-inspired two-dimensional gravity with non-singular charged black holes among its solutions. After a lengthy discussion on the stability of these novel space-times, we speculate on the possibility and implications of nonsingular black holes in full-blown string theories.\r\n" }, { "name": "Cleaver, Gerald B.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1993", "title": "Kac-Moody algebras and string theory", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-03062009-160921", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Cleaver", "given": "Gerald B." }, "id": "Cleaver-G-B", "display_name": "Cleaver, Gerald B." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/FXSK-JK33", "abstract": "NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe focus of this thesis is on (1) the role of Kac-Moody algebras in string theory and the development of techniques for systematically building string theory models based on higher level K \u2265 2) KM algebras and (2) fractional superstrings, a new class of solutions based on SU(2)[subscript K]/U(1) conformal field theories. The content of this thesis is as follows.\r\n\r\nIn chapter two we review KM algebras and their role in string theory. In the next chapter, we present two results concerning the construction of modular invariant partition functions for conformal field theories built by tensoring together other conformal field theories. This is based upon our research in ref. [2]. First we show how the possible modular invariants for the tensor product theory are constrained if the allowed modular invariants of the individual conformal field theory factors have been classified. We illustrate the use of these constraints for theories of the type [...], finding all consistent theories for K[subscript A] and K[subscript B] odd. Second we show how known diagonal modular invariants can be used to construct inherently asymmetric invariants where the holomorphic and anti-holomorphic theories do not share the same chiral algebra. Explicit examples are given.\r\n\r\nNext, in chapter four we investigate some issues relating to recently proposed fractional superstring theories with D[subscript critical] < 10. Using the factorization approach of Gepner and Qiu, we systematically rederive the partition functions of the K = 4, 8, and 16 theories and examine their spacetime supersymmetry. Generalized GSO projection operators for the K = 4 model are found. Uniqueness of the twist field, [...] as source of spacetime fermions, is demonstrated. Our research was originally presented in refs. [3, 4]\r\n" }, { "name": "Rosenthal, Philip J.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1993", "title": "The dimension of spacetime", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-03062009-162225", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Rosenthal", "given": "Philip J." }, "id": "Rosenthal-P-J", "display_name": "Rosenthal, Philip J." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/5q06-5105", "abstract": "The implications of string theory for the dimension of spacetime are investigated by two methods. First, a new potential class of string theories is studied, which have critical dimensions 3, 4 and 6. In particular, the partition functions of these theories are derived and interpreted using generalized GSO projection. The possible uniqueness of field assignments, as well as the bosonization of the K = 4 model are also addressed. Second, using recent ideas in string cosmology, a new model is proposed to explain why three spatial dimensions grew large. Unlike the original work of Brandenberger and Vafa, this paradigm uses the theory of random walks. A simple computer model is developed to test the implications of this new approach. It is found that a four-dimensional spacetime can be explained by the proper choice of initial conditions.\r\n" }, { "name": "Schmidhuber, Christof", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1993", "title": "Extending the theory of random surfaces", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:01082013-113837650", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Schmidhuber", "given": "Christof" }, "id": "Schmidhuber-C", "display_name": "Schmidhuber, Christof" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/1hwe-nn67", "abstract": "The theory of embedded random surfaces, equivalent to two-dimensional quantum\r\ngravity coupled to matter, is reviewed, further developed and partly generalized\r\nto four dimensions. It is shown that the action of the Liouville field theory that describes\r\nrandom surfaces contains terms that have not been noticed previously. These\r\nterms are used to explain the phase diagram of the Sine-Gordon model coupled to\r\ngravity, in agreement with recent results from lattice computations. It is also demonstrated\r\nhow the methods of two- dimensional quantum gravity can be applied to\r\nfour-dimensional Euclidean gravity in the limit of infinite Weyl coupling. Critical\r\nexponents are predicted and an analog of the \"c = 1 barrier\" of two-dimensional\r\ngravity is derived.\r\n" }, { "name": "Boyd, Charles Glenn", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1991", "title": "Aspects of heavy quark physics", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-09142005-104947", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Boyd", "given": "Charles Glenn" }, "id": "Boyd-C-G", "display_name": "Boyd, Charles Glenn" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/BZR0-2W44", "abstract": "NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document.\r\n\r\nThe [...] Wisgur corrections to semileptonic decay form factors for the [...] system are enumerated, and a general theorem on the vanishing of all [...] corrections at threshold is derived. The contribution of charged higgs scalars to the neutron electric dipole moment in multi-higgs models is also examined, and found to be near present experimental limits.\r\n" }, { "name": "Bucher, Martin", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1991", "title": "On the theory of non-Abelian vortices and cosmic strings", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06132007-131249", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Bucher", "given": "Martin" }, "id": "Bucher-M", "display_name": "Bucher, Martin" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Barish", "given": "Barry C." }, "id": "Barish-B-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Barish, Barry C." }, { "name": { "family": "Politzer", "given": "Hugh David" }, "id": "Politzer-H-D", "role": "member", "display_name": "Politzer, Hugh David" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/5NNN-WN66", "abstract": "The thesis deals with the theory of non-Abelian vortices in two spatial dimensions and cosmic strings in three spatial dimensions that arise when a non-Abelian gauge symmetry G is broken to a non-Abelian unbroken symmetry group H by the condensation of a Higgs field. The first part of the thesis discusses the case in which H is discrete. In this case all of the gauge bosons acquire a large mass; however, at low energies discretely charged particles experience non-Abelian Aharonov-Bohm scattering off vortices, which can be used to measure the flux of the vortices. Vortices also experience non-Abelian Aharonov-Bohm scattering with each other. When there are more than three vortices in a system, the Aharonov-Bohm interaction, which is described by a path integral involving sums over elements of the braid group, becomes extremely complicated. The vortices are subject to a new kind of exotic statistics. The second part of the thesis discusses the physics that arises when the requirement that H be discrete is relaxed to allow H to have one continuous generator. The vortices or strings that result change the sign of the charge for charged particles. Loops of Alice string or pairs of vortices can carry charge without any apparent source. A quantization condition for the charge carried by such pairs and loops is derived. It is also found that loops of Alice string can carry magnetic charge and that topologically stable monopoles exist in any theory with Alice symmetry breaking." }, { "name": "Raiten, Eric J.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1991", "title": "Applications of current algebra in conformal field theory", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:04112011-105355285", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Raiten", "given": "Eric J." }, "id": "Raiten-E-J", "display_name": "Raiten, Eric J." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/1tw7-4v34", "abstract": "In this work, two topics concerning the interplay between current algebra and conformal symmetry in two dimensions are discussed. The construction of a conformal algebra from a current algebra, the Virasoro Master Equation, is presented with analytic and perturbative solutions. Second, N = 2 superconformal models based on supersymmetric current algebras with c > 3 are coupled to two dimensional topological gravity.\r\n" }, { "name": "Rivlis, Gil", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1991", "title": "Two topics in 2D quantum field theory", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:04112011-105901546", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Rivlis", "given": "Gil" }, "id": "Rivlis-G", "display_name": "Rivlis, Gil" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/w269-sg43", "abstract": "Two topics in two-dimensional quantum field theory are presented. The first\r\nis a classification of 2- and 3-field rational conformal field theories. Using the fact\r\nthat the fusion algebra of a RCFT is specified in terms of integers that are related\r\nto modular transformation properties, we classify 2- and 3-field chiral RCFT's. We\r\nshow that the only possibilities for the non-trivial fusion rule in the 2-field case are\r\n\u03c6 x \u03c6 = 1 or \u03c6 x \u03c6 = 1 + \u03c6. Similar results are obtained for the 3-field case. A partial\r\nclassification of possible conformal dimensions and central charges for these theories\r\nis also obtained. The second topic is in two-dimensional quantum gravity. Explicit\r\ncomputation of the non-perturbative correlation functions of the (1, q) models of\r\nKdV-gravity is presented. This computation includes contributions from high genus\r\nas well as correlation functions of descendant fields. A ghost number conservation\r\nlaw for these models is derived from purely algebraic considerations. A hint of further\r\nselection rules is found.\r\n" }, { "name": "Springer, Roxanne Patricia", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1991", "title": "QCD Effects in Weak Radiative \u03b2-Meson Decays", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-09042008-110831", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Springer", "given": "Roxanne Patricia" }, "id": "Springer-Roxanne-Patricia", "display_name": "Springer, Roxanne Patricia" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/ewdz-7q49", "abstract": "The effective Hamiltonian for B-meson decays of the form B \u2192 Xx\u03b3, where Xs is a strange hadron, is found in the minimal Standard Model with strong interaction effects included. Renormalization group techniques are used to scale the coefficients of the operators in the effective Hamiltonian to find the inclusive decay rate for hard photon (E\u03b3 ~ 2GeV) emission, to leading logarithmic approximation.\r\n" }, { "name": "Yen, Tinju Tim", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1991", "title": "Strings, two-dimensional gravity, and matrix models", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:04112011-114355027", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Yen", "given": "Tinju Tim" }, "id": "Yen-T-T", "display_name": "Yen, Tinju Tim" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/e8fb-f051", "abstract": "Two-dimensional models of quantum gravity have been solved using matrix model techniques. Furthermore, these solutions have turned out to be encoded in integrable nonlinear PDEs belonging to the KdV hierarchy. This thesis presents a new KdV recursion relation, distinct from one found previously by Dijkgraaf and Witten, for a certain class of theories known as the two-matrix models. The two recursion relations together are used to relate arbitrary correlation functions containing a puncture operator P (at any genus) to the three basic correlatorsThe results of calculations of semileptonic B\u00b1c meson exclusive decay channels using the quark potential model are presented. These results are compared with estimations made using the spectator model. The polarization of charmonia states resulting from b \u2192 c decay are also calculated, providing a more detailed experimental check of the model.
" }, { "name": "Espinosa, Olivier R.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1990", "title": "Non-Conservation of Baryon Number at High Energy in the Standard Model", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06062007-160632", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Espinosa", "given": "Olivier R." }, "id": "Espinosa-Olivier-R", "display_name": "Espinosa, Olivier R." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Frautschi", "given": "Steven C." }, "id": "Frautschi-S-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Frautschi, Steven C." }, { "name": { "family": "McKeown", "given": "Robert D." }, "id": "McKeown-R-D", "role": "member", "display_name": "McKeown, Robert D." }, { "name": { "family": "Zachariasen", "given": "Fredrik" }, "id": "Zachariasen-F", "role": "member", "display_name": "Zachariasen, Fredrik" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/74cf-xv77", "abstract": "We calculate the coupling constant and energy dependence of the scattering amplitudes for baryon- and lepton-number violating processes in the context of the standard model, in the semiclassical approximation. It is found that, to leading order in this expansion, the spin-averaged total cross sections for these processes grow as a power of the CM-energy and thus violate the bound imposed by unitarity. This result has a twofold implication: first, perturbation theory in the instanton sector of the electroweak theory must break down at high energies and, second, it strongly suggests that baryon and lepton number non-conservation might be observed experimentally at energies accesible in the near future.
" }, { "name": "Savage, Martin J.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1990", "title": "Flavor SU(3) predictions for charmed baryon and B-meson decays", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:07292014-081524505", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Savage", "given": "Martin J." }, "id": "Savage-M-J", "display_name": "Savage, Martin J." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/xg6c-7v36", "abstract": "The predictions of the SU(3) flavor symmetry of the strong interactions for the\r\nweak decay of charmed baryons and B-mesons are detailed. It is hoped that comparison\r\nbetween these predictions and experiment will shed some light on the underlying\r\ndynamics involved in these weak decays. Although only a few decay modes of the\r\ncharmed baryons and B-mesons have been studied experimentally it is hoped that the\r\nnext generation of B-factories and even Z-decays at LEP will provide enough events\r\nto test these predictions.\r\n" }, { "name": "Trivedi, Sandip Parimal", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1990", "title": "Topics in Quantum Gravity", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:03182015-100539813", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Trivedi", "given": "Sandip Parimal" }, "id": "Trivedi-Sandip-Parimal", "display_name": "Trivedi, Sandip Parimal" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Unknown", "given": "Unknown" }, "display_name": "Unknown, Unknown" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/61k5-xm10", "abstract": "We study some aspects of conformal field theory, wormhole physics and two-dimensional\r\nrandom surfaces. Inspite of being rather different, these topics serve\r\nas examples of the issues that are involved, both at high and low energy scales,\r\nin formulating a quantum theory of gravity. In conformal field theory we show\r\nthat fusion and braiding properties can be used to determine the operator product\r\ncoefficients of the non-diagonal Wess-Zumino-Witten models. In wormhole physics\r\nwe show how Coleman's proposed probability distribution would result in wormholes\r\ndetermining the value of \u03b8QCD. We attempt such a calculation and find the most\r\nprobable value of \u03b8QCD to be \u03c0. This hints at a potential conflict with nature.\r\nIn random surfaces we explore the behaviour of conformal field theories coupled to\r\ngravity and calculate some partition functions and correlation functions. Our results\r\nthrow some light on the transition that is believed to occur when the central charge\r\nof the matter theory gets larger than one." }, { "name": "Allen, Theodore John", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1988", "title": "The Singular Mechanics of Particles and Strings", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:01172013-111439406", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Allen", "given": "Theodore John" }, "id": "Allen-Theodore-John", "display_name": "Allen, Theodore John" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Frautschi", "given": "Steven C." }, "id": "Frautschi-S-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Frautschi, Steven C." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Peck", "given": "Charles W." }, "id": "Peck-C-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Peck, Charles W." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/hvjy-be63", "abstract": "The quantum mechanics of singular systems is a topic of considerable importance for all the theories of elementary particle physics in which gauge invariance is a universal attribute. This is especially true for string theories which are gauge theories par excellence.
\r\n\r\nThis thesis begins with a brief exposition of singular Hamiltonian mechanics. This tool is applied principally to manifestly supersymmetric particle and string theories. The Dirac particle and the bosonic particle and string are briefly examined. In particular, a method is shown for quantizing the point superparticle in four and ten dimensions. The two actions proposed for describing the manifestly supersymmetric string are shown to be essentially equivalent. The problems of their quantization are briefly discussed.
" }, { "name": "Cline, James Michael", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1988", "title": "Effective Lagrangians and Infinity Cancellations for Open String Theories", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:01172013-140801181", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Cline", "given": "James Michael" }, "id": "Cline-James-Michael", "display_name": "Cline, James Michael" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Peck", "given": "Charles W." }, "id": "Peck-C-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Peck, Charles W." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "member", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/9vpf-s680", "abstract": "The covariant path integral formalism for theories of open and closed strings is\r\nused to study the first order of string perturbation theory beyond tree level for the\r\nclosed-string states, in which the string world sheet has the topology of the disk or the\r\nreal projective plane. We find that scattering amplitudes (in flat spacetime) confirm\r\nthese surfaces' contribution to the low-energy effective action for the bosonic string\r\ntheory, as derived by another method, demanding consistency of string propagation in\r\nbackground gravitational and dilaton fields (the \"sigma model approach\"). However,\r\nwe are not able to obtain results consistent with this effective action by demanding\r\nthat amplitudes in a curved background be finite; this is an unresolved puzzle. Decoupling\r\nof spurious tachyon states from the superstring S-matrix is discussed, and\r\nfiniteness of amplitudes for the disk plus projective plane is demonstrated for a large\r\nclass of external states, when the gauge group is SO(32).
" }, { "name": "Douglas, Michael Ronald", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1988", "title": "G/H Conformal Field Theory", "advisor": "Schwarz, John H.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-08202008-083708", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Douglas", "given": "Michael Ronald" }, "id": "Douglas-Michael-Ronald", "display_name": "Douglas, Michael Ronald" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Fox", "given": "Geoffrey C." }, "id": "Fox-G-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Fox, Geoffrey C." }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/YNEZ-8X17", "abstract": "We show that for every affine Lie algebra G and subalgebra H there exists an exactly solvable two-dimensional conformal field theory, and give a procedure for explicitly determining its correlation functions and partition function given those for the Wess-Zumino-Witten models with symmetry algebras G and H.
" }, { "name": "Kiritsis, Elias B.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1988", "title": "Topics in Conformal Field Theory", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:03112013-144150219", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Kiritsis", "given": "Elias B." }, "id": "Kiritsis-Elias-B", "display_name": "Kiritsis, Elias B." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "orcid": "0000-0001-9861-7559", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Simon", "given": "Barry M." }, "id": "Simon-B", "orcid": "0000-0003-2561-8539", "role": "member", "display_name": "Simon, Barry M." }, { "name": { "family": "Barish", "given": "Barry C." }, "id": "Barish-B-C", "orcid": "0000-0001-6386-7371", "role": "member", "display_name": "Barish, Barry C." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/xp2b-x462", "abstract": "In this work two major topics in Conformal Field Theory are discussed. First a detailed investigation of N=2 Superconformal theories is presented. The structure of the representations of the N=2 superconformal algebras is investigated and the character formulae are calculated. The general structure of N=2 superconformal theories is elucidated and the operator algebra of the minimal models is derived. The first minimal system is discussed in more detail. Second, applications of the conformal techniques are studied in the Ashkin-Teller model. The c = 1 as well as the c = \u00bd critical lines are discussed in detail.
\r\n" }, { "name": "Rey, Soo-Jong", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1988", "title": "On the BRST Invariance of String Theory", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-01052005-142036", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Rey", "given": "Soo-Jong" }, "id": "Rey-Soo-Jong", "display_name": "Rey, Soo-Jong" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Gell-Mann", "given": "Murray" }, "id": "Gell-Mann-M", "role": "member", "display_name": "Gell-Mann, Murray" }, { "name": { "family": "Politzer", "given": "Hugh David" }, "id": "Politzer-H-D", "role": "member", "display_name": "Politzer, Hugh David" }, { "name": { "family": "Porter", "given": "Frank C." }, "id": "Porter-F-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Porter, Frank C." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/MDK4-NY02", "abstract": "Radiative corrections to string scattering amplitude generate, in general, BRST anomalies due to the massless particle tadpole, the on-shell external two-point function singularities, and the intermediate unphysical cut singularities. It is proved that they originate from the boundaries of moduli space. Unitarity, analyticity, and BRST invariance are restored only after we add appropriate local counterterms to the scattering amplitudes. We show that counterterms have physical interpretations as the Fischler-Susskind mechanism, the mass renormalization, and the contact interactions respectively.
\r\n" }, { "name": "Miji\u0107, Milan B.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1987", "title": "Quantum and Inflationary Cosmology with Higher Derivative Gravity", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08022017-083105707", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Miji\u0107", "given": "Milan B." }, "id": "Miji\u0107-Milan-B", "display_name": "Miji\u0107, Milan B." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Gell-Mann", "given": "Murray" }, "id": "Gell-Mann-M", "role": "member", "display_name": "Gell-Mann, Murray" }, { "name": { "family": "Thorne", "given": "Kip S." }, "id": "Thorne-K-S", "role": "member", "display_name": "Thorne, Kip S." }, { "name": { "family": "Peck", "given": "Charles W." }, "id": "Peck-C-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Peck, Charles W." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/1sz4-gt36", "abstract": "The subject of this thesis is the description of the Very Early Universe, from the Big Bang to the beginning of the radiation-dominated Friedman-Roberston-Walker era. We examine a pure gravity inflationary model for the Universe which is based on adding \u0190R2 term to the usual gravitational Lagrangian (\"improved Starobinsky model\"). We find the classical inflationary solution essentially independent of initial conditions. The model has only one free parameter, which is bounded from above by observational constraints on scalar and tensorial perturbations and from below by both the need for standard baryogenesis and the need for galaxy formation. This requires 1011GeV < \u0190-1/2 < 1013GeV.
\r\n\r\nThe model is interpreted as a Chaotic Inflationary model, with initial conditions for classical evolution being generated by the quantum fluctuations in metric and curvature in Very Early Universe. We discuss those fluctuations using a particular solution of the Wheeler-De Witt equation and find that the inflationary phase is a highly typical event.
" }, { "name": "Polychronakos, Alexios P.", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1987", "title": "Anomalous Quantum Mumbers and Topological Properties of Field Theories", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:01222013-133723975", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Polychronakos", "given": "Alexios P." }, "id": "Polychronakos-Alexios-P", "display_name": "Polychronakos, Alexios P." } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Simon", "given": "Barry M." }, "id": "Simon-B", "orcid": "0000-0003-2561-8539", "role": "member", "display_name": "Simon, Barry M." }, { "name": { "family": "Cross", "given": "Michael Clifford" }, "id": "Cross-M-C", "role": "member", "display_name": "Cross, Michael Clifford" }, { "name": { "family": "Zachariasen", "given": "Fredrik" }, "id": "Zachariasen-F", "role": "member", "display_name": "Zachariasen, Fredrik" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/PBQR-B016", "abstract": "We examine the connection between anomalous quantum numbers, symmetry breaking patterns and topological properties of some field theories. The main results are the following: In three dimensions the vacuum in the presence of abelian magnetic field configurations behaves like a superconductor. Its quantum numbers are exactly calculable and are connected with the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index theorem. Boundary conditions, however, play a nontrivial role in this case. Local conditions were found to be physically preferable than the usual global ones. Due to topological reasons, only theories for which the gauge invariant photon mass in three dimensions obeys a quantization condition can support states of nonzero magnetic flux. For similar reasons, this mass induces anomalous angular momentum quantum numbers to the states of the theory. Parity invariance and global flavor symmetry were shown to be incompatible in such theories. In the presence of massless flavored fermions, parity will always break for an odd number of fermion flavors, while for even fermion flavors it may not break but only at the expense of maximally breaking the flavor symmetry. Finally, a connection between these theories and the quantum Hall effectwas indicated.
\r\n" }, { "name": "Siopsis, George", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1987", "title": "Some Aspects of the Quantization of Theories with a Gauge Invariance", "advisor": "Preskill, John P.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08042017-154857683", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Siopsis", "given": "George" }, "id": "Siopsis-George", "display_name": "Siopsis, George" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Peck", "given": "Charles W." }, "id": "Peck-C-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Peck, Charles W." }, { "name": { "family": "Schwarz", "given": "John H." }, "id": "Schwarz-J-H", "role": "member", "display_name": "Schwarz, John H." }, { "name": { "family": "Zachariasen", "given": "Fredrik" }, "id": "Zachariasen-F", "role": "member", "display_name": "Zachariasen, Fredrik" } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/hf4w-dw98", "abstract": "We discuss some problems that arise when one tries to quantize a theory that possesses gauge degrees of freedom. First, we identify the Gribov problem that is encountered when the Faddeev-Popov procedure of fixing the gauge is employed to define a perturbation expansion. We propose a modification of the procedure that takes this problem into account. We then apply this method to two-dimensional gauge theories where the exact answer is known. Second, we try to build chiral theories that are consistent in the presence of anomalies, without making use of additional degrees of freedom. We are able to solve the model exactly in two dimensions, arriving at a gauge-invariant theory. We discuss the four-dimensional case and also the application of this method to string theory. In the latter, we obtain a model that lives in arbitrary dimensions. However, we do not compute the spectrum of the model. Third, we investigate the possibility of compactifying the unwanted dimensions of superstrings on a group manifold. We give a complete list of conformally invariant models. We also discuss one-loop modular invariance. We consider both type-II and heterotic superstring theories. Fourth, we discuss quantization of string field theory. We start by presenting the lagrangian approach, to demonstrate the non-uniqueness of the measure in the path-integral. It is fixed by demanding unitarity, which manifests itself in the hamiltonian formulation, studied next.
" }, { "name": "Bijnens, Johan Lambert", "degree": "PhD", "year": "1985", "title": "Chiral Perturbation Theory and the Weak Interaction", "advisor": "Wise, Mark B.", "url": "https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:08042017-160047213", "creators": [ { "name": { "family": "Bijnens", "given": "Johan Lambert" }, "id": "Bijnens-Johan-Lambert", "orcid": "0000-0002-1618-2844", "display_name": "Bijnens, Johan Lambert" } ], "advisors": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "advisor", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." } ], "committee": [ { "name": { "family": "Wise", "given": "Mark B." }, "id": "Wise-M-B", "orcid": "0000-0002-9125-801X", "role": "chair", "display_name": "Wise, Mark B." }, { "name": { "family": "Preskill", "given": "John P." }, "id": "Preskill-J", "orcid": "0000-0002-2421-4762", "role": "member", "display_name": "Preskill, John P." }, { "name": { "family": "Hitlin", "given": "David G." }, "id": "Hitlin-D-G", "orcid": "0000-0003-4028-6982", "role": "member", "display_name": "Hitlin, David G." }, { "name": { "family": "Cowan", "given": "Eugene W." }, "id": "Cowan-E-W", "role": "member", "display_name": "Cowan, Eugene W." } ], "option_major": [ "physics" ], "doi": "10.7907/64qa-xw17", "abstract": "We study the interface between the standard six-quark model and the observed low-energy weak phenomena. The main processes discussed are weak decays of kaons and hyperons. We study first the low-energy effective weak Hamiltonian at the quark level. This is derived using the renormalization group in leading logarithmic approximation.
\r\n\r\nThen some properties of this effective weak Hamiltonian that can be derived using chiral perturbation theory are studied. A review of chiral perturbation theory is included.
\r\n\r\nThis formalism is used to study the relation between K̅0K0 mixing and a \u0394I = 3/2 decay. We find that the logarithmic corrections to this relation are large, making it unreliable. The same formalism is used to discuss a relation between K\u03c0\u03c0, K\u03c0 and K-vacuum matrix elements used in most attempts to compute the K\u03c0\u03c0 matrix element relevant for the \u0394I = 1/2 rule. The domain of validity of this relation is determined.
\r\n\r\nA review of inclusion of baryons in chiral perturbation theory is given and \r\none-loop corrections to the Gell-Mann-Okubo relation; semileptonic hyperon decays and nonleptonic S and P wave decays are calculated. All corrections are small except the nonleptonic P wave decays and one S wave decay. The corrections to the Lee-Sugawara relation are large as a consequence of the latter.
\r\n\r\nSome predictions beyond chiral perturbation theory can be made within the soliton model of baryons. F/D ratios are predicted for hyperon magnetic moments, semileptonic decays and nonleptonic S wave decays in this model.
" } ]