E6 GUT and Baryon Asymmetry Generation in the E6CHM

Grand unified theories (GUTs) may result in the E6-inspired composite Higgs model (E6CHM) at low energies, almost stabilizing the electroweak scale. We consider an orbifold GUT in 6 dimensions in which the E6-gauge group is broken to the gauge symmetry of the standard model (SM) while different multiplets of the SM fermions come from different 27-plets. The strongly coupled sector of the E6CHM is confined on the brane where E6 is broken down to its SU(6) subgroup. Near the scale of f≳5TeV, this approximate SU(6) symmetry is expected to be further broken down to its SU(5) subgroup, which contains the SM-gauge group. Such a breakdown leads to a set of pseudo-Nambu–Goldstone bosons (pNGBs) that includes an SM-like Higgs doublet. The approximate gauge coupling unification in the E6CHM takes place at high energies when the right-handed top quark is a composite fermion. To ensure anomaly cancellation, the weakly coupled sector of this model contains extra exotic matter beyond the SM. We discuss the mechanism of the generation of matter–antimatter asymmetry within the variant of the E6CHM in which the baryon number and CP invariance are violated.

Hilltop Inflation and Generation of Helical Magnetic Field

Primordial magnetic field generated in the inflationary era can act as a viable source for the present day intergalactic magnetic field of sufficient strength. We present a fundamental origin for such a primordial generation of the magnetic field, namely through anomaly cancellation of U(1) gauge field in quantum electrodynamics in the context of hilltop inflation. We have analysed at length the power spectrum of the magnetic field, thus generated, which turns out to be helical in nature. We have also found that magnetic power spectrum has significant scale-dependence giving rise to a non-trivial magnetic spectral index, a key feature of this model. Interestingly, there exists a large parameter space, where magnetic field of significant strength can be produced.

Anomalies as obstructions: from dimensional lifts to swampland

We revisit the relation between the anomalies in four and six dimensions and the Chern-Simons couplings one dimension below. While the dimensional reduction of chiral theories is well-understood, the question which three and five-dimensional theories can come from a general circle reduction, and are hence liftable, is more subtle. We argue that existence of an anomaly cancellation mechanism is a necessary condition for liftability. In addition, the anomaly cancellation and the CS couplings in six and five dimensions respectively determine the central charges of string-like BPS objects that cannot be consistently decoupled from gravity, a.k.a. supergravity strings. Following the completeness conjecture and requiring that their worldsheet theory is unitary imposes bounds on the admissible theories. We argue that for the anomaly-free six-dimensional theories it is more advantageous to study the unitarity constraints obtained after reduction to five dimensions. In general these are slightly more stringent and can be cast in a more geometric form, highly reminiscent of the Kodaira positivity condition (KPC). Indeed, for the F-theoretic models which have an underlying Calabi-Yau threefold these can be directly compared. The unitarity constraints (UC) are in general weaker than KPC, and maybe useful in understanding the consistent models without F-theoretic realisation. We catalogue the cases when UC is more restrictive than KPC, hinting at more refined hidden structure in elliptic Calabi-Yau threefolds with certain singularity structure.

Torsion in String-Inspired Cosmologies and the Universe Dark Sector

Several aspects of torsion in string-inspired cosmologies are reviewed. In particular, its connection with fundamental, string-model independent, axion fields associated with the massless gravitational multiplet of the string are discussed. It is argued in favour of the role of primordial gravitational anomalies coupled to such axions in inducing inflation of a type encountered in the “Running-Vacuum-Model (RVM)” cosmological framework, without fundamental inflaton fields. The gravitational-anomaly terms owe their existence to the Green–Schwarz mechanism for the (extra-dimensional) anomaly cancellation, and may be non-trivial in such theories in the presence of (primordial) gravitational waves at early stages of the four-dimensional string universe (after compactification). The paper also discusses how the torsion-induced stringy axions can acquire a mass in the post inflationary era, due to non-perturbative effects, thus having the potential to play the role of (a component of) dark matter in such models. Finally, the current-era phenomenology of this model is briefly described with emphasis placed on the possibility of alleviating tensions observed in the current-era cosmological data. A brief phenomenological comparison with other cosmological models in contorted geometries is also made.

SU(5)×U(1)′ Models with a Vector-Like Fermion Family

Motivated by experimental measurements indicating deviations from the Standard Model predictions, we discuss F-theory-inspired models, which, in addition to the three chiral generations, contain a vector-like complete fermion family. The analysis takes place in the context of $SU(5)\times U(1)'$ GUT embedded in an $E_8$ covering group, which is associated with the (highest) geometric singularity of the elliptic fibration. In this context, the $U(1)'$ is a linear combination of four abelian factors subjected to the appropriate anomaly cancellation conditions. Furthermore, we require universal $U(1)'$ charges for the three chiral families and different ones for the corresponding fields of the vector-like representations. Under the aforementioned assumptions, we find 192 models that can be classified into five distinct categories with respect to their specific GUT properties. We exhibit representative examples for each such class and construct the superpotential couplings and the fermion mass matrices. We explore the implications of the vector-like states in low-energy phenomenology, including the predictions regarding the B-meson anomalies. The rôle of R-parity violating terms appearing in some particular models of the above construction is also discussed.

Modified nonlinear Schrödinger models, 𝒞𝒫s𝒯d invariant N-bright solitons and infinite towers of anomalous charges

Modifications of the nonlinear Schrödinger (MNLS) model [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], are considered. We show that the MNLS models possess infinite towers of quasi-conservation laws for soliton-type configurations with a special complex conjugation, shifted parity and delayed time reversion ([Formula: see text]) symmetry. Infinite towers of anomalous charges appear even in the standard NLS model for [Formula: see text] invariant [Formula: see text]-bright solitons. The true conserved charges emerge through some kind of anomaly cancellation mechanism. Our analytical results are supported by numerical simulations of two-bright-soliton scatterings with potential [Formula: see text]. Our numerical simulations show the elastic scattering of bright solitons for a wide range of values of the set [Formula: see text] and a variety of amplitudes and relative velocities. The MNLS-type systems are quite ubiquitous, and so, our results may find potential applications in several areas of nonlinear physics, such as Bose–Einstein condensation, superconductivity, soliton turbulence and the triality among gauge theories, integrable models and gravity theories.

On Gauge Invariance of the Bosonic Measure in Chiral Gauge Theories

Gauge invariance of the measure associated with the gauge field is usually taken for granted, in a general gauge theory. We furnish a proof of this invariance, within Fujikawa’s approach. To stress the importance of this fact, we briefly review gauge anomaly cancellation as a consequence of gauge invariance of the bosonic measure and compare this cancellation to usual results from algebraic renormalization, showing that there are no potential inconsistencies. Then, using a path integral argument, we show that a possible Jacobian for the gauge transformation has to be the identity operator, in the physical Hilbert space. We extend the argument to the complete Hilbert space by a direct calculation.

Ambitwistor strings in six and five dimensions

Ambitwistor strings are chiral (holomorphic) strings whose target is the space of complex null geodesics, ambitwistor space. We introduce twistor representations of ambitwistor space in 6 and 5 dimensions. In 6d the twistor representation is naturally conformally invariant. Anomaly cancellation leads to models that describe biadjoint scalar amplitudes and certain conformally invariant gauge and gravity theories, respectively of 4th and 6th order. There are three such models, reflecting triality for the conformal group SO(8) associated to these 6d models. On reduction to five dimensions, gauge anomaly cancellation requires supersymmetry and the resulting models describe maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills and gravity. The twistor representation of these ambitwistor strings lead to formulæ for maximally supersymmetric gauge and gravity amplitudes based on the polarized scattering equations in 5d, found earlier by the first two authors.