Gravitation

Abstract: Conventional wisdom states that Newton's force law implies only four noncompact dimensions. We demonstrate that this is not necessarily true in the presence of a nonfactorizable background geometry. The specific example we study is a single 3-brane embedded in five dimensions. We show that even without a gap in the Kaluza-Klein spectrum, four-dimensional Newtonian and general relativistic gravity is reproduced to more than adequate precision.

Abstract: This book presents a comprehensive review of the subject of gravitational effects in quantum field theory. Although the treatment is general, special emphasis is given to the Hawking black hole evaporation effect, and to particle creation processes in the early universe. The last decade has witnessed a phenomenal growth in this subject. This is the first attempt to collect and unify the vast literature that has contributed to this development. All the major technical results are presented, and the theory is developed carefully from first principles. Here is everything that students or researchers will need to embark upon calculations involving quantum effects of gravity at the so-called one-loop approximation level.

Abstract: This book presents a comprehensive review of the subject of gravitational effects in quantum field theory. Although the treatment is general, special emphasis is given to the Hawking black hole evaporation effect, and to particle creation processes in the early universe. The last decade has witnessed a phenomenal growth in this subject. This is the first attempt to collect and unify the vast literature that has contributed to this development. All the major technical results are presented, and the theory is developed carefully from first principles. Here is everything that students or researchers will need to embark upon calculations involving quantum effects of gravity at the so-called one-loop approximation level.

Abstract: We propose a new framework for solving the hierarchy problem which does not rely on either supersymmetry or technicolor. In this framework, the gravitational and gauge interactions become united at the weak scale, which we take as the only fundamental short distance scale in nature. The observed weakness of gravity on distances ≳ 1 mm is due to the existence of n ≥2 new compact spatial dimensions large compared to the weak scale. The Planck scale M Pl ∼ G N −1/2 is not a fundamental scale; its enormity is simply a consequence of the large size of the new dimensions. While gravitons can freely propagate in the new dimensions, at sub-weak energies the Standard Model (SM) fields must be localized to a 4-dimensional manifold of weak scale “thickness” in the extra dimensions. This picture leads to a number of striking signals for accelerator and laboratory experiments. For the case of n =2 new dimensions, planned sub-millimeter measurements of gravity may observe the transition from 1/ r 2 →1/ r 4 Newtonian gravitation. For any number of new dimensions, the LHC and NLC could observe strong quantum gravitational interactions. Furthermore, SM particles can be kicked off our 4 dimensional manifold into the new dimensions, carrying away energy, and leading to an abrupt decrease in events with high transverse momentum p T ≳ TeV. For certain compact manifolds, such particles will keep circling in the extra dimensions, periodically returning, colliding with and depositing energy to our four dimensional vacuum with frequencies of ∼10 12 Hz or larger. As a concrete illustration, we construct a model with SM fields localized on the 4-dimensional throat of a vortex in 6 dimensions, with a Pati-Salam gauge symmetry SU (4)× SU (2)× SU (2) in the bulk.

Abstract: Preface. Notation. Copyright Acknowledgements. Part One Preliminaries. Part Two the General Theory of Relativity. Part Three Applications of Feneral Relativity. Part Four Formal Developments. Part Five Cosmology. Appendix. Some Useful Numbers. Index.