Bounds on the Effective Theory of Gravity in Models of Particle Physics and Cosmology

The effective theory of quantum gravity coupled to models of particle physics is being probed by cutting edge experiments in both high energy physics (searches for extra dimensions) and cosmology (testing models of inflation). This thesis derives new bounds that may be placed on these models both theoretically and experimentally. In models of extra dimensions, the internal consistency of the theories at high energies are investigated via perturbative unitarity bounds. Similarly it is shown that recent models of Higgs inflation suffer from a breakdown of perturbative unitarity during the inflationary period. In addition, the thesis uses the latest LHC data to derive the first ever experimental bound on the size of the Higgs boson's non-minimal coupling to gravity.

List of contents

Introduction.- Unitarity of Gravity Coupled to Models of Particle Physics.- Unitarity of Models with Extra Dimensions.- Higgs Inflation.- Bound on the Non-minimal Coupling of the Higgs Boson to Gravity.- Conclusions.

Summary

The effective theory of quantum gravity coupled to models of particle physics is being probed by cutting edge experiments in both high energy physics (searches for extra dimensions) and cosmology (testing models of inflation). This thesis derives new bounds that may be placed on these models both theoretically and experimentally. In models of extra dimensions, the internal consistency of the theories at high energies are investigated via perturbative unitarity bounds. Similarly it is shown that recent models of Higgs inflation suffer from a breakdown of perturbative unitarity during the inflationary period. In addition, the thesis uses the latest LHC data to derive the first ever experimental bound on the size of the Higgs boson's non-minimal coupling to gravity.

Product details

• Authors: Michael Atkins
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 20.03.2014
• EAN: 9783319063669
• ISBN: 978-3-31-906366-9
• No. of pages: 100
• Dimensions: 163 mm x 244 mm x 12 mm
• Weight: 286 g
• Illustrations: XII, 100 p. 11 illus., 2 illus. in color.
• Series: Springer Theses; Springer Theses
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Physics, astronomy > Theoretical physics; Gravitation, B, Kosmologie und das Universum, Cosmology, Nuclear physics, Physics and Astronomy, Particle and Nuclear Physics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Particle & high-energy physics, Relativity physics, Classical and Quantum Gravity, Classical and Quantum Gravitation, Relativity Theory